When I planned my Rome city break, my list was all rooftop bars, the Colosseum, and throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain. The catacombs? Honestly, they weren’t even on it. I pictured something dark, creepy, and a bit morbid — and I’m not great with small spaces. But on our third day, with the heat hitting 35 degrees and the crowds at the Vatican doing my head in, we decided to escape underground. It ended up being one of the best things we did in Rome.

Disclaimer: This post is a collaboration

Here’s everything I wish I’d known before visiting the Rome catacombs — the practical bits, what it’s actually like down there, and why I’d tell anyone planning a Rome itinerary to put it on the list.

Wait! Rome Has Catacombs?

Yes! And loads of them. I knew about the famous Paris catacombs, but Rome’s are actually the originals — and there are over sixty of them buried beneath the city. They date back to the 2nd century, when Roman law meant burials had to happen outside the city walls, so early Christians dug these incredible tunnel networks under roads like the Appian Way.

You walk through narrow passages carved into the rock, past thousands of burial niches, faded frescoes, and tiny carved symbols that our guide pointed out things I’d have walked straight past on my own. The most famous ones are San Callixtus (San Callisto) and San Sebastiano, and there’s also the Capuchin Crypt nearer the centre, which is decorated with the bones of thousands of friars. Sounds grim, but it’s strangely beautiful.

You Can’t Just Turn Up (The Bit Nobody Tells You)

This is the most important practical thing: you cannot wander into the catacombs on your own. They’re only open on guided tours, groups are kept small, and in peak season they genuinely sell out. We nearly missed out because I assumed we’d just buy tickets at the door.

I ended up booking a Rome catacombs tour in advance, it lets you compare the different options (San Callixtus, the Capuchin Crypt, ones with transfers from the centre) and just lock in a time slot. Entry-level tours start from about €14–22, and the guided ones from around €49. Ours was about 40 minutes underground, and the whole thing took a morning including getting there.

What It’s Actually Like Down There

It’s cold. Gloriously, wonderfully cold. The tunnels sit at about 15°C all year round, which after a melting Roman morning feels like the best air conditioning in Italy. Bring a light layer though, by the end I was glad of my cardigan.

It’s not as claustrophobic as you think. This was my big worry. The main tunnels are more like narrow corridors than crawlspaces, they’re lit, and you’re with a group the whole time. I was fine, and I once had to get out of a crowded lift in Barcelona, so that’s saying something. If you’re really not keen, the Capuchin Crypt is more like a series of decorated rooms — much easier.

Wear proper shoes. Uneven ancient stone floors and a fair few steps. Not the day for your nice sandals.

No photos allowed in most sections, which I actually loved everyone just looking and listening instead of posing. Very refreshing for Rome.

Pair It With the Appian Way

The catacombs sit along the Appian Way (Via Appia), one of the oldest roads in Rome, and it’s a gorgeous area that most tourists never see. After the tour we hired bikes and cycled along the cobbles past aqueducts and umbrella pines, it felt a million miles from the chaos around the Colosseum. If you do one “different” day in Rome, make it this.

Rome vs Paris Catacombs: Which Is Better?

If you’ve done the Paris catacombs (or you’re deciding between them), they’re completely different experiences. Paris is an ossuary where the stacked bones of six million people moved underground in the 1700s, arranged in these haunting walls and patterns. Rome’s are far older early Christian burial tunnels with art and inscriptions going back nearly two thousand years. Paris is dramatic and macabre; Rome is ancient and weirdly peaceful. Honestly, both are worth it the same site I used covers Paris too (catacombs.tickets).

So, Is It Worth It?

One hundred percent yes. It’s cooler (literally), calmer, and a completely different side of Rome that most people on a city break never see. Next time someone tells me they’re off to Rome, this is the first thing I’m recommending well, this and a rooftop spritz at sunset, obviously.

Top tip: book the catacombs for early in your trip and go in the morning. You’ll beat the heat, and it makes a brilliant contrast to an afternoon at the Colosseum  going underneath Rome first somehow makes the city above ground even more impressive.