Rome Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Underground Areas Guided Tour

Beneath the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore hides a network of passages, rooms and archaeological remains that reveal the layers of Rome's history. This underground guided tour takes you beyond the surface to discover healing mosaics, ancient tiles and geometric frescoes that have survived the passage of time.

With an insider guide you'll tour rooms built around a vast underground courtyard, understand the ancient heating areas associated with thermal uses, and learn about details that often go unnoticed. Everything is designed for you to enjoy an immersive and rigorous experience in just 50 minutes.

In the Treasure Room and the Archaeological Zone, the guide's explanations will put each discovery into context: from the function of the spaces to the iconography of the frescoes and their artistic value. It's the best way to interpret the underground without missing anything important.

Back above ground, take a few minutes to contemplate the basilica's architecture: the combination of Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque, its coffered ceiling and the highest bell tower in the city. The view from above and below will give you a complete reading of the monument.

If you like to make the most of every visit, we recommend combining the tour with a walk around the Esquiline Hill, where the basilica is located, to get a complete historical perspective of the neighbourhood and its nearby churches.