Rome is where church history stops being a subject and becomes a street plan. The Mamertine, the catacombs and the Colosseum sit within a short walk of basilicas built by the empire that had been killing Christians a few generations earlier, and the whole uncomfortable arc is visible in an afternoon.
For ministry travelers it is a rewarding and slightly humbling stop. Two thousand years of the church getting things magnificently right and magnificently wrong are on display in the same square, which is a useful thing for anyone who leads a congregation to look at directly.
Highlights
- St Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums
- The Colosseum and the Roman Forum
- The catacombs and the Mamertine Prison
- Often combined with a Mediterranean cruise itinerary
Best time to go: April–June and September–October, before or after the summer crowds.
