ROME FOR THE BRAVE

Follow your guide on a spine-chilling trail through the darkest recesses of haunted Rome. Indeed, crouching beneath the flurry of the modern day metropolis lies its silent, eerie underground twin city of ancient streets, necropolises and domus. You will be led on a subterranean journey back in time past some of the capital’s creepiest and most fascinating locations. As you dig deeper into Rome’s hidden layers, your private guide will animate your journey with curiosities and explanations about the past. Mysterious wall decorations, cryptic graffiti and macabre findings will be pointed out along the way.

An unforgettable experience for the whole family, this entertaining and educational tour provides a perfect mix of history and excitement and will allow young tourists to gain an insight into the Caput Mundi’s origins and development throughout the ages.

Nowhere else in this city are the layers of Roman eras more evident than the impressive multi-levelled Basilica of San Clemente – also known for this very reason as the lasagna church. Marvel at every step as you uncover centuries of history concealed below ground-level. The present-day 12th century basilica sits atop the remains of an earlier 4th century church, which in turn was built over a 3rd century pagan sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras and a 2nd century Roman dwelling.

You will then enjoy a thrilling descent into the underground maze of a catacomb and take a peek at the early centuries of Christian faith. Dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, catacombs are human-made subterranean tunnels and cubicles used as burial places by Rome’s first Christian communities. Located outside the city, as it was illegal to inter a dead body within the walls, the catacombs were also used for religious practices, such as commemorative services and feasts. Rome’s martyrs were given final rest in these underground sites and it is here that the worship of saints and relics originated. You will listen to stories of persecutions and discover how Christianity managed to survive and thrive in Pagan Rome. Your guide will accompany you through dimly-lit labyrinthine passageways, past funerary chambers and elucidate the meaning of the paintings, carved symbols and inscriptions that decorate the walls.

The last stop on your tour will take you beneath the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione to the Capuchin Crypt. Here you will see the skeletons and skulls of 3,700 Capuchin friars arranged in sinister decorative designs. As a reminder of the impermanence of earthly life, one sign proclaims: “What you are, we once were. What we are, you someday will be”.