Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- Monti Neighborhood
- San Pietro in Vincoli
Photos & Highlights
- Discover the rich heritage of Rome’s Basilicas through the stunning mosaics of Santa Maria Maggiore and the iconic Michelangelo’s Moses at San Pietro in Vincoli
- Led by experienced art historians or archeologists
Select a date
Tour Description
Take a deep dive into Rome’s spiritual and artistic heritage as you explore some of the city's most significant churches, including the breathtaking Santa Maria Maggiore Papal Basilica, in this 3-hour tour led by an expert guide.
Choose this tour if…
- You would like an expert to guide you through the wonderful Santa Maria Maggiore Papal Basilica and its wonders.
- You’d like to explore lesser-known sites and neighborhoods for a more intimate and locally connected experience.
- You want to gain insight into San Pietro in Vincoli and Michelangelo’s Moses.
- You want to experience the vibrant community spirit and unique charm of one of Rome’s most beloved neighborhoods.
Experts
Your tour will begin at the magnificent Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four papal basilicas. Your expert guide, an experienced art historian or archeologist, will point out the stunning mosaics, and beautifully adorned chapels, explaining its rich history, and its centuries-old spiritual and artistic legacy.
Then, you’ll make your way to San Pietro in Vincoli, home to Michelangelo’s famous statue of Moses. This church, often overlooked by visitors, holds the relic of Saint Peter’s chains and boasts an atmosphere of deep reverence and artistic brilliance.
Along the way, you may visit another hidden gem of Roman spirituality: possibly Santa Prassede, known for its dazzling Byzantine mosaics, San Cosma e Damiano, a historic church built within an ancient Roman temple, or another remarkable site chosen by your guide to best fit your interests.
Throughout the tour, your guide will share insights into the cultural, artistic, and religious significance of these landmarks, weaving together the stories of devotion, history, and craftsmanship that have shaped the Eternal City over the centuries.
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- San Pietro in Vincoli
- Michelangelo’s Moses
- Monti Neighborhood
Tickets
This tour includes the Santa Maggiore Basilica Ticket. Note that there may be nominal site entrance costs or other fees that are not included in the price of the tour. It is a good idea to have some local currency on hand for these.
Dress Code
The venues you are visiting are religious sites and therefore have strict dress code requirements. Please dress modestly for your tour, covering shoulders and knees. You may be asked to remove hats inside churches.
Additional Resources
For additional information on planning your visit to Italy, explore our Context Stories.
Is this tour suitable for children? Yes, although the tour isn’t part of our family program, it can be adjusted to accommodate families with children. Please be sure to include the ages of children when booking and we will assign a family-friendly guide.
Does the tour include any underground visits?
The Basilicas tour (Santa Maria Maggiore and San Pietro in Vincoli) is not strictly an underground tour, but some underground areas may be accessible depending on site availability. Our guides, depending on their expertise and your interest, may include these visits, with tickets purchased on-site if needed. Please inform your guide during the tour if you are interested in visiting the excavations.
Does the tour include any underground visits?
The Basilicas tour (Santa Maria Maggiore and San Pietro in Vincoli) is not strictly an underground tour, but some underground areas may be accessible depending on site availability. Our guides, depending on their expertise and your interest, may include these visits, with tickets purchased on-site if needed. Please inform your guide during the tour if you are interested in visiting the excavations.
We understand that some of our valued guests may have mobility concerns, and we want to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout your tour. If there are any accessibility concerns that your tour guide will need to be aware of, please let our team know at the time of booking.
Is this tour accessible for those with mobility issues?
This tour involves moderate walking of around 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) and along uneven cobbled streets. Clients with mobility concerns should contact us and we can create a custom tour adapted to their mobility concerns.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
–
27 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.
Our tour with Laura was a highlight of our holiday. Upon so many levels, religious, historic, personal and humorous. Her depth of knowledge is very good and her delivery, just a delight.
Jo
Reviewed on:
Oct 18, 2025
This was the most magical tour of our entire stay in Rome. We were curious about the early Christian basilicas, and we can’t imagine a better guide than Cecilia Martini, who brought context and life to the art in these gorgeous basilicas. Starting at the Santa Maria Maggiore, Cecilia led us in depth through the iconography of the paleochristian mosaics, then showed us the many chapels, as well as the tomb of Pope Frances. (Yes!) The tour included Santa Prassede and Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, as well as Boromini’s Chiesa Di San Carlino, and ended with Michaelangelo’s Moses at St. Peter in Chains. What I outline here Cecilia Martini turned into a feast for the mind and heart. She’s a wonderful story teller and a deeply informed art historian, and we could have listened to her for hours and hours. What we loved most is that she helped us understand what this art meant to the people—which was for us a beautiful experience.
Ann
Reviewed on:
Oct 15, 2025
Sabrina was very knowledgable and informative- gave-
Gave great historical information
Mark
Reviewed on:
Sep 24, 2025
