Rome Tourism

Here's a smart suggestion for a very special visit to Rome. The capital, in fact, has an incredible range of attractions that are less known than the famous Colosseo, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi and Basilica di San Pietro…A holiday in the Italian capital (sleeping in one of the beautiful apartments (appartamenti Roma)) can give lots of amazing experiences in more of a low-key way.

As if there weren't already enough on the surface, the eternal city also holds a complete subterranean world below the concrete. And in the bowels of Rome there is much to discover. It is precisely this dark atmosphere, both unsettling and mysterious, below the earth which makes its exploration so attractive and exciting.

At the age of 2500 years, the sewerage system in Rome is the oldest in the world, and due to this you will be able to discover many traces and findings dating from Antiquity. Beneath the bustling Roman streets, a complete network of streets is to be found, replete with temples, houses, aqueducts and imposing murals. The largest sewer of them all, known by its Latin name of Cloaca Máxima, extends below the Forum Romanum and was constructed in the 6th Century B.C.

Access to this hidden world, as with the discovery of numerous antiquities and Christian findings, was principally granted thanks to the Roma Sotterranea (Subterranean Rome) Association.

Upon hearing the word "subterranean", one tends to think immediately about the metro, the sewerage system and gas pipes. In Rome, however, "subterranean" is about getting lost, under the busy metropolis, in a parallel universe that holds a veritable labyrinth of streets and walkways, the beginnings and endings of which nobody knows with scientific certitude, making you feel like Indiana Jones on a treasure hunt.

The strongest element to this subterranean world are the Calixtiano Complex' Catacombs which spread over an area of 15 ha and have a depth, in some parts, of 20 metres. The Catacombs are, in reality, a subterranean Christian cemetery. One of the most famous is the imposing Cemetery, or Catacomb, of San Sebastián.

You can book guided visits to this subterranean world in Rome on the web-page www.tourinrome.org, where you can also choose between different routes.

As far as accommodation is concerned, I would recommend one of the magnificent holiday apartments (appartamenti a Roma), where you will be able to relax and reflect upon the day's activities. Or, as you prefer, a different type of accommodation in a hotel (hotel a Roma), with all the luxury you need.