underground
Underground Rome: 2,000 Years, Layer by Layer
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Group size
- Small group (max 12)
- Meeting point
- Basilica di San Clemente, Piazza di San Clemente, Roma
- Rating
- 4.9 · 214 reviews
Walk down through 2,000 years of Rome, layer by layer. Descend from a 12th-century basilica into a 4th-century church and finally a 1st-century Mithraic temple, then continue underground to the 'City of Water' beneath the Trevi Fountain and the multimedia Domus Romane beneath Palazzo Valentini. The single best 'layers of Rome' story in the city — rarely sold as its own product.
Highlights
- Descend through three layers of San Clemente: church, basilica, Mithraic temple
- Explore Vicus Caprarius, the 'City of Water', two minutes from the Trevi Fountain
- Multimedia reconstruction of the Domus Romane at Palazzo Valentini
- The "city beneath the city" — a narrative arc built for photography
- Small group with a licensed guide
Itinerary
Basilica di San Clemente
75 min
Three stacked layers of worship, from a Mithraic temple to a medieval basilica.
Vicus Caprarius (City of Water)
45 min
An underground Roman apartment block and aqueduct, steps from the Trevi Fountain.
Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini
60 min
Roman noble houses with a multimedia reconstruction beside Trajan’s Column.
What's included
- Licensed guide
- All site entry fees
- Headsets
- Small-group experience
Not included
- Food & drinks
- Hotel pickup
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Moderate walking with narrow stairways — comfortable shoes required
- Underground sites are cool year-round; bring a light layer
- Not suitable for claustrophobia or reduced mobility
Frequently asked
- Is this tour suitable for children?
- Yes, ages 7 and up — the layered-history story is a hit with curious kids.
- How much walking is involved?
- About 2 km total, with stairways at each underground site.
- Are the sites accessible?
- Underground layers involve narrow stairs and are not wheelchair accessible.