Rome: Catacombs & Appian Way with Private Transport

Walk Rome's oldest road and descend into 2,000 years of burial chambers

You get hotel pickup, entry to the catacombs, and a private vehicle for the Appian Way and its surrounding sites: Porta San Sebastiano, the Circus of Maxentius, and the Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis. The guide handles the history. You handle the walking. Water and Wi-Fi are included. It's suitable for all fitness levels, though there are stairs and uneven ground underground and along the ancient road.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Catacombs of Rome45m · entry included
2. Circus of Maxentius15m

Explore Catacombs and Appian Way

• Hotel pick-up in Rome
• Visit Porta San Sebastiano gate
• Tour Catacombs of San Sebastiano
• Walk along the historic Appian Way
• See Villa of Maxentius ruins
• Visit Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis church

The experience

You're standing at Porta San Sebastiano, the best-preserved gate of the Aurelian Walls, and your guide is already pointing out the layers, literally. The stone beneath your feet has held Rome's weight for two thousand years. From here, the tour splits between what's above ground and what's below. Hotel pickup gets you here without the metro confusion, and then the real work begins: descending into the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, where early Christians carved niches into soft tufa rock when burying their dead above ground was forbidden. The air shifts. It's cooler, quieter, and the walls are covered in frescoes (fish symbols, anchors, the Chi-Rho) small acts of faith scratched into stone by people who had no idea anyone would still be looking at them two millennia later.

The Appian Way itself is the surprise. You expect a road, and it is one, but it's also a walk through a countryside that somehow survived inside a modern city. Pine trees line the cobblestones, and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, one of Rome's most prominent mausoleums, rises up like a reminder that this wasn't just a trade route. It was a statement of power and permanence. The Circus of Maxentius sits nearby, its racing track still visible, still enormous, still holding the shape of spectacle from the 4th century. Your private vehicle means you're not herding with a large group. You move at a pace that lets you actually absorb the scale of these places instead of just checking them off.

The Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis is small and easy to miss, but it's where the tour often lands its emotional weight. The footprints of Christ, according to tradition, are pressed into stone here: the moment Peter asked Jesus where he was going as he fled Rome. Whether you believe the story or not, you're standing in a place where belief mattered enough to build a church. Water and candies are included, which sounds minor until you've been underground and then walking ancient roads in Rome's heat. The whole thing runs as a half-day tour, which means you're back with time to grab lunch or wander into a neighborhood without the tour schedule hanging over you.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off, private air-conditioned transportation, guided entry to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, visits to Porta San Sebastiano, the Appian Way, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Circus of Maxentius, and the Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis. Water, candies, and Wi-Fi in the vehicle are provided.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Eternal Rome Experiences

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Rome's underground and ancient roads without arranging separate transport, entry tickets, and timing: the private vehicle and included catacombs entry mean you move at your own pace instead of keeping up with a large group.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, private transportation, entry to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, water, candies, and Wi-Fi in the vehicle.

Is there walking involved?

Yes. You'll walk through the catacombs (with stairs and uneven underground passages), along the Appian Way, and around the Circus of Maxentius. It's suitable for all fitness levels, but wear comfortable shoes.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes. The tour requires age and full names of all travelers in your group at booking.

Is the vehicle air-conditioned?

Yes, the private vehicle is air-conditioned.

Can children go on this tour?

Yes, it's suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Children's names and ages are required at booking.

Is the guide included?

Yes, a guided group tour of the catacombs is included. The Appian Way portion is covered by private transportation with the guide.