Beneath the sun-baked streets of Rome lie cool, shadowed spaces that hide layer upon layer of history. Beat the heat with air-conditioned travel and access directly down into three different, but equally fascinating archaeological finds. Admire the hallowed catacombs where, beneath their persecutors’ feet, early Christians practiced their forbidden faith. Almost 2,000 years ago, this network of secret tunnels doubled as a place of worship and burial ground. As you explore tombs carved out of the solid rock, your guide – a local, expert English-speaker – will relate the fascinating history of this sacred spot. Visit the Capuchin Crypt. Capuchin monks used the bones of nearly 4,000 of their brothers to decorate this somber space in intricate floor-to-ceiling designs, lending it the macabre nickname of "the Bone Chapel". Your guide will tell you the theories, but it’s up to you to draw your own conclusions about the meaning of the crypt’s robed skeletons and vertebrae chandeliers. Open your eyes to the city’s hidden side – and you’ll never see Rome the same way again.