On this guided tour of the Catacombs of San Genaro, we'll take a journey through centuries of art, history, and deep devotion. You'll love it!
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the activity starts. Any cancellations after this or no-shows on the day will not be refunded.
Basilica of the Crowned Mother of Good Counsel
Cristina Mosca
Roma, ItalyYou can book up to 1 hour in advance if there are any seats left. Book now and guarantee your spot.
If you have other questions, contact us
On this guided tour of the Catacombs of San Genaro, we'll take a journey through centuries of art, history, and deep devotion. You'll love it!
Welcome to the famous Catacombs of San Genaro! After meeting at the Basilica dell'Incoronata Madre del Buon Consiglio, we'll begin the tour.
Unlike the narrow Roman catacombs, the Catacombs of San Genaro will surprise you with their exceptional spaciousness, spread across two immense, non-overlapping levels carved out of solid volcanic tuff.
We’ll begin our tour from the top, in the most majestic and spiritual heart of the site. We’ll explore the magnificent Basilica Adjecta, an underground structure with three naves built to welcome pilgrims, and we’ll approach the tomb of Saint Genaro, the sacred site that once housed the patron saint’s relics. Here we’ll admire an extraordinary collection of Byzantine-style frescoes, a unique testament to early Christian art.
As we descend to the lower level, we’ll take a step back in time to the site’s pagan and early Christian origins. We’ll enter the majestic lower vestibule, with ceilings soaring up to 6 m (19.69 ft) high, a space that will take your breath away. Here we’ll discover the large 8th-century baptismal font commissioned by Bishop Paul II, who, during the turbulent 8th century, found refuge within these very walls while fleeing the iconoclastic struggles.
The tour will continue along the catacomb’s spacious central gallery. As you walk through this immense underground passageway, you’ll be able to appreciate its true magnitude and the perfect grid-like structure carved entirely out of tuff.
The tour will conclude solemnly at the basilica dedicated to Saint Agrippinus, the first and historic patron saint of Naples. Here, we'll admire a nave carved directly into the rock, the imposing episcopal chair carved from tuff, and the famous altar, which has survived in its partially original state, and still preserves the sacred opening through which the faithful of old would touch the saint’s reliquary.
1 hour later, we’ll conclude the tour by returning to the surface, bringing the guided tour of the Catacombs of San Genaro to a close.
You can book up to 1 hour in advance if there are any seats left. Book now and guarantee your spot.
If you have other questions, contact us
Basilica of the Crowned Mother of Good Counsel
Cristina Mosca
Roma, Italy
