GUIDED TOUR

                                                                   Ancient Basilicas and Underground Catacombs

Rome's churches are among the most beautiful and ancient in the western world: spend an afternoon discovering some of them on this guided tour.
Join us at our meeting point, where you'll be met by your professional guide who will provide you with a handy audio receiver and earphones to ensure you don't miss a word.
We will visit Santa Maria Maggiore, an ancient and beautiful Basilica. It was built on top of the Esquiline Hill: its original architecture was classical, perhaps to give the idea that the place represented ancient imperial as well as Christian Rome. Despite numerous further building projects and damage, the Basilica retains the core of its original structure from 442 AD.
Even older, the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano: the oldest public church in Rome and the highest major papal basilica. It stands on the remains of an imperial Roman military fortress founded in 193 AD, which was later converted into a place of worship and suffered various damages due to earthquakes and fires: the splendid façade, as it appears today, was completed in 1735.
Nearby, the Scala Sancta: white marble steps enclosed in wooden ones.
According to Catholic tradition, they formed the steps leading to Pontius Pilate's praetorium in Jerusalem, where Jesus stepped on them during his Passion.
And speaking of antiquity, the Catacombs of San Callisto are worth a visit: these underground burial places, outside the city walls, were dug out of tuff, a soft volcanic rock. More than fifty martyrs and early popes were buried in this huge cemetery.

Where
Basilica of St. John Lateran (visit inside)
Holy Stairs
Catacombs of St. Callisto (internal visit, when closed it will be replaced with Catacombs of St. Domitilla)
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (internal visit)

Includes
Transport
Entrance tickets to the Catacombs
Professional guide
Earphones

Departures
High season (April/October) Fridays and Saturdays at 14:30 except on religious holidays
Low season (November/March) Fridays and Saturdays at 14:00 except religious holidays

Meeting point 
High season (April/October) 14:15 in Via Carlo Alberto, 3 in front of the Mecenate Palace hotel
Low Season (November/March) 13:45 in Via Carlo Alberto, 3 in front of the Mecenate Palace hotel

Languages
English (monolingual), Spanish (monolingual), German, French, Portuguese

The tour ends after about 3 hours at Meeting Point S

• 0/2 years free
• Reduction 3/7 years

• Cancellations without penalty within 24 hours before arrival
• 100% penalty from 24 hours and no-show

• Sleeveless, shorts or miniskirts are not permitted inside places of worship
• In case of a worship event in St. Callisto, we will visit the catacombs of St. Domitilla. The Scala Santa is a sacred area, we will visit it from the outside
• We regret to inform you that this tour is not suitable for guests suffering from claustrophobia
• We regret to inform you that this tour is not suitable for guests with wheelchairs or reduced mobility
• Comfortable shoes suggested