HOW TO VISIT
Visiting the Catacombs with Respect
A cemetery and a place of prayer — the etiquette, the practicalities underground, and what to expect on a guided visit.
See catacombs tours on GetYourGuide ↗Remember what it is
The single most important thing to carry into St Callixtus is an understanding of what it is: a cemetery, the resting place of around half a million people, and an active site of Christian pilgrimage cared for by the Church. It is not a spooky attraction or a novelty, and it's best not approached as one. Visited as you would a cemetery or a church — quietly, attentively, without spectacle — it becomes one of the most moving hours in Rome. The reverence isn't a rule to endure; it's what makes the visit worth having.
The etiquette
In practice that means a few simple things. Dress modestly, as you would for a church. Keep your voice low, and stay with your guide and your group rather than wandering. Don't touch the tombs or the frescoes. And put the camera away: photography and video are not permitted inside, both out of respect for the dead and to protect the fragile paintings and stone. None of this is onerous, and all of it is what the place asks in return for the privilege of visiting.
The practical side underground
Know the physical shape of the visit before you go. You'll descend around fifty uneven steps and climb back up them; the corridors are narrow, roughly a metre wide, with no seating and no lift, and the site is not wheelchair accessible. The air sits at a constant sixteen degrees and is damp, so bring a layer even in summer, and wear comfortable shoes. If you have serious claustrophobia or limited mobility, this is worth weighing honestly beforehand rather than discovering underground.
How the guided visit works
You'll visit in a group with one of the site's guides, on a tour of about forty minutes that follows part of the network — only a fraction of the full twenty kilometres is on the route. Tours leave roughly every half hour, in several languages including English. You can join a group on arrival, but booking ahead — especially a tour that includes transport out to the Appian Way and confirms your language — takes the uncertainty out of it, particularly given the Wednesday and winter closures. Go prepared and go quietly, and St Callixtus will repay you.