# Catacombs of Rome

> The catacombs of Rome are underground cemeteries of the 2nd–5th centuries, dug into soft tufa outside the city walls — multi-level galleries of burial niches, painted rooms and some of the earliest Christian frescoes. A handful are open to visitors, chiefly St Callixtus and St Sebastian on the Appian Way and Priscilla on Via Salaria. Entry is guided only, about €10–12, and tours last 30–40 minutes.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/rome-catacombs

- City: [Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome), Italy
- YesGo score: 48/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 1 h 30 min
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Ticket: ≈ €10–12, guided tour only
- Tour: 30–40 minutes, groups by language
- Hours: Usually with a lunch break, 9:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00
- Closing days: St Callixtus Wed, St Sebastian Sun, Domitilla Tue
- Inside: Cool, ≈ 15 °C; photos usually not allowed
- Location: Appian Way (bus 118) and Via Salaria (Priscilla)
- Coordinates: 41.89444, 12.49833
- Facts checked: 10.11.2026

## Key facts

- **2nd–5th centuries** — when Romans used the catacombs for burial (source: English Wikipedia)
- **≈ 40** — known catacombs around Rome (source: English Wikipedia)
- **≈ 20 km** — of galleries in the Catacombs of St Callixtus, on several levels (source: English Wikipedia)
- **Crypt of the Popes** — several 3rd-century bishops of Rome rest in St Callixtus (source: English Wikipedia)
- **3rd century** — Priscilla holds one of the earliest images of the Madonna and Child (source: English Wikipedia)
- **Tufa** — soft volcanic rock, easy to dig, that hardens in air (source: English Wikipedia)

## Which catacombs to visit

Several Christian catacombs are open, each with its own character. **St Callixtus** on the Appian Way is the largest and best known, with about 20 km of galleries, the Crypt of the Popes and the crypt of St Cecilia. **St Sebastian**, a short walk away, has a basilica above and pilgrims' graffiti below. **Domitilla** is one of the biggest, with an underground 4th-century basilica. **Priscilla**, on Via Salaria in the north, is famous for a 3rd-century fresco of the Madonna and Child. **Sant'Agnese** on Via Nomentana pairs with the mausoleum of Santa Costanza.

Short on time? Choose **St Callixtus** for scale or **Priscilla** for the frescoes.

## What are the catacombs?

Roman law banned burial inside the walls, so cemeteries lined the roads. From the **2nd century** Christians and Jews began digging long galleries with burial niches into soft **tufa** — the **catacombs**. Level was dug beneath level, and some stretch for **many kilometres**.

They weren't secret hideouts, as is often thought, but **cemeteries** and places of remembrance, where families came for memorial services and painted the walls — fish, anchors, doves, the Good Shepherd and Bible scenes, among the earliest Christian images anywhere. Burials stopped in the 5th century and many catacombs were forgotten until the 16th–19th centuries.

## Tickets and guided tours

Visits are **guided only**, in groups by language, lasting **30–40 minutes**. You descend 10–20 metres and follow narrow lit passages, peering into painted burial chambers. It's about **15 °C** all year and damp. **Photos are usually banned**, and you mustn't stray from the group — the galleries are a labyrinth.

Tickets cost about **€10–12**, sold on site or on each catacomb's own website. Hours usually include a lunch break, and **each catacomb closes on a different day** — St Callixtus on Wednesdays, St Sebastian on Sundays, for example. Check before you go.

> **Who may find it hard** Passages are narrow and low, often with no room to pass, and stairs are steep. People with claustrophobia, bad knees or heart conditions may be uncomfortable. Small children are fine, but buggies won't fit.

## How to get to the catacombs

1. Bus **118** from Circo Massimo or Piramide metro to St Callixtus and St Sebastian on the [Appian Way](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/appian-way).
2. Bus 218 from Piazza San Giovanni to Domitilla and St Callixtus.
3. For Priscilla, buses 63, 83, 92 and 310 to Via Salaria / Piazza Crati.
4. Many Appian Way tours include one catacomb.

## Best time to go

Mornings are best, with tours from 9:00 and smaller groups. In summer the catacombs are a cool refuge from the heat. Combine with a walk along the Appian Way: St Sebastian is 10 minutes from St Callixtus on foot, with the Circus of Maxentius and Caecilia Metella beyond.

## Are the catacombs worth it?

Yes, if early Christian history interests you or you simply want to see Rome's strange underground world — the ancient frescoes and endless galleries are unforgettable. Allow 2–2.5 hours for one catacomb including travel.

## Before you go

Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser.

- [ ] Choose a catacomb and check its closing day
- [ ] Find a tour time in your language
- [ ] Bring a layer — it's about 15 °C inside
- [ ] Cover shoulders and knees: it's a sacred site
- [ ] Pair it with the Appian Way

## Ancient Rome: compare and choose

Ancient sites in Rome rated by YesGo.

- [Pantheon](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pantheon) — YesGo score 82/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · ≈ €5
- [Colosseum](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/colosseum) — YesGo score 73/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · ≈ €18
- [Roman Forum](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/roman-forum) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
- [Circus Maximus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/circus-maximus) — YesGo score 63/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
- [Trajan's Column](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/trajans-column) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free
- [Capitoline Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-hill) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free
- [Castel Sant'Angelo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/castel-sant-angelo) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €15–20
- [Arch of Constantine](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/arch-of-constantine) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 15 min · Free
- [Palatine Hill](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/palatine-hill) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
- [Mausoleum of Augustus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/mausoleum-of-augustus) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ €5, booking
- [Largo di Torre Argentina](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/largo-di-torre-argentina) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Free from street; walkways ≈ €5
- [Pyramid of Cestius](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/pyramid-of-cestius) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 20 min · Free outside
- [Appian Way](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/appian-way) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free
- [Domus Aurea](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/domus-aurea) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26
- [Mouth of Truth](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/bocca-della-verita) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Donation ≈ €2
- [Catacombs of Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/rome-catacombs) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €10–12 with guide
- [Baths of Caracalla](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-caracalla) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €8
- [Ara Pacis](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/ara-pacis) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ €13–15
- [Theatre of Marcellus](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/theatre-of-marcellus) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free
- [Vatican Museums](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/vatican-museums) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €25
- [Capitoline Museums](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/capitoline-museums) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ≈ €15–19.50
- [Baths of Diocletian](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-diocletian) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12
- [Basilica of San Clemente](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/san-clemente) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12
- [Imperial Fora](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/imperial-fora) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15
- [Testaccio](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/testaccio) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free
- [Palazzo Massimo](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/palazzo-massimo) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ €10–12 combined ticket
- [Ostia Antica](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/ostia-antica) — YesGo score 31/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €12–18
- [Hadrian's Villa](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/hadrians-villa) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €12–15

## Southern Rome in a day

The Baths of Caracalla in the morning, then along the Appian Way to the catacombs and the Tomb of Caecilia Metella.

1. [Baths of Caracalla](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/baths-of-caracalla) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ €8
2. [Appian Way](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/appian-way) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free
3. [Catacombs of Rome](https://yesgo.io/italy/rome/rome-catacombs) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ €10–12 with guide

## Don't mix it up

Rome's catacombs aren't the Paris Catacombs, which are old quarries filled with bones moved from city cemeteries in the 18th century. Rome's are early Christian cemeteries with frescoes.

## Tips

- Guided only — check tour times in your language.
- Each catacomb has a different closing day.
- It's 15 °C inside — bring a jumper.
- Bus 118 reaches two catacombs.

## Questions

### How much do the catacombs cost?

About €10–12 including the compulsory guide.

### Which catacombs in Rome are best?

St Callixtus for size, Priscilla for its 3rd-century Madonna fresco; St Sebastian and Domitilla are also excellent.

### How do I get to the catacombs?

Bus 118 from Circo Massimo metro to St Callixtus and St Sebastian on the Appian Way.

### Can you visit without a guide?

No, only on a guided tour.

### How long is a catacomb tour?

30–40 minutes underground.

### Can you take photos?

Usually not.

### Where are the Catacombs of Priscilla?

On Via Salaria in northern Rome, by Villa Ada.

## How we checked

History, extent and frescoes from English Wikipedia. Prices, hours and closing days differ by catacomb and change; we couldn't confirm them at the time of checking — hence the 'checking' badge.

## Sources

- Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology
- Official sites of the catacombs of St Callixtus, St Sebastian, Domitilla and Priscilla
- English Wikipedia, Catacombs of Rome

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