Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
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Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
4.6/5
Based on 7 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity worth booking?
Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity is a 3-hour experience in Rome, Italy, from $63 per person. It scores 59 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 4.6/5 rating across 7 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 59 / 100
- Rating
- 4.6/5 (7)
- Duration
- 3 hours
- From
- $63 per person
Embark on an epic journey of art and faith 2,000 years in the making on our exclusive Jubilee experience. This is a tour unlike any other, offering you the chance to explore the ancient Papal Basilicas of San Giovanni in
What you get
- Headsets for groups of six or more
- Stop at the famous Panella Bakery to sample some Traditional Roman Pastries
- Expert, fluent English-speaking guide
- Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
- Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano
About this experience
Embark on an epic journey of art and faith 2,000 years in the making on our exclusive Jubilee experience. This is a tour unlike any other, offering you the chance to explore the ancient Papal Basilicas of San Giovanni in Laterano and Santa Maria Maggiore, two of the most sacred Churches in Rome and key places of pilgrimage during Holy Years.
What's included
Included
- Headsets for groups of six or more
- Stop at the famous Panella Bakery to sample some Traditional Roman Pastries
- Expert, fluent English-speaking guide
- Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
- Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano
Not included
- Gratuities
- Consumption
- Transportation
What you'll see and do
Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
Stepping inside the portico of the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, you'll be awestruck by its sheer scale and history. The colossal central doors, cast in bronze, once adorned the entrance of the Curia Iulia, the ancient senate house in the Roman Forum. You'll also have the opportunity to see the Holy Doors - only open in the event of a Jubilee or Holy Year, every 25 years. Your guide will explain the rich theological meaning and historical significance of the Jubilee - an important year of pilgrimage for Catholics worldwide. Inside the Basilica, you'll be greeted by Borromini's soaring Baroque genius, who redesigned the interior in the 17th Century. Traces of the ancient Basilica remain, however; follow your guide, who will reveal medieval frescos by Giotto and guide you through the complex meaning of the iconography of the apse mosaics. You'll also discover more about the history of the early Church in Rome and learn how Saints Peter and Paul's relics came to rest here.
60 minutes here
Pontifical Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs
Join your guide and explore more of this once-vast and ancient complex. First, you'll visit the Holy Steps (Scala Santa), a set of 28 marble steps brought to Rome by St. Helen, Constanine's mother. According to tradition, these are the steps that Christ climbed up the palace of Pontius Pilate during the Passion. Even today, they are a place of solemn pilgrimage for the devout. At the top lies the Sancta Santorum (Holy of Holies). Long before the Sistine Chapel, this was the pope's private chapel. It once held some of the most precious relics in the Christian world. Even today, it is the home of the mysterious "acheiropoieton," an ancient image of Christ said to have been painted by angels (visitable on a private excursion).
25 minutes here · Admission included
Then, visit the Lateran Baptistry, the legendary site of Constantine's baptism. Its octagonal shape inspired other baptistries around Italy and Europe, including the famous Baptistry of Florence. Why were early baptistries eight-sided buildings? And why were they housed in separate buildings? Your local guide will answer these questions and more. Before leaving the Lateran, take a moment to admire the enormous Lateran Obelisk, the tallest standing obelisk in the world today. Discover how these ancient Egyptian monuments were recycled, first by the Romans and later by the Christian Church.
25 minutes here
Now, we embark on our own pilgrimage, down via Merulana, a road laid out in the 16th Century to help visitors to Rome on their pilgrimage. You can see our next destination at the end of this straight avenue. Along the way, we'll make a stop at one of Rome's most famous bakeries—Panella. In business since 1929, Panella has kept Romans on the go with its excellent coffee and sweet treats for years. Try the traditional Roman maritozzi, sweet yeasted buns filled with freshly whipped cream—just what a weary pilgrim needs! The view over the Auditorium of Mecenate reminds us of this area's importance, even in the ancient world.
10 minutes here
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Finally, we arrive on the highest of Rome's seven hills, the Esquiline, home to the largest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. The story of this Basilica lies somewhere between history and legend, but of all of Rome's papal basilicas, Santa Maria Maggiore feels the most ancient when you step inside. In addition to its revered Holy Door, this Basilica boasts ancient Cosmatesque floors and a ceiling adorned with some of the first gold from the New World. Among various relics and ancient mosaics, you'll also find another Sistine Chapel (the resting place of Sixtus V), the grave of the Baroque great Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and a sacred image of the Virgin, Salus Populi Romani—an ancient image that was said to have saved the people of Rome in the 6th Century AD. End your personal pilgrimage at the obelisk of Santa Maria Maggiore, an ancient gem just steps from Rome's main train station and the fashionable Monti district.
60 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Rome
Le Foodie Café Bistrot. If you are using GPS or GoogleMaps, the exact address is: Piazzale Appio, 9, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Mon, Wed, Fri
- Group size
- Up to 10 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Through Eternity Tours
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
- Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 7 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
7 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
7 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Traveler reviews
7 verified traveler reviews for Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Great Tour!
Gracelyn was a wonderfully affable and knowledgeable guide to the history of The churches we visited. Very much the highlight of our time to Rome
Response from the operator: Dear Lee, We’re delighted that Gracelyn’s knowledge and warmth made your visit to Rome so memorable. We look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon! Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
via Viator
Horrible Tour Guide Maria L? on Jubilee Tour
Only tour in my life where we had to look up Wikipedia DURING the tour. My Italian friend recommended this agency because we are Catholic, coming for the Jubilee and wanted a religion-centered tour - Jubilee/Early Christianity. The other people on our tour were also devout Catholic. I believe the tour was done by Maria Lazara. We do not know her name because she did not bother to introduce herself, nor did she ask our names (aside from checking our family name off). We met at the statue and then without any introduction to our tour, nor introduction to the St John of Laterna Church, she marched off in front of us to the Church's portico. It was a bad start. That's the main complaint: she gave no introduction to the tour or any site, she gave no church or historic context on how things came to be or how they evolved. She gave no Catholic perspective. A tour guide needs to be a storyteller! And I expected a guide well-versed in church history, both religious and urban! Instead, it was a bunch of random historic facts. She primarily spent her time pointing out symbolism in the paintings and mosaics. Clearly, she majored in art history, and the history of Christianity was a boring sideline to her. She liked pointing out that Laterna was populated early, while most of Rome was countryside - but why? How did that change? Where did Catholics live and why did they move? Why were these churches chosen for their Holy Doors? Why only 4 doors? She told us the Laterna Holy Door was an original bronze and a couple more facts and then we marched through as it were nothing. Nothing about why it is special that they are open, how Catholics view this moment, etc. IT IS SPECIAL. In speaking about the Jubilee, the only thing she said was that the Pope first started it once every 100 years, and since the Roman townspeople made money on tourism from the incoming pilgrims, they moved it to every 33 years or when they wanted. That's it - Jubilees were about making tourism dollars. End of her story. None of our group of 3 heard that the Sacred Steps were brought from Jerusalem and why, and where they were placed originally. All she did was say "it is not a hard job to move stairs." THEY ARE SPECIAL. She just said: you can up if you want, I'll wait here on my phone. Again, her specialty seemed to be art history not Catholic traditions or history, and 75% of the time, she spoke about symbolism. The blue and yellow of Mary, the keys of St. Peter. That's fine but there was no narrative, no church history. The tour ended exactly at 12 p.m. Clearly, she was glad to be out of there. Another note - yes, her English vocabulary was good, but she spoke sing-song Italian style and it was hard to follow her. She does not have the cadence of an English speaker. Very disappointed in Eternity Tours' guide. Aside: I really enjoyed Eternity Tours newsletter mailings.
Response from the operator: Dear EmptyNestMomPNW, We appreciate you sharing your thoughts. While we’re glad you enjoy our newsletter, we’re truly sorry the Jubilee tour didn’t meet your expectations. If you’d like to discuss this further, please don't hesitate to contact us at office@througheternity.com. Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
via Tripadvisor
Great tour
Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity with Eugenia D'Andrea. Eugenia is a great guide, very knowledgeable and flexible too. The web site of Through Eternity Tours is full of useful tips for exploring Rome; whoever manages it deserves a medal!
Response from the operator: Dear Olga, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our Jubilee 2025 Tour with Eugenia. We look forward to having you with us again for your next Roman adventure! Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
via Tripadvisor
Exceptional tour, guide and amazing City
Excellent tour with our guide helping us understand the interesting history of both Italy, Papal succession and Christianity.
Response from the operator: Dear Terese, Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour and found the history so fascinating. We’d love to have you join us for more amazing tours in the future! Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
via Viator
Expert tour guide! This tour is not to be missed during this Jubilee year in Rome!
Excellent! Ms D’Andrea was personable, knowledgeable & reverent throughout all aspects of the tour. This was by far my favorite tour in Rome and I would do it again if available. Highly recommended !
Response from the operator: Dear Curious39896835511, Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re so happy to hear that Eugenia helped make your tour so enjoyable and insightful. It’s wonderful that this tour was your favorite, and we hope to welcome you back for more enriching experiences in the future. We greatly appreciate your recommendation! Best regards, The Through Eternity Team
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Mon, Wed, Fri
- Price range
- $63 to $73
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 2
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Why this scores 59
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Rome.
How much does Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity cost?
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Prices start at $63 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Rome usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity take?
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Plan for about 3 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Rome is not rushed.
Is Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 59 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.6/5 across 7 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most popular in Rome, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 3-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity?
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Around 2 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Rome can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Rome and add a light layer if any part of the 3-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Rome Jubilee 2025 Tour: An Exploration of Early Christianity start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Rome within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Rome?
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Rome runs on skip-the-line access. The Colosseum underground, the Vatican before opening, and the catacombs south of the walls all require a licensed operator, and the price gap between the good ones and the rest is smaller than you would expect. We rank by guide credentials, group size and how reliably the promised access actually materialises. On Outty we rank every Rome experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Rome Pasta and Tiramisu Class: Ravioli, Fettuccine & Fine Wine 5*, Pasta Making & Wine Tasting with Dinner in Frascati from Rome, Rome: Pizza & Tiramisu or Gelato Class with Flowing Fine Wine 5*. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Rome?
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April, May, September and October. August is hot and half the city is shut. Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Rome?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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