- Duration: 3 hours
- Priority access
- Photos without flash
- Mobile Ticket
What to expect?
- Visit the oldest basilica of the Western world, one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome
- Visit the oldest catacombs in Rome
- Learn about the history of customs related to the burial of Romans and Christians
- Skip the line and don't waste your time
The Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran is also known as the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John in Lateran, Saint John Lateran, or the Lateran Basilica. It is the oldest and highest ranking of the four major papal basilicas as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, holding the unique title of "archbasilica". Founded in 324 by Constantine the Great, it is the oldest public church in the city of Rome, and the oldest basilica of the Western world.
The Catacombs of St. Callixtus are among the largest and oldest in Rome. They were built around the middle of the second century. Their name comes from the name of the deacon Callixtus, whom Pope Zephyrinus appointed to manage the cemetery in the early third century. It was then that the Catacombs of St. Callixtus became the official cemetery of the Church of Rome.
The network of corridors in the cemetery complex of which the Catacombs of St. Callixtus is a part is about 20 kilometers long. Sixteen popes and almost half a million people have been buried here.
What is included?
- Guided tour of the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus in the selected language.
- Visit with multi-lingual audio guide of the Lateran Complex (includes Basilica, Baptistery, Scala Santa and Sancta Sanctorum)
- Booking and management costs
Available options
- Available languages for the guided tour of the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus: Italian, English, French, Spanish, German.
- Audio guide languages for the Lateran Complex: Italian, English, French, Spanish, German
Price reductions
- Reduced ticket for children aged 6-17
- Free Ticket for children under 6 years old (It is still required to pay the reservation fee to skip the line; valid identity document needed at the entrance)
Meeting Point
To remember
- Always start your visit from the Catacombs of San Callisto. If you don't have enough time you can visit the Lateran Complex also the following day.
For the guided tour of the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus:
- Given the specific nature of the places, there are specific restrictions on visits by people with limited mobility.
- Visitors are advised to bring appropriate shoes for an ancient and not always flat floor, and according to the seasons, suitable clothing for the temperatures of the underground.
- Inside the catacomb, photography and video shooting are prohibited. Smoking is prohibited inside the monuments
Opening hours of the Lateran Complex
- Basilica San Giovanni in Laterano: open every day from 9:00 to 16:30
- Cloister: available every day from 9.00 to 16.30
- Lateran Baptistery: open every day from 9:00 to 16:00
- Scala Santa and the Papal Chapel of the Sancta Sanctorum: open from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 17:00. Sunday from 15:00 to 17:00
