Description
This Capuchin Crypt and Priscilla Catacombs tour explores the darker side of Rome in two stops. You begin at the Capuchin friars' museum and crypt, where the monks arranged the remains of close to 4,000 people into patterns on walls and ceilings: skulls and crossbones, chandeliers made of vertebrae, whole skeletons in their robes. In the museum annex hangs Caravaggio's painting of Saint Francis in meditation.
An air-conditioned coach then takes the group to the Catacombs of Priscilla. Here you go in after the normal opening hours, without the usual crowds, along tunnels with graves cut into the rock. These are Christian burial places from the late 2nd to the 4th century, with paintings of Old and New Testament scenes plus the resting places of early popes and martyrs.
- Tickets and an audio-guided visit for the Capuchin museum and crypt
- Entry to the catacombs once they have closed to the public
- Coach transport between the two sites
- An English-speaking expert guide
Expect stairs and a fair amount of walking. People who dislike small spaces may find the tunnels hard, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users. The dress code is strict: cover your knees and shoulders. Tips and hotel transfers are not included.