Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Vicus Caprarius
- Rinascente Tritone
- Stadium of Domitian
Photos & Highlights
- Journey beneath the city’s streets and discover the hidden layers of Rome with a passionate knowledgeable expert.
- Uncover the ancient sites below Piazza Navona in an exclusive private experience reserved just for you and your group.
Select a date
Tour Description
Ever wondered what the streets of Rome looked like in the past? How much has changed over the centuries? Rome still holds countless traces of its ancient face: some hidden in plain sight, others buried beneath the modern city.
With the guidance of an experienced archaeologist or historian who knows where to look and what to look for, you can uncover these hidden remnants of the past. Explore ancient Roman apartments beneath a modern cinema and discover aqueducts tucked away under luxury shops. The Eternal City's history is made of layers, and this exclusive underground Rome tour unveils all its secrets, granting you private access to a hidden site reserved solely for you and your group.
Experts
You will begin near the Trevi Fountain at Vicus Caprarius, an archaeological gem hidden beneath a modern cinema. Here, you'll explore the remains of ancient Roman apartments, gaining insight into daily life in the past, right beneath today’s bustling city.
Next, you'll visit Rinascente Tritone, a stylish department store with a hidden secret: its basement houses the Aqua Virgo aqueduct, an engineering marvel dating back to 19 BC.
As you stroll through Rome’s vibrant streets, you’ll make your way to Piazza Navona. Unbeknownst to many, even locals, this lively square sits atop the Stadium of Domitian, a vast arena that once hosted thrilling athletic contests.
You will enjoy exclusive access to a private section of the Domitian Stadium at the École Française, right in the heart of Piazza Navona. Your guide will lead you beneath the bustling square for a truly exclusive experience reserved solely for you and your group. You'll have the rare opportunity to explore this remarkably well-preserved site at your own pace, pausing to reflect, ask questions, and fully absorb the atmosphere of this evocative underground space.
This intimate Rome underground tour through the city's layered history, guided by an experienced archeologist, offers a rare glimpse into the ancient world that lies quietly beneath the modern city.
- You’re intrigued by the contrast between modern Rome above ground and the ancient city hidden beneath, and want to explore how these two worlds coexist.
- You want a historian or archaeologist as your guide, bringing Rome’s past to life with expert knowledge and fascinating stories.
- You’re looking for an exclusive experience, gaining special access to hidden sites that most visitors never even realize exist
- 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.
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.
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.
Book worry-free—review our flexible cancellation policy here.
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497 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.
Would have liked to see more (we visited 2 sites). Carol was spectacular - an entertaining docent and a fun person. She was very knowledgeable about the art and architecture, Roman and Italian history, and a wide variety of other factors. She gave us great recommendations regarding shopping and lunch spots. I would highly recommend both the tour and Carol.
Alexander
Reviewed on:
Apr 16, 2013
Again it was an excellent and enjoyable tour
Anthony
Reviewed on:
Apr 12, 2013
Liz Brewster did a fabulous job. It was not her fault that two others did not show up and that we wasted time waiting for them. That took about 20 minutes to half an hour off the beginning of the tour. Once we started, she was marvelous and conveyed a lot of information. She worked very hard. She had confirmed the third portion of the underground tour in advance but apparently the people in your office were not as good as she was. They assured her the third portion was confirmed, even though the time made no sense to her. As a result of inefficiency on the office staff's part, the third portion did not happen since the reservation time was incorrect, even though Liz had asked for reconfirmation because the time didn't make sense to her. As a result we only had two thirds of the tour. She did her best to compensate. She would not accept a tip because she felt we only received 2/3 of what we had paid for. It was not her fault and she should not suffer financially because someone in your office made a mistake. We would like a 1/3 refund of the price of the tour since we only saw 2 of the three advertised sites, not to mention the loss of time at the beginning of the tour.
Shayne
Reviewed on:
Apr 9, 2013
