Exclusive Catacombs After Closing & Bone Chapel Tour

This world-first walking tour takes you into the Catacombs after dark, introducing you to one of Rome's most important cities of the dead. You'll also get to see the chilling Capuchin 'Bone' Chapel, decorated with the remains of some 4,000 deceased monks. Not a tour for the easily spooked, but a wonderful exploration of early Christianity in Rome and Ancient Roman beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife that informs as much as it thrills. Become one of the first people ever to explore the Roman Catacombs after normal closing hours when you descend in the Catacombs of Santa Priscilla at night to learn the history of Roman burial rites and early Christianity. Your tour starts in the Capuchin Crypt, better known as the Bone Chapel, because it is festooned with the mortal remains of some 4,000 deceased monks. As you take it all in with your small group of 15 people or less, your expert guide will explain the monk's interesting beliefs on life and death which have motivated the creation of such a macabre memorial. Afterwards, you'll hop on a private, air-conditioned minibus and head to the Catacombs of Santa Priscilla. These particular catacombs are famous because they hold the oldest known depiction of the Virgin Mary and were once the final resting place of seven Popes. The bodies might be gone, but that doesn't mean you won't feel a thrill of excitement as you become one of the first people to descend into the Catacombs after dark since the era of Imperial Rome. Because you'll be there after closing time, you'll have the gloomy passageways to yourself and you won't have any trouble hearing your guide as they tell you the dark stories of the birth of Christianity. After your Catacombs visit your private transport will drop you back to the point where you met in central Rome, convenient for the metro and restaurants.