kakalena

Help! Please assist me with a sage reason NOT to visit the Roman Catacombs. Something besides, "Blah! Why would anyone want to do that?" ; ) I've been to the Catacombs in Paris and would never want to return.

I will be meeting a group in Rome who are interested in touring the catacombs there. Why they would want to do this when there is so much to do above ground is beyond me but I don't want to be a party-pooper and not go along.

Are the Roman Catacombs different than the Parisian variety? What would I be missing if I went elsewhere and met the group later?

kakalena

sandi_travelnut

why don't you tell us what you disliked about the Paris catacombs?

jgg

I have not been to the Paris catacombs yet, but have looked into them a bit for our trip to Paris this March. We went to the Roman Catacombs last March and they were a highlight of the trip. From what I have read about the Paris catacombs they are damp, dark and a lot of bones and steps to climb.

The Roman Catacombs do not have any bones in them. You get to see a lot of the niches and artwork that was on them. They were fairly well lit. You must go down with a guide. We had a wonderful Irish priest who took us down. The history alone is worth the visit. We are returning to Rome this June and are looking forward to visiting other catacombs.

Much of Rome's fascinating history is underground: Nero's Golden House, Church of San Clemente, Mammertime Prison.

I know I didn't help you with why NOT to go. However, I expect the experience will be different.

dorkforcemom

jgg - please give me info about which catacombs you visited. I'm going in May and my friends have put visiting the catacombs at the top of their priority list of sights. Thanks!

maryanne1

My daughter and I went to San Callisto catacombs with Vastours which we booked after we arrived in Rome. They pick you up at your hotel and return you there. I am sure there is a bus that would probably get you there,but this would be much easier than figuring out the way to get out there. When we arrived there was a guide on site that took you down into the catacombs. I found it very interesting and do not feel it is a waste of time.
I have not been to the Parisian variety so I cannot compare. On this tour we also went to San Giovanni and Santa Maria Maggiore basicilias. I found it very interesting with a guide to explain something of the history of these places.
I cannot understand why anyone would want to say "Why did you do that?"
These places were a highlight for me.

kslanker

Why? Well, the catacombs are part of our collective history. I found the catacombs fascinating and feel like touring them has added to my collective wisdom about Christianity and Judaism.

Anyway, I have been to San Callisto and San Sebastiano. IMHO San Sebastiano was more interesting for several reasons. The Basilica for one thing is right over the catacombs.

At San Sebastiano on the piers of the portico and rear wall, there is much graffiti invoking the Apostles Pet and Paul repeatedly. Of the over 600 inscriptions, none talk about them being deceased. There are some scholars who believe Paul and Peter actually lived there for some time.

At some point it is felt the remains of St. Peter were kept safely in San Sebastiano and returned to the Vatican when safe.

The story of the martyr St. Sebastian is interesting. He was promoted to tribune and later denounced for ardently preaching the gospel. He was executed by being shot to death by archers. Only, he was left for dead and nursed back to health only to be beaten to death at the Palatine Circus.

Any, you get the picture. Forget the tour from a hotel and take a bus to San Giovanni. Walk across the street to the bus stop and take a bus (ask which one) to San Sebastiano (it is a 1/4 mile walk from where the bus stops. So far you have spent less than 2 euros. The tour takes and hour or so once inside.

kakalena

Sandi, I figure I've got eternity to spend with other bones and want to make the best of the time I have on the top side. : D )) Seriously, it seems morbid and disrespectful to look at bones as a tourist. I even have a hard time with relics.

It sounds as though the Roman catacombs
are of the less morbid variety ie., crypts below churches etc. which I have explored. I'm always interested in art and to a lesser extent in history so I may consider it.

After a little more research may also make a detour. ; )

Kakalena

sandi_travelnut

I can understand that. If after researching you decide you really don't want to go, then don't. I doubt the absence of your presence (for that tour)would ruin everyone elses vacation. Just tell them that you would prefer not to go out of respect etc..

jgg

Dorkforcemom- We went to the San Callisto catacombs. We had heard the San Sebastiano catacombs were better - apparently more of the "graffiti" is visible, but our taxi driver seemed set on taking us to San Callisto. We enjoyed it there very much and were not disappointed, but plan on making it to San Sebastiano on our next trip.

Voyager2006

They are catacombs pure and simple and why you or anyone else wants to, or doesn't want to visit is up to the indivdiuals involved. You cannot seem to figure out why they would "want to" and I suspect they'll never be able to explain to their own satisfaction why you "wouldn't want to."

I think Sandi has given you the best advice. If you don;t want to go, say so, and don't go. The alternative: going anyway, against your better judgement, being passive aggressive about it as a result and remaining in a bad mood. It ISN'T WORTH IT! And if "they" don't "understand" well that's unfortunate but their problem, not yours.

kakalena

Thanks for your response. No more needed. I'm capable of making alternate plans but wanted to know if there was an obvious reason not to go from someone who has visited. It sounds like there isn't.

Now why would anyone want to go to Pisa? Joking! Joking!

Kakalena

JenV

Hi Kakalena, I know you said no more responses needed but I just wanted to give a different perspective. I just returned from Italy and while in Rome went to the San Sebastiano catacombs. In my trip notes I wrote interesting tour but I did not feel it was a highlight as others did and would have been just as happy wandering the city streets or hanging out in a cafe somewhere. I think if you are predisposed not to go you should use the time to do something on your own. JenV

ekscrunchy

saving

ekscrunchy

I wonder if someone can give me some idea of what a taxi would cost to the San Sebastiano catacombs from central Rome (Pantheon area). Also, what are the opening days/hours.
I have read about getting there by bus but it seems to be a bit complicated and lenghthy. I understand there are tours on site; do these run often, ie, can we just show up and hope to join a tour? (I looked into groups tours offered by outfits including Enjoy rome but at 38 Euro pp this seems way too high.) Many thanks!
Any information re: the Roman catacombs is welcomed in preparation for our visit next week. Thanks again.

ekscrunchy

I found the site with the information on opening hours and entry fees.

http://www.catacombe.roma.it/en/info.html

Thanks. Still looking for information on the easiest way to get there, including taxi. How easy is it to get a taxi back to central Rome after our visit?

NeoPatrick

Is my memory starting to fail me? I know that the Paris catacombs which we visited just a couple of years ago are FILLED with bones, thousands and thousands of them, in arrangements and making walls -- skulls everywhere.
But I'm pretty sure it was the San Callisto catacombs we visited in Rome -- more like 10 years ago, and there were NO bones. I found them fascinating, but it was not morbid.

If the bones are the issue (and it sounds like they are), isn't that a NON issue at San Callisto? I'm thinking maybe I'm wrong about this since no one else seems to be pointing out that major difference. Are are there lots of bones at the catacombs in Rome? Have I just forgotten?

ekscrunchy

I would like to know this as well. Above I asked about San Sebastiano. San Callisto appears to be easier to get to by public tranport. I would like to learn about the differences between the two catacombs and which would be more interesting to the average visitor.

Now about those bones...???

Mimar

For those who are interested in seeing the catacombs in Rome, one way of getting there is the Archeobus: http://www.romeguide.it/archeobus_ing.htm. Never used this myself, but made a note for our next visit.

treble

The Paris catacombs were memorable for us, and our kids were young boys ages 6 and 8 then. They enjoyed it too--with flashlights in hand! I loved reading the French poetry! (What's up with bones???)

ekscrunchy

Thanks for the Archeobus info but I have heard pretty bad things about them recently, both here and on the slowtrav site. (people getting stranded, etc)