There’s one thing I’ve learned from guiding over a thousand tours through Rome’s Catacombs: almost everyone arrives believing at least one thing that isn’t true.
1. It’s going to be creepy.
Do you imagine skulls stacked floor to ceiling and endless dark tunnels? It’s actually not that at all.
There are no bones in the Rome Catacombs. What makes this place so extraordinary is that these tunnels were carved nearly 2,000 years ago, preserving ancient tombs and artwork from Christianity's earliest centuries.
2. The Catacombs are small.
These tunnels go for miles and miles and miles. It feels like they could go forever.
You’re walking through underground spaces that were used for hundreds of years, and it completely changes how you think about ancient Rome.
3. It’s easy to do alone.
The Catacombs sit outside the city center on the Appian Way; there’s no sidewalk, and getting there is way more frustrating than people expect.
For me, this is one of the most unique experiences in Rome.
But it only really becomes special when someone helps you understand what you’re actually looking at.
Cheers,
|
