Booking choice: The Appian Way golf cart and catacombs tour, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Book this Compare the options below
The Appia catacombs lie outside the Aurelian Walls, which is why burial was allowed there in Roman times and why you need a bus, a bike or a tour to reach them now. Each one is visited with the site's own guide, so the bigger question is how you spend the rest of the afternoon.
This guide covers how to get there, how to pick a catacomb by the day of the week, what else is on the road, and how the golf cart, e-bike and minibus tours compare.
The quick answer
Take bus 118 from Colosseo or Circo Massimo (Metro B) to the stops for San Callisto and San Sebastiano, or bus 218 from San Giovanni (Metro A), or bus 660 from Arco di Travertino (Metro A). San Callisto (Via Appia Antica 110) and San Sebastiano (no. 136) are on the same stretch, and Domitilla is a short walk away on Via delle Sette Chiese. Pick by closing day: San Callisto on Wednesday, San Sebastiano on Monday, Domitilla on Tuesday. The catacombs close around 17:00, just as the golden hour starts to light the road. For transport included, choose the golf cart, e-bike or minibus tour.
Are there catacombs in Italy outside Rome?
Yes. Rome has the best known, but there are Christian catacombs elsewhere in Italy, including the large ones in Naples, and the Vatican's commission oversees the Christian catacombs across the country.
Under the Lateran Pacts, the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology has authority over the Christian catacombs on Italian territory, and its Catacombe d'Italia site lists them by region. In Naples, San Gennaro and San Gaudioso are run by La Paranza, a cooperative from the Rione Sanità. How Naples compares with Rome is covered in Rome, Paris or Naples.
How do you get to the catacombs on the Appian Way?
By bus 118 from Colosseo or Circo Massimo, which stops at San Callisto and outside San Sebastiano. Buses 218 and 660 are the alternatives from Metro A.
The official sites give these routes. For Domitilla, get off at Piazza dei Navigatori, cross Via Cristoforo Colombo and walk about 10 minutes along Via delle Sette Chiese.
| Bus | From | Get off at |
|---|---|---|
| 118 (direction Appia / Villa dei Quintili) | Colosseo or Circo Massimo, Metro B | Catacombe di San Callisto, or the San Sebastiano stop outside the entrance |
| 218 | San Giovanni, Metro A | Fosse Ardeatine, for San Callisto |
| 660 | Arco di Travertino, Metro A | Appia Pignatelli / Appia Antica, for San Callisto and San Sebastiano |
| 714 | Termini | Piazza dei Navigatori, then on foot to Domitilla or San Callisto |
| 30 (130F on Sundays and holidays) | Largo Argentina | Piazza dei Navigatori, for Domitilla |
No bus timetable: an electric golf cart with a driver-guide, the Appian Way and a catacomb visit in 2.5 hours.
Book thisWhich Appian Way catacomb should you pick?
The one open on your day. San Callisto closes on Wednesday, San Sebastiano on Monday and Domitilla on Tuesday, so at least two are open on any day.
- San Callisto: the Crypt of the Popes and St Cecilia; visits from 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, per its official site.
- San Sebastiano: the place that gave us the word “catacomb”; open 9:15 to 17:15 with last admission at 16:45, per its official site.
- Domitilla: the semi-underground basilica; open from 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, per its official site.
From Thursday to Sunday the three are open. Check the annual closures, which fall in December and January. What each catacomb is known for is in the best catacombs in Rome.
What else is there on the Appian Way?
Ancient paving, tombs along the road and, nearby, the aqueducts. The tours add the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, the Caffarella valley and the Aurelian Walls.
The tour listings give a sense of the stops. The golf cart tour passes the Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla, the Aurelian Walls and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. The e-bike tour rides through the aqueducts park and the Caffarella. The minibus tour walks a stretch of the Appian Way and sees the outside of Cecilia Metella's tomb, and its aqueduct option adds the Roman aqueducts.
Near San Sebastiano is the Jewish catacomb of Vigna Randanini, open only by arrangement with the Appia Antica archaeological park.
Can you do the Appia with transport included?
Yes. The golf cart tour and the minibus tour both include the ride from the centre, the catacomb entry and a guided visit, with the Appian Way along the way.
The golf cart tour lasts about 2.5 hours in an electric cart with a driver-guide, for up to 14 people. It meets at Via Monterone 19 near Largo Argentina and includes a catacomb visit of about 30 to 35 minutes; the listing does not name the catacomb. Infants under 2 cannot join.
The minibus tour lasts about 3.5 hours for up to 18 people. A private air-conditioned minibus leaves from Piramide metro station, and you visit San Sebastiano or Domitilla, depending on the day, near closing time when it is quieter.
San Sebastiano or Domitilla at closing time, a walk on the Appian Way and the aqueducts, by private minibus.
Book thisIs the e-bike tour a good way to see the Appia?
Yes, for fit riders who want the countryside as much as the catacomb. Choose the 6-hour version if you want to go underground.
The TopBike tour covers about 27 km, mostly off-road, for up to 10 riders, starting from Via Labicana 49 near the Colosseum. The 4-hour version stops at a catacomb entrance only. The 6-hour version includes a guided visit of San Callisto or San Sebastiano. Both ride through the aqueducts park and the Caffarella.
Part of the route runs in city traffic, so you should be confident on a bike.
About 27 km by e-bike, mostly off-road, through the aqueducts and the Caffarella, with a catacomb on the 6-hour ride.
Book thisWhat is the golden hour in Rome?
It is the photographers' term for the period shortly after sunrise or before sunset, when light is soft and warm. It is not special to Rome, but the Appia is a fine place for it.
The catacombs close around 17:00 to 17:15, which suits a plan: go underground in the afternoon, then walk the paving stones as the light drops. Check the sunset time for your date, since it shifts a lot between winter and summer. Remember that photos are forbidden inside San Callisto and San Sebastiano; save the camera for the road. The rules are in the visiting tips guide.
Is 3 days in Rome too long?
No. Three days lets you see the centre and the Vatican without rushing, and leaves room for one half day out on the Appian Way.
A simple shape: day one for ancient Rome around the Colosseum and the Forum, day two for the Vatican, and day three with a morning in the centre and an afternoon on the Appia, catacomb first, then the road at golden hour. The Capuchin Crypt fits easily into any morning; see Capuchin Crypt or catacombs.
The price of a tour is shown at checkout and moves with the date; what changes it is transport, what is bundled and group size.
Frequently asked questions
Can I walk from San Callisto to San Sebastiano?
Yes. They are on the same stretch of the Via Appia Antica, at numbers 110 and 136, and bus 118 links them too.
Is the Appian Way open on Sundays?
The road is. On Sundays San Callisto, San Sebastiano and Domitilla are open, per their weekly closing days.
Which tour gives the most time on the Appia?
The 6-hour e-bike tour, which includes a guided visit of San Callisto or San Sebastiano.
Can I cancel a tour?
The tours on this site offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
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Choose your catacombs tour
Free cancellation on every option, per each listing. Booked on GetYourGuide.
Appian Way Golf Cart & Catacombs
An electric cart from the centre past the Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla, down the Appia, with a guided catacomb visit of about half an hour
Appian Way, Catacombs & Aqueducts E-Bike
About 27 km on an e-mountain bike, mostly off-road through the Caffarella and the aqueducts park; the 6-hour version adds a guided catacomb visit
Catacombs, Appian Way & Aqueducts by Minibus
- A private air-conditioned minibus from Piramide metro station and back, with an English-speaking guide
- Entry to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano or Domitilla, depending on the day, with the site's guided visit
- A walk on a stretch of the Appian Way and the outside of the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
