6 Best Sights in Rome, Italy

The 4th-century church at this site was named after the saint who was buried in its catacomb, which burrows underground on four different levels. This was the only early Christian cemetery to remain accessible during the Middle Ages, and it was from here that the term "catacomb" is derived—it's in a spot where the road dips into a hollow, known to the Romans as a catacumba (Greek for "near the hollow").

Built up against the ancient Aurelian Walls, this famed cemetery was intended for the interment of non-Catholics who were barred from burial within the city walls. Poetic souls seek out the tomb of John Keats, who tragically died in Rome after succumbing to consumption at age 25 in 1821. The headstone is famously inscribed, "Here lies one whose name was writ in water" (the poet requested that no name or dates should appear). Nearby is the place where Shelley's heart was buried, as well as the tombs of Goethe's son, the founder of the Italian Communist Party and vehement anti-Fascist Antonio Gramsci, and America's famed beat poet Gregory Corso.

The cemetery's quiet paths are lined with fruit trees and prowled by shy cats from a nearby animal sanctuary. The tranquil spot is far from morbid and quite easy to find: simply catch the Metro B from Termini station to the Piramide stop, which is just around the corner from the entrance to the cemetery.

Devoted to teaching visitors about the Capuchin order, this museum is mainly notable for its strangely touching and beautiful crypt under the church of Santa Maria della Concezione. The bones of some 4,000 friars are arranged in odd decorative designs around the shriveled and decayed remains of their kinsmen, a macabre reminder of the impermanence of earthly life. As one sign proclaims: "What you are, we once were. What we are, you someday will be."

Upstairs in the church, the first chapel on the right contains Guido Reni's mid-17th-century Archangel St. Michael Trampling the Devil. The painting caused great scandal after an astute contemporary observer remarked that the face of the devil bore a surprising resemblance to Pope Innocent X, archenemy of Reni's Barberini patrons. Compare the devil with the bust of the pope that you saw in the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and judge for yourself.

For centuries, sightseers have flocked to this famous landmark, one of the most complete surviving tombs of ancient Rome. Of the many round mausoleums that once lined the Appian Way, this tomb is a smaller version of the Mausoleum of Augustus but impressive nonetheless. It was the burial place of a Roman noblewoman: the wife of the son of Crassus, who was one of Julius Caesar's rivals and known as the richest man in the Roman Empire (infamously entering the English language as "crass").

The original decoration includes a frieze of bulls' skulls near the top. The travertine stone walls were made higher, and the medieval-style crenellations were added when the tomb was transformed into a fortress by the Caetani family in the 14th century. An adjacent chamber houses a small museum with exhibits on the area's geological phases. Entrance to this site also includes access to the splendid Villa dei Quintili.

Burial place of several very early popes, this is Rome's oldest and best-preserved underground cemetery. One of the (English-speaking) friars who acts as custodian of the catacomb will guide you through its crypts and galleries, some adorned with early Christian frescoes. Watch out for wrong turns: this catacomb is five stories deep!  This site has a large parking area and is favored by big groups; it can get busy.

With advance notice you can take a one-hour guided tour in English of the Vatican Necropolis, under the Basilica di San Pietro, which gives a rare glimpse of early Christian Roman burial customs and a closer look at the tomb of St. Peter. Apply via the contact form online, specifying the number of people in the group (all must be age 10 or older), preferred language, preferred time, available dates, and your contact information in Rome. Each group will have about 12 participants. Visits are not recommended for those with mobility issues or who are claustrophobic.