San Clemente Basilica & Ancient Underground Secrets Tour

Overview

San Clemente is three buildings stacked on top of each other. At street level is a 12th-century basilica. Beneath it lies a 4th-century church, and below that, 1st-century Roman buildings including a temple to the god Mithras.

Your guide leads you down level by level, explaining how each building was buried and built over, and how the lower levels were rediscovered in the 19th century by the Irish Dominican friars who still look after the basilica.

Highlights

• See the 12th-century apse mosaic, the Triumph of the Cross
• Explore the 4th-century basilica and its medieval frescoes
• Go down to 1st-century Roman rooms and streets
• Visit the Mithraeum, a temple to the god Mithras
• Hear the underground stream still running beneath the basilica

Itinerary

1. 1Start

   Meet outside San Clemente

   Meet your guide outside the basilica, a five-minute walk east of the Colosseum.

2. 2Level 1

   The 12th-century basilica

   Start in the upper church with its gold apse mosaic and Cosmatesque marble floor.

3. 3Level 2

   The 4th-century basilica

   Go down to the earlier church, buried in the 11th century, to see its rare medieval wall paintings.

4. 4Level 3

   Roman buildings and the Mithraeum

   Descend to the 1st-century level: a Roman house, a building thought to be part of the imperial mint, and the temple of Mithras.

5. 5End

   Back to street level

   Return to the street. You are a short walk from the Colosseum and the Celian Hill.

What’s included

Meeting point

Open larger map · Basilica di San Clemente, Via Labicana, Rome

Good to know

• Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the basilica.
• Photography is not permitted inside San Clemente, including the underground levels.
• The lower levels are reached by steep, narrow stairs and are not wheelchair accessible.
• Church services can limit access to the upper basilica at certain times.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation terms for this tour are shown before you pay and in your confirmation. Many tours offer a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time.

Frequently asked questions