I'm interested in seeing the underground crypt area of San Simeone Piccolo but the last instructions I've seen are essentially, "Ask the caretaker to show and he'll unlock it and give you a candle." As as cool and super Italian as that sounds I'm hoping to get some reassurance that this will actually work or that there is a more formal way to do this.
Anyone have any experience successfully doing this? Am I over thinking it?
This would be in March.
Thanks,
=Tod
I dunno, Tod.
But if that’s the setup for the tour— be sure to leave your wallet in your hotel room!
And make sure your phone battery is fully charged so you can find your way out of the crypt when the candle goes out.
LOL, @Kenko I'll post a good photo of myself before I go in so they'll have something to use for the poster and description of what I was last seen wearing. ;)
=Tod
Not sure if this helps, but a few recent Google Maps reviews (the latest about four months ago) mention that the crypt is permanently closed. The official website states the same: "Le visite alla cripta sono sospese per motivi di sicurezza".
Cool question, though. I would also like to visit one day.
Thanks, Dan, although that's not what I wanted to hear. At least if I make the trip over there my expectations will be set appropriately.
=Tod
PS Maybe they got enough wallets. ;)
Sorry, Tod! You might like the crypt at San Zaccaria: it’s partially flooded and easier to visit. Hope this is something new for you!
So, do you go into the flooded crypt with a Gondola?
I hve not visited San Simeone, but I have visited the crypt of San Zacharia. The crypt had six inches of water in it, as it rises with the tide. Because the water was absolutely still, it was like a mirror. Worth a visit, I think it closes from noon to 2:30, admission is a couple of euro. Well worth it.
Tod, if you visit Rome, try visiting the Crypt of the Capuchin Friars. I found the tour of that site fascinating.
Thanks for the alternate suggestions - maybe I'll find a place with the plastic wading boots and visit the flooded crypt. Two visits ago we got stranded and bought some but I left them with our BnB hosts, of course. They are sturdier than they look in the photos BTW. Given the realities of a city in a lagoon there can't be many "underground" crypts.
@Valerie - thanks for the Rome suggestion. I'm not at all squeamish and my tastes can run to the macabre - hence my interest in the crypt. But I find the images of all the bones used as decorations unsettling. Maybe that is the point and Momento Mori message is in full effect.
Thanks all,
=Tod
Sorry to ruin your adventure again, Tod, but boots aren't needed. There are raised steps inside the crypt, so you always walk above the water - except maybe during extreme flooding?
Probably the most famous crypt in Venice is the one beneath St. Mark’s - visitable only on an evening, after-hours tour. It’s a bit more on the 'posh' side (if I may put it so), but it has rich historical relevance and is captivating nevertheless. The added highlight is watching the entire cathedral emerge from darkness in a true "let there be light" moment: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UOK6xfQqkHs
Tod, Try contacting Gillian for definitive information. She’s an American who used to live in Rome but moved to Venice a few years ago. She is active on social media - I follow her on Instagram.
https://www.gillianslists.com/p/i-have-lived-in-rome-for-15-years-as-of.html
