The Catacombs of San Sebastiano, or St. Sebastian, remain one of Christianity’s earliest underground burial sites and have drawn pilgrims and tourists for centuries.
It is said that St. Sebastian was laid to rest here in 350 AD, with a Basilica subsequently built over his tomb in the early 4th century.
These catacombs feature a vast network of tunnels, chambers, and frescoes, showcasing early Christian art, symbols, and devotion.
This article covers everything you must know before booking Catacombs of San Sebastiano tour tickets.
Top Tickets
# St Sebastian Catacombs Guided Tour
# Catacombs and Roman Countryside
# Private tour of the Catacombs of RomeIt’s highly recommended to book your Catacombs of San Sebastiano tickets in advance. These tickets sell out quickly, so securing your spot early ensures you don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience.
Key Takeaways
Discover one of early Christianity’s very first underground burial sites at the Catacombs of San Sebastiano
Apart from the Catacombs, the Basilica of San Sebastiano, Saint Sebastian’s crypt, and Bernini’s last masterpiece are all worth your time
The Catacombs house three perfectly preserved mausoleums and walls plastered with hundreds of invocations to St. Peter and St. Paul
The Catacombs are open daily, but early mornings and weekdays are less crowded. Also, make sure you dress comfortably for walking
You can choose from guided tours, countryside explorations, or private tours to enhance your visit to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano
The Catacombs of San Sebastiano was originally a pozzolana quarry. Evidence suggests the early Christians utilized the area for funeral observances and burials.
What’s ahead
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Things to know before booking tickets
You can book tickets to the Catacombs of San Sebastian online or at the attraction. Online tickets are usually cheaper than those sold at the venue. You can also avoid last-minute disappointments and get your preferred time slot when you book your ticket online and in advance. To book tickets, visit the ticket booking page and select your preferred date, time, and number of tickets. After the purchase, your tickets will be emailed to you. On the day of your visit, show the e-ticket on your smartphone at the Catacombs ticket office and your guide will lead you on.
Tours of Catacombs of San Sebastiano
The Catacombs of San Sebastiano organize guided tours in English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish.
Visitors can take public transport, reach the attraction, and buy tickets at the venue.
However, for an assured entry and a memorable tour, we recommend you book one of the Catacombs’ guided tours, which includes transport to San Sebastiano.
Some of our favorite tours are featured here.
Catacombs of San Sebastiano Guided Tour
This 30-minute expert-guided tour helps you experience the complete beauty, faith, and memory of the Catacombs of San Sebastiano.
These catacombs were built between the end of the second and the beginning of the third century AD.
Discover why the Catacombs are a hidden realm that drew pilgrims to this location in the Middle Ages rather than depressing, foreboding slums.
The tour is available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Cost of tickets
The entry tickets to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano cost €15 for adults aged 17 years and above.
Kids aged seven to 16 years and students with valid ID cards get a €3 discount and pay only €12 to enter.
Children under seven years can enter for free.
Adult (17+ years): €15
Youth (7 to 16 years): €12
Infant (up to 6 years): Free
Related: Do you know there are catacomb tours for cruise ship passengers? Check out this tour that takes you through San Sebastiano and San Callisto Catacombs in 6 hours.
Recommended
Catacombs and Roman Countryside
Your half-day tour into the Roman countryside starts when you board a coach at 9.45 am from the city center.
You will travel along the Appian Way and stop at historical sites to explore on foot.
Then, you will continue in your vehicle to one of Rome’s ancient burial sites—either the Catacombs of San Sebastiano or the Catacombs of San Callisto.
After following your guide through the underground tunnels, you will surface and board the bus to see a Roman aqueduct. The tour ends with you returning to the city.
Buy This TicketRelated: Check out this private tour of the Catacombs of Rome
Frequently asked questions
Here are some questions tourists frequently ask before purchasing their tickets for the Catacombs of St. Sebastian in Rome.
Do the Catacombs offer free tickets?
The attraction offers discounted admission to children aged up to six years, people with disabilities (74%+), and their carers. Two free admissions are granted to groups consisting of at least 35 adults when purchasing a full-price ticket.
Can I buy tickets at the venue?
Yes, tickets are available at the venue’s ticket office. However, the attraction gives preference to groups with reservations over walk-in visitors without reservations. Additionally, popular timeslots may sell out due to high demand, so getting them online in advance is better.
Do we need to print online tickets?
Visitors can present their tickets on mobile devices, but printed tickets are also accepted at the Catacombe San Sebastiano. You can show the voucher on your mobile at the ticket office, and you will be directed to your guide.
What is Catacombs’ arrival time?
When you book the attraction’s tickets, you must select a preferred time of visit. Keeping security checks in mind, arrive at least 10 minutes ahead of your visit time.
What is the Catacombs’ late arrival policy?
Entry to the attraction at an alternative slot is not possible if you miss your scheduled slot.
Does the Catacombs of San Sebastiano offer discounts for locals?
The attraction offers discounted admission to minors aged between seven and 16, school groups from primary to secondary schools, students of archaeology, architecture, and history of art aged up to 25 years old, priests, religious men and women seminarians, and novices, upon presentation of relevant certification.
Does Roma Pass include access to the attraction?
The Roma Pass does not include the attraction in its go-to sightseeing list.
What is the San Sebastiano Catacombs’ refund policy?
This attraction of Rome has a flexible cancellation policy. You can cancel your ticket up to 24 hours before your visit for a full refund.
How to reschedule the Catacombs‘ ticket?
The attraction does not allow you to change the date and time of your visit under any circumstances.
What is the Catacombe’s rain policy?
The attraction is an all-weather experience, so all tickets are final.
Are guided tours available at the Catacombs of San Sebastiano?
Only guided tours are offered to visitors. The internal guide staff of the catacomb of St. Sebastian must always lead visitors, and they provide insights into the catacombs’ history, art, and the significance of early Christian burials.
Are the Catacombs accessible for people with disabilities?
Due to insurmountable architectural barriers, people who use wheelchairs cannot visit the catacombs. Moreover, the catacombs are not recommended for those with serious walking problems, as the tour includes 70 irregular steps to get down and up. Also, it is impossible to sit, and there is no elevator.
Is photography allowed inside the Catacombs of San Sebastiano?
No, you cannot click photos or record videos inside the Catacombs.
Timings
The San Sebastiano Catacombs are open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The last entry into the underground burial site is at 4.30 pm.
The Catacombs remain closed on 25 December, 1 January, and Easter Day.
How long does the tour take
The duration of a tour of the Catacombs of San Sebastiano can vary based on the type of tour/ticket you book.
On average, a guided tour lasts 30 minutes to an hour. Some guided tours of San Sebastiano Catacombs even last 3 hours or more.
Moreover, the time spent at the attraction can also depend on the level of detail the guide provides and the accessible areas during the tour.
Thus, we recommend checking the duration of tours while booking online, as tour lengths might vary.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit the Catacombs of San Sebastiano is when it opens for the day at 10 am.
Visiting early morning is a good time to explore with fewer crowds. Many tourists tend to arrive later in the day, so arriving shortly after opening hours will provide a quieter experience.
Furthermore, visiting on weekdays (Tuesday through Thursday) offers a less crowded environment than during the weekends.
What to see at San Sebastiano Catacombs
There is much to see at the Catacombs and the Church of San Sebastiano, and you can easily spend half a day exploring these tourist attractions.
The Christian Catacomb
When exploring the Catacombs galleries of the Christian Catacombs, you will see different kinds of tombs and decorations.
While some are simple, others are decorated, and it is clear that they put a lot of effort into decorating the tombs.
Each tomb in the catacomb has a marker, such as a lamp, a coin, a jewel, a toy, etc.
Christian Symbols
One can see traces of Christianity from the first century at the St. San Sebastiano Catacombs.
While exploring the galleries, look for Christian symbols such as the fish (a symbol of Christ), the anchor (an image of hope), the dove with an olive branch in its beak (a peaceful soul), etc.
Basilica of San Sebastiano
The Basilica of San Sebastiano is located on the fourth mile of the Appian Way.
Emperor Constantine built it in the 4th century and it was initially called Basilica Apostoloru in honor of the Apostles Peter and Paul.
Over time, it got its current name, the Basilica of San Sebastiano.
The Basilica houses Saint Sebastian’s grave, Jesus’ footprints, Bernini’s last marble work, and the Museum of Sarcophagi.
Jesus’ footprints
Visitors can also see a set of marble footprints attributed to Jesus at the Basilica.
Believers say he left the marks while walking along the Appian Way to Rome.
Saint Sebastian’s crypt
St Sebastian worked for Emperor Diocletian but secretly helped persecuted Christians.
When Diocletian found out, he ordered Sebastiano to be killed with arrows. The soldiers did their job and left the bleeding man for dead.
However, he survived and went to King Diocletian to request him to stop the persecution.
The King heard him, but this time, ordered him to be killed by flogging.
After killing Sebastiano, the soldiers threw his body in Cloaca Maxima, the sewage system of Rome.
Legend has it that he appeared in the dream of matron Lucina and requested that she bury him in the cemetery’ ad Catacumbas’ on the Via Appia.
St. Sebastian’s grave is in the Basilica above the Catacombs, and you can still see the arrow that allegedly killed San Sebastian here.
Bernini’s last work
Sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s last work was a marble bust of Jesus Christ.
It was exhibited in the Basilica of San Sebastiano for four centuries without realizing who created it!
In 2006, it was rediscovered, attributed to the Baroque sculptor, and displayed to the public.
Museum of Sarcophagi
The Museum of the Sarcophagi of San Sebastiano is on the right aisle of the Basilica built by the emperor Constantine.
Skilled marble workers made the Sarcophagi (stone coffins) on display between the 3rd and 4th AD.
The coffin is decorated with many figures and characters, depicting the cultural and religious environment of the Christian community in Rome at that time.
The Museum of Sarcophagi is open every day and follows the timings of the Catacombs.
Sebastiano Catacombs admission ticket includes access to the museum.
Mausoleums of the Piazzola
Even before the cemetery of San Sebastiano was born, there stood a small Necropolis where pagans buried their dead.
Three finely decorated mausoleums overlook this Necropolis.
All the mausoleums are similar, with a central door surmounted by an inscription with the owners’ names and some decorations.
What to wear to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano
While visiting the Catacombs, it is better to wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking for at least 30 to 40 minutes.
Moreover, as the temperature and humidity underground differ from what you experience above the ground, you must dress up in layers. Do carry a bottle of water too!
How to reach
The Catacombs of San Sebastian are along the first 6 km (4 miles) stretch of Via Appia.
Via Appia, known as the Appian Way in English, is one of the longest and oldest roads built by the Roman Empire. It is more than 2300 years old.
This burial site is next to the Catacombs of St. Callixtus on the Appian Way.
Address: Via Appia Antica, 136, 00179 Roma RM, Italy. Get Directions.
You can board bus number 118 or 660 to reach the Basilica S. Sebastiano bus stop, which is only a minute’s walk from the attraction.
Or you can board bus route 218 From San Giovanni metro station on Line A.
By Car
If you’re traveling by car, turn on your Google Maps and get started.
There are enough parking garages around the attraction.
However, the best way to visit the catacombs and monuments on the Via Appia is by booking a tour that includes transport, entry tickets, and an official guide. Find out about the Catacombs tours.
