Roman Crypts..Looking for your advice AGAIN!!

I took a tour last fall from Walks of Italy called "Underground Rome" or something like that, and it included the Capuchin Crypt, Catacombs of Priscilla, and the so-called "lasagna" church. They transported us in a van between the sites. I enjoyed the tour and recommend it, but I personally feel that when you've seen one catacomb, you've seen them all. Now that I've seen some Roman ones it's not something I would seek out in Paris. Have fun.
Cynthia

Have you done the scavi tour at the Vatican to the necropolis under St. Peters (where Peter's tomb is also supposedly located) They look like Etruscan houses. It was the thing my kids remembered most about our trip to Rome decades later. (by kids I mean my kids -- they were young adults. There is an age cut off for this tour -- maybe 16? so check that carefully if you have kids along) We did this at least 20 years ago and even then tickets were very hard to come by; you book through the Vatican and since demand exceeds supply, it is a bit of a role of the dice. If you are going and want to do this, try to book as early as you can. It has become pretty well known so getting tickets is even harder.

The Etruscan necropoli north of Rome at Tarquinia and Cervetari are well worth a day trip -- each quite different from the other, so visit both. We rented a car and did a day trip for this.

The Capuchin Crypt is not a crypt as I think of it; it is a rather vulgar display of human bones in various tableau; it is embarrassing to find it interesting enough to visit although we did (and feel a bit sheepish about it). I can't think of any real purpose for this display that isn't pretty perverse.

Vulgar is in the eye of the beholder IMHO.
I seriously doubt that the Cappuchin monks had anything perverse in mind as they arranged the bones of their departed brethren to make room for more burials.
This type of display is found in countries all over the world.

If you understand the historical and cultural context, things that our society might find vulgar begin to make sense. Without that, we can only apply our current standards (of beauty, morality, etc.), to what may have meant something completely different to the culture that produced it.

For underground Rome a visit to San Clemente church is worthwhile. A lovely small church sits above layers of Ancient Rome. No crypts as I recall but a fascinating look at the streets and buildings of the old city.