Tour Details
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
-
- Vicus Caprarius
- Rinascente Tritone
- Stadium of Domitian
Photos & Highlights
- Join an engaging, local expert at the top of their field as you explore the subterranean depths of Rome
- An intimate private tour for you and your party, featuring exclusive access to hidden sites
Select a date
Tour Description
Delve into Rome's captivating depths and uncover its hidden treasures on this extraordinary tour led by an expert archaeologist. Together with your guide, you'll embark on a subterranean odyssey through sewers, crypts, and buried temples, piecing together an enthralling narrative of urban layering and the enduring legacy of the ancient Roman world.
Experts
At Vicus Caprarius, a newly excavated site that unveils the remnants of Roman apartments nestled beneath a modern cinema near the iconic Trevi Fountain; you’ll learn about the delicate art of urban archaeology and gain insight into the meticulous work that brings the past to light.
Your tour also includes a stop at the chic Rinascente department store, where within its basement lies the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, a remarkable feat of engineering inaugurated by Augustus in 19 BC. Marvel at the ingenuity of the ancient Romans as you trace the path of this vital water source.
Your guide will then accompany you to the subterranean world of vibrant Piazza Navona. As you descend into its underground levels, you'll encounter the Stadium of Domitian, once a grand arena that hosted gladiatorial contests and chariot races where you'll feel the echoes of the past and visualize the electrifying atmosphere that once filled this ancient venue.
Your tour also includes exclusive access to a private section at the École Française, reserved solely for your party. Here, you’ll explore remarkably preserved walls, pillars, and intricate stucco from Domitian’s arena, which has served various purposes over centuries—from a 1st-century sports venue to 18th-century cellars. Artifacts from different eras, such as elegant ceramics and even a small, broken piggy bank, reveal the everyday lives and shifting uses of this site.
Your tour also includes a stop at the chic Rinascente department store, where within its basement lies the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, a remarkable feat of engineering inaugurated by Augustus in 19 BC. Marvel at the ingenuity of the ancient Romans as you trace the path of this vital water source.
Your guide will then accompany you to the subterranean world of vibrant Piazza Navona. As you descend into its underground levels, you'll encounter the Stadium of Domitian, once a grand arena that hosted gladiatorial contests and chariot races where you'll feel the echoes of the past and visualize the electrifying atmosphere that once filled this ancient venue.
Your tour also includes exclusive access to a private section at the École Française, reserved solely for your party. Here, you’ll explore remarkably preserved walls, pillars, and intricate stucco from Domitian’s arena, which has served various purposes over centuries—from a 1st-century sports venue to 18th-century cellars. Artifacts from different eras, such as elegant ceramics and even a small, broken piggy bank, reveal the everyday lives and shifting uses of this site.
Throughout this captivating tour, you'll discover how Rome's ancient structures have been preserved and integrated into the contemporary urban fabric, creating a captivating tapestry of history and modernity.
- You're a history lover looking to explore ancient ruins and historical landmarks
- You crave an elevated experience with a guide who has advanced academic knowledge
- You’re looking for a one-of-a-kind journey through Rome, with exclusive access to restricted areas of the Domitian Stadium.
- Vicus Caprarius – excavated underground space showing ancient Roman apartments situated near the Trevi Fountain.
- Rinascente Tritone – modern department store housing the ancient Aqua Virgo aqueduct in its basement.
- Stadium of Domitian – ancient stadium located beneath Piazza Navona, including exclusive access to the restricted École Française site.
Tickets
- Includes tickets to Vicus Caprarius and the Stadium of Domitian.
- Upon receiving your order, our team will secure a guide. Once the venue tickets are released, we will purchase them. Our team will be in touch with alternative options if we cannot secure tickets for the date and time you requested.
Resources
- Check out our upcoming online lectures which transport you back to Ancient Rome, accompanied by a leading Context Expert.
- Check out Cities of the Underworld on the History Channel; many of the guides who lead this walk were featured on this program.
Wheelchair accessibility
- This tour may not be accessible for clients with limited mobility as it includes a lot of stairs and uneven grounds. Vicus Caprarius has only limited wheelchair-accessibility and Stadium of Domitian is not currently accessible as there are no ramps or elevators at the site and the terrain is uneven and difficult to navigate. Please inform us in case of mobility issues.
Service Dogs
- Service dogs are allowed if you have a medical certificate proving the need.
- For more information about Context Tours, please visit our FAQs.
Is this walk suitable for claustrophobic clients?
You do spend much of the tour underground, although you won't visit any site that is particularly narrow or small.
Will we visit the Basilica of San Silvestro in Capite?
No, this crypt is no longer part of this itinerary as it is closed for renovation work, your guide will adapt the itinerary accordingly.
What makes the École Française site on Piazza Navona special?
You’ll have exclusive access to this private section of the Stadium of Domitian. Unlike other parts of the stadium, this area is reserved solely for your group, offering an intimate look at the well-preserved ruins and their fascinating history.
You do spend much of the tour underground, although you won't visit any site that is particularly narrow or small.
Will we visit the Basilica of San Silvestro in Capite?
No, this crypt is no longer part of this itinerary as it is closed for renovation work, your guide will adapt the itinerary accordingly.
What makes the École Française site on Piazza Navona special?
You’ll have exclusive access to this private section of the Stadium of Domitian. Unlike other parts of the stadium, this area is reserved solely for your group, offering an intimate look at the well-preserved ruins and their fascinating history.
Where does the tour start?
The exact itinerary may vary based on reservation times and site availability, your tour may start at Vicus Caprarius or the Stadium of Domitian. Your confirmation email will include all the details and information.
The exact itinerary may vary based on reservation times and site availability, your tour may start at Vicus Caprarius or the Stadium of Domitian. Your confirmation email will include all the details and information.
Where You'll Start
–
433 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Philip was outstanding: engaging, resourceful, entertaining and knowledgeable! So grateful of all we learned and saw. Places and things we never would have discovered on our own. The lasagna of history of underground Rome is amazing.
Sonia
Jun. 22, 2019
I was one of a group of 5. I was at the meeting place an hour early (9:00 am). The other four were a family who showed up 30 minutes late (they called Context to report they’d be “only” 10 minutes late). The tour ended at 1 pm so it was 2.5 hours in duration, not the advertised 3. The tour was excellent from an information standpoint, due entirely to Philip’s wealth of knowledge. He was an excellent guide: professional, knowledgeable, and fun. I was disappointed that the other family’s tardiness greatly reduced MY tour time AND they didn’t tip Phillip, though he cheerfully accommodated their tardiness. I am an ITMI-trained tour director/guide and know first-hand that tour operators don’t usually adequately compensate TD’s/TG’s because it is assumed that gratuities will compensate for the shortfall. That is simply not the reality of our industry.
As an aside, I have taken numerous Context Tours in Florence, Rome, and Venice and I have referred others to Context in the past. To be clear, my next statements are NOT based on today’s experience with Philip but are based on what I sense is a change in your business model. I will not recommend Context in the future nor will I take additional Context tours. I researched current Context tour options in Rome, Florence and Venice for my current vacation to Italy and found that you have priced yourselves out of the market. I don’t know if you’re under new management or ownership, but you no longer offer a product that I can support.
Kathy
Jun. 22, 2019
Depth of information was excellent. We saw some sites I would not have found on my own. Monuments were placed in context: geographical and historical. Exactly what I hope for and expect from Context. When I return to US in a few weeks I will post rave review on TripAdvisor.
Julia
Jun. 15, 2019
