Since we had visited Rome in the past, we decided to explore something new--the catacombs. Rome has over 40 catacombs with hundreds of miles of underground passages, which were Roman burial grounds from the 2nd through the 5th century. Although the catacombs on the Appian Way are more famous, we decided to visit the Priscilla Catacombs (Catacombe di Priscilla), which were quieter and less visited, but among the largest and oldest in Rome, dating back to the 2nd century AD. The Priscilla Catacombs are found at Via Solaria 430, northeast of the Villa Borghese. We booked the "Rome on Your Own" tour from Princess, which gave us a bus ride to St. Peter's Square. We grabbed a taxi, showed him the address, and 10 euros later stood at the entrance, which was almost hidden--definitely "off the beaten path"!
The Priscilla Catacombs proved to be an excellent choice--no lines and no people other than an old Italian nun who took our 5 euros and an English-speaking student who took us on a tour of the underground. He carried a flashlight and turned on and off the dim lights as we moved through the Priscilla Catacombs. It was exactly the experience we were seeking--memorable and away from the crowds of Rome.
