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The Best Underground Sites in Rome
Guide to Rome’s underground sites: Rome’s Catacombs and church crypts
Beneath Rome’s streets lies a second city: catacombs, crypts, Roman houses and imperial palaces buried under centuries of building. A dozen of these underground sites are open to visitors, from the hypogeum of the Colosseum to the three layers of San Clemente, Nero’s Domus Aurea and the Roman houses under Santa Cecilia, with tickets ranging from a small donation to €26. Here are the best underground sites in Rome and how to visit them.
Map of Rome’s underground sites
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Basilica of San Clemente
Via Labicana, 95
Mon-Sat, 9am-12.30pm; 2pm-6pm; Sun 12pm-6pm
Entry fee: €10, reduced €5
Often overlooked by the nearby Colosseum, the Basilica of San Clemente is a hidden gem that is definitely worth a visit. This three-tiered complex consists of an 11th century Basilica that was built on top of the pre-existing 4th century ”domus ecclesiae” (a secretive meeting room for early Christian worshippers) of martyr San Clemente. Go deeper under the Church and you’ll find a vault from the 3rd century AD.
This Mithraic sanctuary consists of stone benches, surrounding an altar that was used during Mithraic rituals, a mystery cult of Persian origin.
Colosseum Underground
Colosseum entrance from “Sperone Valadier”
Open daily
Entry fee: €24 (Full Experience Undergrounds and Arena ticket. Valid for 2 days from the first use, it allows one entrance to the Colosseum with access to the Undergrounds and Arena, one entrance to the Palatine Forum and SUPER Sites.)
Underneath the world’s largest amphitheatre lie the tunnels and chambers which hosted the mechanisms that made the spectacular battles of the Colosseum possible. The recently discovered hypogeum, from the Greek word for “underground”, is a labyrinth of rings that emulate the oval shape of the arena. Behind the scenes, a vertical winch called a capstan was pushed by slaves to elevate lions, crocodiles and bears into the arena. Walk in the footsteps of gladiators, with a tour group that explores the underworld of the Colosseum.
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Domus Aurea
Via della Domus Aurea, 1 (Colle Oppio, near the Colosseum)
Open Friday to Sunday, visits every 15 minutes from 9am to 4.30pm (last admission 3.30pm)
Entry fee: €26 with guided tour and VR experience, €18 without
Nero’s Golden House is the most spectacular underground site in Rome. Built after the fire of 64 AD, this vast imperial palace once covered around 80 hectares of the city centre before Trajan buried it under his baths, which is why it survives today as a series of underground halls. Visits run only with a guided tour, and the standard ticket includes a virtual reality headset that reconstructs the palace as it looked in the 1st century, frescoed vaults, marble and all. Groups are small and slots limited, so book well in advance, especially between spring and autumn. Bring a layer: it stays cold underground all year.
Domitian Stadium – Piazza Navona Underground
Via di Tor Sanguigna, 3
Open Saturday, 10am-7pm
Entry fee: €7-9
The ruins of the Domitian Stadium (declared Unesco World Heritage Site and subjected to the indirect protection of the Ministerial Decree of April 7th 1954) are located under Piazza Navona at about 5 meters below the street level. The archaeological area is all that remains of the only masonry athletics stadium known in Roman history.
Catacombs of San Callisto
Via Appia Antica, 110/126
Open 9am-12pm, 2-5pm / Closed on Wednesday
Entry fee €7-10
The most famous of Rome’s catacombs stretches almost 20 km along the Appian Way and holds the crypt of 16 popes, once known as “the little Vatican”. Saint Cecilia was buried here for five centuries before her relics were moved to her basilica in Trastevere. See our full guide to the catacombs of Rome for the other sites along the Appian Way.
Domitilla Catacombs
Via delle Sette Chiese, 282
Open Mon, Wed-Sun 9am-12pm, 2pm-5pm
Entry fee: 7€-10€
The oldest burial network in the city and the only one that still holds ancient bones. Three levels of galleries reach 30 metres underground for a total length of 17 km, entered through a 4th-century sunken basilica that leads to a 2nd-century fresco of the Last Supper. More in our complete guide to Rome’s catacombs.
Palazzo Valentini’s Domus Romane
Via Foro Traiano, 85
Daily, guided tours at fixed time slots (booking required)
Entry fee: €16, €9 reduced
Recent excavations under Palazzo Valentini led to the discovery of the original ancient Roman palace, 7 meters below street level. Enjoy a different underground experience, with a three-dimensional experience of the palazzo: this tour features digital projections of what Palazzo Valentini looked like at its peak.
Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Piazza di Santa Cecilia, 22
Open Monday to Saturday, roughly 10am to 1pm and 4 to 6pm
Excavations and crypt: €2.50
Beneath the basilica of Santa Cecilia, in the heart of Trastevere, lies one of Rome’s most atmospheric and least crowded underground sites. The church was built over what tradition holds was the home of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music, martyred in the 3rd century. Descending from the left aisle, past the gift shop, you reach the excavations: the remains of Roman houses with black-and-white mosaic floors, a lararium (a household shrine), and the ruins of an ancient bath complex. According to legend, this bathhouse was the calidarium where Cecilia survived an attempt to suffocate her with steam. At the far end sits the crypt, richly decorated in Cosmatesque style, holding the relics of the saint. Above ground, don’t miss Stefano Maderno’s moving 1600 statue of Cecilia beneath the altar, and, on weekdays, Pietro Cavallini’s 13th-century Last Judgement fresco (a separate €2.50). A perfect stop to pair with a walk through Trastevere.
Hadrian’s Crypt at Santa Maria in Cosmedin (Mouth of Truth)
Piazza Bocca della Verità, 18
Opening times for the Crypt, Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm, 3pm-5.30pm; Sun 12pm – 5.30pm
Opening times for the church, Daily, 9.30am-5.50pm
Escape the long line of visitors queuing up to put their hand in The Mouth of Truth by exploring Pope Hadrian’s Crypt. The basilica shaped crypt is located underneath Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church, in Piazza Bocca della Verita. It was constructed in the 8th century to store the relics taken from the catacombs by Pope Adrian I. This small underground site is definitely worth a visit. There is no entry fee but a donation is suggested.
The Crypt of the Capuchin Friars
Via Vittorio Veneto, 27
Open daily, 9.30am-1.30pm; 2.30pm-6.30pm (last entry 12.30pm and 5.30pm)
Entry fee: €10, reduced €7.50
“What you are we were; what we are you will be” is the spooky reminder of the inevitability of life that greets visitors upon entering the Crypt. By far the eeriest site in Rome, this Crypt is made up of the bones of 4,000 Capuchin monks. After visiting the convent and museum, walk towards the dimly lit hallway, where a multitude of messages are conveyed. This spooky corner of the city is the ultimate underground experience.
Catacombs of Priscilla
Via Salaria, 430
Tue – Sun 9am-1pm, 2pm-5pm
Entry fee: €7-10
Known as the “regina catacumbarum”, the queen of the catacombs, this site run by an order of nuns holds the oldest known image of the Virgin Mary. A viewing point lets you look down through three levels of graves dug deeper and deeper into the earth. Reservation required.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Underground Rome
Beneath the modern city lie layers of ancient Rome: catacombs, crypts, Roman houses, temples and imperial palaces buried as the city rebuilt itself over the centuries.
Around a dozen are open to the public, including the Colosseum hypogeum, the three levels of San Clemente, the Domus Aurea, Palazzo Valentini, the Capuchin Crypt and the catacombs along the Appian Way.
Yes for most of them. The Domus Aurea, Palazzo Valentini and the Colosseum underground have limited timed slots and sell out well in advance, while smaller crypts can usually be visited without booking.
Prices range from a suggested donation at Hadrian’s Crypt and €2.50 at Santa Cecilia to €26 for the Domus Aurea with virtual reality and €24 for the Colosseum full experience.
San Clemente is the classic choice, with three eras stacked one on top of the other, while the Domus Aurea is the most spectacular and the Capuchin Crypt the most unusual.
Hadrian’s Crypt at Santa Maria in Cosmedin asks only for a donation, and several church crypts charge a small fee of a few euros.
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