In Rome, the past isn’t hidden—it waits just below your feet. This tour of Vicus Caprarius, the evocatively named City of Water, offers a rare chance to step beneath the vibrant streets near the Trevi Fountain and descend into the shadowed remains of ancient Roman life. Here, amidst flickering lights and trickling water, a forgotten city reawakens—quiet, layered, and astonishingly alive!
Tucked discreetly behind one of Rome’s most famous landmarks, Vicus Caprarius is an archaeological treasure, unearthed only in recent decades during renovations of a 20th-century cinema. What began as routine construction revealed a portal into the 1st-century cityscape: Roman houses, a private domus, fragments of statues, terracotta pipes, and the castellum aquae—an ancient reservoir that once fed the grand Aqua Virgo aqueduct.
As you descend the stairwell, the din of the city fades. Cool air and damp stone welcome you into a place where emperors once ruled above, and everyday Romans lived, bathed, and worshipped below!
The tour winds through subterranean corridors where crystal-clear water still flows through Roman masonry, untouched by time. Marvel at the ingenious hydraulic systems, preserved walls, and marble fragments that speak to both the elegance and practicality of Roman engineering. The reservoir, fed by the same source that still powers the Trevi Fountain today, remains a living connection between ancient Rome and the modern city above.
You’ll walk along the original Roman streets of the vicus, see mosaic floors once walked by patricians, and view the remains of everyday objects—oil lamps, coins, amphorae—each one a whisper from the past.
As your guide unravels the layers of this hidden world, you’ll discover how Vicus Caprarius reflects the resilience and complexity of Roman life—where luxury apartments and bustling alleyways coexisted above an intricate web of aqueducts and service structures.
It is a story not just of emperors, but of ordinary Romans: the people who lived behind the grandeur, whose voices echo in pottery shards and water channels, whose presence lingers in stone and silence.
This is not the Rome of grand piazzas and sunlit ruins—it is a Rome of shadows and water, of discovery and quiet reverence. The Tour of Vicus Caprarius is perfect for those who seek to go deeper, to uncover the city’s hidden veins, and to experience a side of Rome that most visitors walk over, never knowing what lies just beneath.
In this intimate, subterranean space, time folds in on itself, and the Eternal City tells one of its most unforgettable secrets!
This tour involves walking and standing for extended periods. While most routes are accessible, some areas may include stairs or uneven surfaces. If you have mobility concerns, please let us know at the time of booking, and we will provide guidance on suitability and alternatives.
The exact meeting point for this tour will be confirmed upon booking. Locations may vary depending on tour logistics, but all details, including directions and arrival time, will be provided in your confirmation email.
The duration of this tour may vary slightly based on the itinerary and selected experience. Estimated tour length will be provided at the time of booking, and final details will be communicated in your confirmation.
