EJ · St. Paul’s Basilica and the Catacombs

This tour takes you out of the City Walls, in the southern district of Rome. Driving by the Pyramid of Cestius (the only one in Europe), surrounded by the Protestant cemetery where Keats and Shelly are buried, you reach St. Paul's Basilica outside the Walls. The Basilica ranks after St. Peter’s as the second largest church in Rome. Commissioned by Constantine in the 4th century, it was later enlarged by Valentinian II, Theodosius and Honorius. It is traditionally believed to rise on the site of St. Paul’s tomb. Your next stop will be the Catacombs, the underground cemeteries of the early Christians where the most important martyrs were buried. On your way back, you will drive along the Appian Way, the oldest paved road in the world and then by the famous church of “Quo Vadis?” where St. Peter, fleeing from certain death in Rome, saw Jesus and was led to turn around and accept his fate. The Appian Way dates back to the beginning of the Roman civilization. It was extended several times until reaching Brindisi (on the east coast) which was a major port for trade with the Orient during Roman times. It is also the best preserved of the consular roads, some of its paving even dates from Roman times. The first few miles are dotted with ruins of tombs, some of which are still to be identified.