New York Catacombs by Candlelight

Recommended by 91% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

New York City, USA

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.7

· Arlene_M ·

Jul 2026

What a great tour....Tommy was knowledgeable...personable and an excellent guide....answered all questions...what a wonderful afternoon in the city.....definitely recommend

· Jennifer_C ·

Jun 2026

This was such an interesting tour! We enjoyed learning about the history of the church and seeing the catacombs below. I would highly recommend taking this tour for everyone. It’s an interesting piece of New York history!

Explore our promoted experiences

New York City, New York

5.0

(32)

East Village Noho Food Tour

from $39

This immersive self-guided journey of New York's High Line takes you beyond the typical stroll, revealing how a derelict Death Avenue railway transformed into one of the world’s most iconic parks.

New York City, New York

New York City Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour of High Line Park

from $10

New York City, New York

New York Ghost Tour: Self-Guided Haunted Walk

from $6

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Go behind-the-scenes and deep underground at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, with the only Catholic catacombs in New York City. See parts of the church that are otherwise off-limits to visitors. As you explore with the help of a guide, learn all about the landmark’s place in New York history and discover the final resting place of some famous New Yorkers.

Explore the catacombs and other areas that most visitors miss
Learn all about the history of the church from your guide
Choose from a number of convenient departure times
The convenient tour starts and ends at the church in Lower Manhattan

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

This tour grants you access to the restricted catacombs under this historic church.

What's Included

Professional guides
All taxes, fees and handling charges

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

266 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012, USA
Check-In Address: 266 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10012 (corner of Mulberry St. and Jersey St.) between Houston and Prince Street. Directions: By Subway B/D/F/M/6 trains to Broadway-Lafayette St/Bleecker St; R/W train to Prince St.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Meet your guide and group at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, centrally located in Lower Manhattan. After an introduction to the church and the history of the area, as well as insights into the story of Catholicism in New York, follow your guide into the church and the only Catholic catacombs in New York City.

Discover the rich history and spirituality hidden beneath the church as your guide leads you to hidden areas that most visitors never see. Spend some time exploring the church and its cemetery and feel free to ask follow-up questions of your guide before saying goodbye.

The Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Children must be accompanied by an adult
PLEASE CHECK IN AT 266 MULBERRY STREET (CORNER OF MULBERRY ST. AND JERSEY ST.), WHERE THE TOUR BEGINS. CHECK IN 15 MINUTES BEFORE TOUR PLEASE.
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
PLEASE DO NOT GO TO ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL ON FIFTH AVENUE! THIS IS A DIFFERENT ST. PATRICK'S IN MANHATTAN
Guests requiring wheelchair should contact Tommy's New York in advance to allow us to make proper preparations for your tour
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 2,930 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

Lots of anecdotal significance

Mary_S, Aug 2026

The history of NYC from this perspective is awesome. The Catholic school system was born out of this place. The Gangs of NY, the real historic stuff, involved this place. David Bowie lived right across the street.

Informative and...

Eileen_S, Aug 2026

Informative and historical. Guide was very knowledgeable. Beautiful architecture and states. A most see

Meh Tour through the Catacombs

Renae_G, Aug 2026

Our tour guide was informative but the tour itself felt more religious in nature despite him saying he isn't Catholic several times. It was a 90 minute tour and we spent about 15 minutes in the actual catacombs. We weren't able to walk around the cemeteries at all. The majority of the time was outside, which was fine, but without walking around much. There was a family on the tour with an individual with limited mobility and there wasn't anywhere for her to sit and rest for the first hour; I would encourage folks to be aware of that. I think because I have been to other catacombs that were more impressive, this seemed more of a disappointment but our friends hadn't been on a catacomb experience before and they felt pretty similarly. I didn't see this as a great value for the experience and I probably wouldn't recommend.

Fine

David_S, Aug 2026

As expected, the elision of John Hughes' actions during the draft riots of 1863 was unfortunate. Otherwise, it was a trite tour.

It was a great tour and...

Ashley_H, Aug 2026

It was a great tour and very informative! Tommy was an excellent guide and very knowledgeable. I would absolutely take this tour again.

Catacombs

Robert_L, Aug 2026

It is full of information about old New York and is a complete experience. You walk away with knowledge about how Catholicism and the basilica came to be and affected the formative years of the City.

Amazing Tour

Julie_B, Jul 2026

This was an incredibly informative and interesting tour! The guide (I think he name was Tommy) was beyond knowledgeable about the history of the church and surrounding neighborhood.

A curiosity

Maria_D, Jul 2026

FYI, you will see historic vaults in a church basement, no remains. Jimmy Boyle, our guide, was much more interesting than the catacombs. He has a fountain of knowledge and an enjoyable delivery.

I’ve lived in nyc for 30...

Kiera_F, Jul 2026

I’ve lived in nyc for 30 years and this was my first time visiting the cathedral and touring the cemetery and catacombs. Amazing tour, the guide (I think his name was Kevin) was fabulous and a total showman. Fielded questions throughout, was super informative, and really caring to the group. He kept it interactive instead of a lecture. I will definitely be encouraging friends to go and will bring my parents when they visit. Thank you!!

NY Catacombs

Arlene_M, Jul 2026

What a great tour....Tommy was knowledgeable...personable and an excellent guide....answered all questions...what a wonderful afternoon in the city.....definitely recommend

NYC Catacombs

Lucille_A, Jul 2026

The tour was very informative and the guide knowledgeable. Highly recommend. the church and graveyard were so historical.

Guide was very friendly...

Michelle_P, Jul 2026

Guide was very friendly and did his best to entertain us given he had to change the tour due to extreme weather conditions and flooding so we couldn’t go outside

History of nyc

Shannon_T, Jul 2026

I went expecting bones and ghost stories. This is more of a historical tour. Jerry has lots of stories and is very personable.

Above and Below

Patricia_D, Jul 2026

If you want a fulfilling fun glimpse of a part of NY history and want a knowledgeable experienced funny thoughtful informed tour guide like Tommy this is a great way to spend an hour. I learned so much and there is a good balance of walking, stopping and discovery.

Tour

janet_c, Jul 2026

It was great ,the guide was very knowledgeable , would highly recommend recommended this tour. And interesting part of nyc history

Good tour, great info

Amanda_C, Jul 2026

Nice tour and the catacombs were interesting to see. Great information on the history of the site. Great to see!

Awesome experience

Rita_N, Jun 2026

Pleasant, knowledgeable, fun guide, well organized. Lovely all around. Not physically demanding on walking.

Great tour

Patricia_B, Jun 2026

This trip was extremely interesting even for a native New York. Our guide, Jimmy, was knowledgeable, entertaining and worked hard to engage the entire group. I definitely recommend this tour....

A Hidden Gem Beneath New York City

Liberty_H, Jun 2026

The NYC Catacombs Tour beneath the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral was one of the most unique experiences of our trip. Walking through the underground passageways and historic burial vaults gave us a fascinating glimpse into New York City's past that most visitors never get to see. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing stories about the church, the prominent families buried there, and the history of Lower Manhattan. The atmosphere was both eerie and beautiful, making it feel like stepping back in time. The tour was well organized, informative, and respectful of the historic site. Whether you're interested in history, architecture, or simply looking for something different from the typical tourist attractions, I highly recommend this tour. It was truly a memorable experience and one of the highlights of our visit to New York City.

Wonderful review of the history of old New York!

Nicole_S, Jun 2026

Jimmy was so knowledgeable! He gave me a side of Manhattan's history that you don't usually hear about. I could spend hours listening to his stories!

Beautiful church and catacombs

Julia_B, Jun 2026

Great history provided about the original St Patrick’s Cathedral, and surrounding community. Catacombs were very interesting and had an added bonus of an Italian film production occurring in front entrance.

Very interesting tour!

Rachelle_J, Jun 2026

Great experience and very interesting. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. Definitely would recommend!

Excellent

Stephen_B, Jun 2026

Andy was extremely knowledgeable and fun to have as our guide. His appreciation for history and the catacombs is remarkable.

Highly Recommend and Beautiful

Paul_H, Jun 2026

It is a spiritually humbling experience with the possibility of grieving loved ones coming to pay their respects to family members within the catacomb. A grieving widow came to visit her recently departed husband after spending 43 years married during our tour. The experience gives mortality motivation and perspective we all need in our busy lives. The history presented and the connection to those laid to rest is a great experience. As a Catholic, we were given time to pray and spend time in reflection.