Biblical tours relating to Paul and Peter

You will not find any location in Italy where Jesus, prior to His resurrection, visited.

You should have better luck with locations for Peter and Paul. I would google “religious tours in Italy” and then carefully read reviews.

One place that will not be included on an advertised tour, but well worth the effort, and maybe the most authentic, is the Scavi Tour offered by the Vatican. See information here: http://www.scavi.va/content/scavi/it.html

You have to jump through some hoops to get tickets, and they are for a specific time and day, but you will get a guided tour of the excavations under St. Peters, through an old Roman cemetery, and culminating at a niche that is said to contain the bones of St, Peter. If you are claustrophobic or have problems walking on uneven ground, this tour may be difficult.

As for other tours, there are actually limited sites that still exist that date to the time of the Apostles, most were built over, even in Roman times. But you can get tours that try to fill in the details and paint a picture.

Dale: (?)
I just returned from the RS Best of Italy tour, and my impression is that Italy completely ignores Paul, and many times, Jesus, too! Italy is ALL about Mary and Peter.

Full disclosure that I am a Protestant/Reformed-Calvinist/Baptist. I knew ahead of time that Italy is all Catholic, and I tried to go with an open mind that I was there to see the beauty of the country, the art, history and architecture, but wow! My biggest take-a-way from the trip was that I am more thankful than ever for Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolution. For example, I feel like we visited 500 churches/basilicas/duomos, but I had to ask the guide where the Mamertine prison was located in Rome. It's actually steps away from the Roman Forum, and was not included on the tour.

I would do my own research and plan my own tour.
Blessings!
Elizabeth

Also do some searching in YOutube, it's amazing what people put up for free. For instance I was going to take some walking tours in London and lo, they were all posted online so I've already taken 3 or 4. Virtually of course.

YOu could also contact Rick's suggested guides and try to work out something that suits you.

Historically it's unclear if Peter ever actually travelled to Rome. It is tradition to say he founded St Peters but even if he did there is not enough historical information to do a "in the steps" kind of tour. That being said St Peters is obviously a must see site while in Rome.
Paul's travels are well documented and there are several tours that even include Malta and Italy. Here are a couple that cover Paul specifically in Rome. (Not a recommendation - just information.)
https://www.romeprivateguides.com/en/rome-tour/the-life-of-st-paul-private-tour-in-rome.html
https://www.journeystoitaly.com/tour/footsteps-of-st-paul-private-tour/

If you want to travel outside of Rome and go further south you can even go to sites in Sicily.

Paul's travels overview:
https://aleteia.org/2018/09/19/a-quick-guide-to-st-pauls-travels-according-to-todays-map/

I would decide how much time you want to budget to following in the footsteps of the saints and look for information on local guides. I find that good guides can really add context and impact to these kinds of historic figures.

Good luck,
=Tod

Most of the good Paul sites are in Greece and Turkey. Much of his time in Italy was reportedly spent in prison

You will not find any location in Italy where Jesus, prior to His resurrection, visited.

Silvio's mother would disagree.

I am more thankful than ever for Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolution

The European Jews and the German peasants strongly disagree. You'll be relieved to know that nowadays most Italians ignore also Mary and Peter.

I am more thankful than ever for Martin Luther and the Protestant Revolution.......
You might want to do a little research into his views and disgusting writings about Jews. How did that work out? Brad

Dale, I'll need to agree on unsubstantiated claims attached to some of the Apostle-related locations in Rome but best to do your own research on them. I'll admit to being a non-Catholic, and not even very religious but did my own deep historical/archeological dives out of interest.

But do your reading up in advance and then go out and explore on your own! I enjoyed many, many of the Roman churches very much simply for their art and architecture, and will strongly agree with Dario how "thankful" (?) our Jewish friends are for Martin Luther. Again, do the research....

On a slight tangent here ( but that seems to be the way this thread is going). I think it is possible to accept that humans can do both good and bad things. One might admire a person for some of the good, while be extremely upset about the bad. Martin Luther did do some good things which people can fairly appreciate. He also said some hateful things that we can all agree were wrong. It is better to be honest about both the accomplishments and faults instead of just pretending one completely negates the other.

Probably the two best places to understand Paul in Rome (as a Protestant) is San Paolo Outside the Walls and the Appian Way. This is a basilica that claims to be built on his tomb. There is a "tradition" that Paul was beheaded just a short walk from here. Since this type of activity and burial was always "outside of the city wall," I am on the believing side of his tomb being there.

The Appian Way is another good choice. Most historians believe he walked to Rome on this road.

The Mamertine Prison claims that Paul was imprisoned here. Never been there. I'll be at San Paolo Outside the Walls on Monday.

For Peter, it is hard to say where he really was, but the Vatican Scavi is as good as any.

For the Roman Catholic tradition, you have the entire city, including St. John (Giovanni) Latern in Rome (I'll be there on Weds.) which claims to have the skulls of both Peter and Paul. Interesting that the church seems to have two heads of both apostles in one city.

I'll try to report back after I return. You don't need to do tours. Taking a train or taxi is easy enough and you can cherry pick what you want to do. PM me, and I'll send you info on Rome that I have personal experience with.

According to the apocriphal "Actus Petri cum Simonis", Peter was fleeing Rome when he had a vision of Jesus. Peter asked Jesus: "Domine, quo vadis?" (Lord, where are you going?); and Jesus replied "Venio Romam iterum crucifigi" (I am going to Rome to be crucified again). So Peter decided to go back to Rome. On the place of this supposed vision, near the Appian way, a the small church "Domine quo vadis" was built.

I can't answer about tours, but there's a basilica in Rome called San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains), and its relic is the chains that supposedly St. Peter wore when he was in prison in Jerusalem. It also has a wonderful statue of Moses by Michelangelo.

On the place of this supposed vision, near the Appian way, a the small
church "Domine quo vadis" was built.

A word of caution concerning the legend? The slab with impressions of footprints in that church is a copy; the original is in nearby Basilica of San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura. The original was a non-Christian offering of either thanksgiving for a journey taken or about to be embarked upon versus prints allegedly left by a vision of the Christ.

Scroll down to "Church of Domine Quo Vadis" See this multimedia page from the Coopculture website:
http://multimedia.coopculture.it/reteculture/itinerari/260/ap_260_guide_eng.pdf

And (Rome's official tourism website):
https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/church-domine-quo-vadis-santa-maria-delle-piante

But as the "The Catholic Travel Guide" muses, while there's no definitive, historic record of the "Domine, Quo Vadis?" legend, "...even if this event did not occur, still the message remains the same: embrace your cross." So might followers of the faith choose to eye this and other locations around Rome with "by tradition" or "legend has it" claims.

https://thecatholictravelguide.com/destinations/italy/italy-rome-catholic-shrines-places-interest/rome-chiesa-santa-maria-delle-piante-church-domine-quo-vadis/

If taking a highly recommended wander on a good stretch of the Appia Antica, do stop into the Basilica of San Sebastiano, the attached catacombs of San Sebastiano (tour only: no need for advance reservations), Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis, and some of the other interesting relics along the way:

English version available by clicking the British flag under the orange "Translate" box in lower left of page
https://www.parcoappiaantica.it

Hi,

You might look at Mountain Butorac's Instagram account (@thecatholictraveler). While I haven't taken a tour from him, his account is interesting and entertaining. He is an American who leads pilgrimages in Rome and throughout Europe. He has longer tours and day-long tours.

Sharon