We recently did the Catacombs by Candlelight tour at old St Patrick's and found it very interesting and enjoyable. Our guide, Jimmy Boyle, was very knowledgeable and told some fun stories about the church and the area of the city. Would highly recommend! read more

We did the Gangs of New York tour with Ramona. Loved the tour. Ramona was a font of information. The tour went over for 30 minutes because Ramona answered one of our questions and provided lots of extra insight. Highly recommend. read more

My mom and I did the Catacombs by Candlelight review at St. Patrick's Old Basilica and it was a wonderful tour!! Lee was a great guide - very knowledgeable and very friendly. I really enjoyed my time, but should mention more than half the tour was above ground outside in the graveyard. I still found this part very interesting, but not the entire time is spent underground in the catacombs. read more

If you're thinking about it! Do it! We toured the St. Patrick's Old Basilica with Tommy and it was one of the coolest things I've ever done in NYC. I recent wrote a food review for my recent trip and one of my restaurant recommendations actual came from Tommy himself. He knows what he's talking about, and his tours are fun, education, enlightening and a darn good time! See full NYC Food Review here: https://mise-en-scene.medium.com/taking-a-bite-of-the-big-apple-7914f96e143b read more

Tommy's New York - Organ inside St. Patrick's Old Basilica - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

I enjoyed the Catacombs by Candlelight tour. The tour guide was great, friendly and knowledgeable about the church and catacombs' history. The tour includes an indoor and outdoor part, and explains why there are two St. Patrick's in New York. I really enjoyed learning the history. The catacombs are pretty small- it doesn't take long to tour them. But it was interesting. This is a fun tour, I'd recommend it! read more

Such a great experience and so informative! I would absolutely recommend this tour group and our guide for a great tour! read more

Tommy's New York - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

I learned so much on this tour. Mike was our tour guide and he was absolutely amazing. The tour was about 1.5 hours and the company was well organized, friendly, and practiced social distance. I learned so much about history and about the Catholic church. Overall, I would definitely recommend this tour even to someone who is not religious. read more

Having been in NYC often, each time I visit, I look for something different to do. When I read about the catacombs tour and told my friend whom I visit, she was interested in going as was another friend. We went down to the address and found the kiosk across from the church where you buy tickets. The tour starts from a building owned by the church that is now used for events. Tommy gave us some general history of New York City and the groups who settled there as well as information about the cathedral-now designated as a basilica. He was very knowledgeable and the information was very interesting. We walked across to the church outside cemetery and were told about some of the people buried there. We went into the basilica which is quite beautiful. Tommy gave us more information and then took us to the area housing the organ. We were able to walk behind it and see its interworking parts which was interesting. We headed down to the catacombs-an underground cemetery (don't expect the skulls and bones of Paris). There were hallways with vaults on the inner side and also an area with niches for cremains (remains of persons that were cremated). Each of the vaults can hold quite a few ancestors-roughly 8-12. We were allowed to enter one of the vaults that would house 12 people. It was a good size with electric lights. There were still empty slots for more family members. Tommy was given special permission and exclusivity to do this tour taking people inside of normally locked areas. The tour fee is split with the church. He was genial, knowledgeable and patient. The three of us really enjoyed the tour. A nice bonus was discount cards for two restaurants in the area. read more

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So there are no dark, winding tunnels or a maze of passageways. There are three very well maintained orderly hallways with tombstones off the sides - all of which are sealed except one. The catacomb part of the tour was actually the least exciting which was good because it was the end of the tour and you can spend as little time as desired down there which for me it was about 3 minutes before I got tired of holding a Bed Bath and Beyond battery operated candle. That said, the information presented on the majority of the tour I found interesting. It was cool to see inside the church and hear the history of the church and the entire area as it relates to immigration and the founding of the Catholic order in NY. I'm torn on how to rate this tour as I did enjoy the information, but I think the titling of it, the advertising of it, can cause some to be disappointed. The church is in NOLITA so be sure to make some dinner reservations before or after your tour and budget time to walk in the shops. read more

Very misleading description of the Catacombs by Candlelight tour. "Delve beneath St. Patrick's Basilica into New York's underground passages and explore the historic Catacombs lead by atmospheric candlelight. This 1.5-hour guided tour will take you into the nave of the Basillica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral where you will explore the faithfully departed's final resting place in the historic crypts. You'll get to view New York City's underground tunnels and passageways as you explore the historic Catacombs". You will NOT be exploring the city's underground passages. You will NOT view the city's tunnels. You will NOT be given candles. You WILL see a fairly updated catacomb of a church. However you will NOT see narrow passageways as the tour guide described. It's a functioning, active working catacomb with tile flooring and ceiling lights that are turned off for the tour. You WILL spend over an hour touring the church grounds and listening to a lot of talking before being allowed into catacomb for about 5-8 minutes. The tour guide was knowledgeable but not aware of his audience. He was bothered if anyone in the group did not pay attention. Be prepared to be lectured and bored and feel cheated. read more

Me and my girlfriend Did the candlelight tour at the basilica of st Patrick's cathedral and our tour guide Dan was outstanding, personable and very informative. Really highlighted the experience. I would recommend this tour if you wanna kill a little time in the afternoon. It isn't a full day dedication and it's a cool walk down history. read more

Tommy's New York - A grave (spoiler free ;)) - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

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Great little tour that gives you a bit of a history lesson of life in NYC back in the day. Dan our guide was very knowledgeable and lively. Definitely worth doing. Plus like the Haunted House ride in Disney, they are still taking in permanent guests. read more

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We did the Catacombs by Candlelight tour of Old St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan a few weekends ago. Dan was our tour guide, who was obviously a wicked smart dude with a passion for history (who happened to also have a background in molecular biochemistry for us fellow science nerds to vibe with!). Honestly, it was a cool tour and all, but Dan made the whole experience and story of the Irish Catholic Church in NYC come alive. He knew so much beyond the story and was thrilled to answer questions with great new stories that fleshed out the framework of the narrative. It wasn't too long of a tour; there was a good bit of humor and mystery and you can come away with a lot of history and context for a great dinner conversation after. I'd definitely go again, especially if Dan is guiding, I'd love to pick his brain some more! read more

I loved this walking tour !! I learned so much from our guide Dan. He was funny, informative, and kept us on track. So much NYC history in that little church and catacombs. I look forward to coming back and bringing some friends and out of town visitors to join. Thanks again Dan !! read more

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The misleading description on their website and the 5 minutes they give you to actually see the "catacomb" (a.k.a. visit a church basement) was a waste of time. Lots and lots of talking about historical facts to add substance, but unfortunately not what people are thinking they are paying for in my opinion. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our Catacombs by candlelight tour with Tommy, a true New Yorker with a head full of historical knowledge. First part of the tour is above ground and latter part is below. Hearing the stories and learning the history was very interesting to us even though neither of us are catholic. To use the New York Pass, it says to call Tommy to schedule and he will direct you to takeawalk.com to reserve your spot. To bypass the phone call and just go straight to the website to reserve. The tour was a unique experience not to miss! Tip: this is at the OLD st Patrick's, be sure to read the email and match up the picture to know to correct spot to go in. read more

Tommy's New York - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

Fun and Interesting tour! First off shout out to Mike, great tour guide! This was a great tour that melded history and architecture together! We had the opportunity to tour the catacombs, main sanctuary, and outside cemetery. The catacombs were very cool, an interesting mix of history and society structure mixed in with seeing how a catacomb lays out in the middle of NYC. The tour also gave incite on how religion developed on the Island. The main sanctuary was pretty, we got to see the organ close up, both front and back which was very interesting. The cemetery was a trip, it was dark when we made it out there so it added a fun mix to the tour. From an architectural standpoint it was great to see the building close up and hear its history. Also a great opportunity to get some nice shots if your into photography. read more

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We are history & church tour nerds, so this tour by Tommy's of NYC was attractive-- but when we learned about the only catacombs that were below this 1st Catholic Church in the city, recently opened for tours... we were hooked. Tommy was gracious to let us catch up with the 11:00 AM group when traffic kept us from arrival till 11:10. Kyle was an awesome, enthusiastic guide and managed our large group well. It was time well spent and just about a 15 minute walk down Houston to Katz's Deli where we enjoyed lunch after our tour. read more

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This was a fun, entertaining, and educational tour of the cathedral and catacombs. Our tour guide was the absolute highlight, bringing to life a rich and vibrant history, which in another person's hands may have come off as boring or inane. We're guessing that he has a background in or is currently an actor; he won us over. He led us through a multimedia tour explaining the history of the local area, Irish and Italian immigrants, and the Roman Catholic church. This tour should appeal to anyone, regardless of their faith or religious background, or lack thereof. It was very balanced and completely non-judgmental. We were free to take as many photos as possible. I highly recommend bringing a 35-mm camera or a newer smartphone capable of shooting quality photos in the dark. I saw many people struggling to take photos, which will likely disappoint them. Flash never flatters, and serves only to annoy your fellow tour guests. The cathedral is beautiful, as is the "backside" of the gorgeous pipe organ. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

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My wife and I took the catacombs tour with Tommy and enjoyed thoroughly! Tommy , himself, is an incredibly down to earth, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable guide. This tour is unique and he is the only one who gives it in NYC. Even if you live here in the city, like us, this is one of those super cool NYC historical tours that flies way under the radar (for the time being ). The tour begins indoors, in the basilica's event space and starts with an introduction by Tommy that includes some of the history of the neighborhood, information of the Basilica and then the agenda to follow. A walk through the private cemetery is next with Tommy stopping periodically to discuss points of interest and historical significance. Then onto the front steps of the Basilica for sone more interesting historical facts with some humor mixed in. Once inside you get to see how beautiful Basicilica actually is. If you go on the earlier tours before it is open to the public (2pm), you essentially have the run of the place without having to worrying about offending anyone. You visit the balcony followed with a walk THROUGH the pipe organ before descending to the catacombs. Soak it in down here. Just an amazing amount of NYC history. It is renovated so don't expect an Indian Joneslike atmosphere or even Angels & Demons one. It is clean and well paved. The tour wasn't strenous at all. Highlights included recently buried local clergy and old New York families. The shocker and treat was to actually enter one of these private family tombs. Just once in a lifetime stuff. And if you have an extra $7 mil laying around, you too could own your own family crypt. Great tour if you have reasonable expectaions and enjoy NYC history. Keep up the great job , Tommy! read more

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If you are near nolita absolutely book this tour!! Kyle, our guide was excellent and a huge source of knowledge about everything we saw and experienced in the tour. Had a short introduction across the street where you check in, went directly to the church. Before we even entered Kyle had interesting facts which held my attention the whole tour. I can not recommend this enough. Thanks Tommy's and Kyle!!! read more

Tommy's New York - Inside St. Patrick's before seeing the insides of the pipe organ. - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

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Loved the tour catacombs at st Patrick's old basilica - I highly recommend this tour - our tour guide Dan was very informative and explained in detail the story of NYC and how the Catholic Church came into existence in lower Manhattan. Also Martin Scorsese one of my fave directors went to the school and had movies Filmed there. Definitely go worth every penny! read more

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There are so many companies providing walking tours, but Tommy's New York is the best that we have found. So far, we have taken tours of Little Italy, Chinatown and the Catacombs. We were so fortunate to have Dan as our guide. He has thorough knowledge of the areas covered on the tours, and made the one and a half hour tours go by in a flash! We highly recommend this tour company . read more

Ghost Hunter's dream!! We had so much fun on the catacombs tour! Kyle was our guide and he was funny and very well informed. My hubby and I caught a few strange anomalies..what do you think?? read more

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My daughter and I took this tour on a Saturday, and I highly recommend it! We have been to NYC many times before, but this was the first time we have done this tour. We have popped our heads in to the church before, but we learned so much about the history of the city and its people from our tour. Our tour guide, who I am sorry to say I can't remember his name (but he joked that you don't have to be Catholic to enjoy the tour - because he is Jewish!), shared so many fascinating pieces of history, putting the church, the cemetery, and the surrounding borough into such context. I highly recommend this tour to all who care about NYC! read more

Had to leave early to catch our next tour because we thought this one was 60 minutes instead of 90. Therefore we missed the catacombs part. We spent LOTS of time in the graveyard and everyone was getting antsy. That being said, everyone is so kind and the information is really interesting. Church is beautiful. read more

The tour of the catacombs, cathedral, and graveyard was amazing. Our tour guide (Leo) was incredibly knowledgeable about the history and I learned so much about the Catholics coming to NYC, the history of the cathedral, and a lot of vocabulary that I never knew. If you're interested in Catholic or NYC history, this is a must do. One small drawback was that the catacombs are still a work in progress. There was a lot of construction equipment laying around. Plus the catacombs are now a little too finished looking - it would have been nice to see how it looked in its original state. read more

I decided to do the Catacombs by Candlelight Tour for my birthday, and I'm so glad I did. It was not what I was expecting but totally worth the experience. Our guide, Dan, was funny, knowledgeable and super engaging. He knew exactly what he was talking about and was open to any and all questions thrown his way. I learned so much about not only the catacombs but the entire area surrounding the Basilica of St Patrick's Old Cathedral. I would definitely recommend this to both locals and visitors of NYC. It seriously put into perspective the richness of this city's history. read more

Tommy's New York - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

Learned so much from this tour! Dan was extremely knowledgeable and taught me so much about a place busy NYers never take time to notice. All covid regulations were followed which gave us something cool to do in these times. Definitely doing another tour with this company! read more

We went on a mild January evening to tour the graveyard and basilica. The tour begins with a backgrounder and that was very interesting. Then the graveyard, church and finally the catacombs by candlelight. Our guide there was different yet equally informative and entertaining. Our 21 yo and 17 yo were both pleasantly surprised at how interesting it was. You'll leave knowing quite a bit about Dagger John Hughes! Highly recommend. read more

Tommy's New York - Inside the Cathedral - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

I took my 11 year old granddaughter on the tour of the Basilica of St Patrick's, and we both loved it. Leo was knowledgable and entertaining. It is an amazing place with a ton of history. Quite fascinating. I highly recommend it! read more

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Mike gave a great tour and it was fascinating to learn all about the history of not only the graveyard and catacombs, but of the context of the emerging city when the Basilica and surrounding neighborhood were being built up! read more

This was a great tour. What I appreciated so much was that he was very well spoken and articulated himself very well. (He never used the word 'um' at all) We learned a lot and enjoyed the experience so much. Would highly recommend. Tommy is extremely knowledgeable and he knows his history of NY! read more

Brian of Tommy's New York conducted our tour Of the Basilica of St Patrick's Old Cathedral. Highly recommended! read more

Tommy's New York - Walking Tours Near Me - New York, New York

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We did the Catacombs by Candlelight Tour today with Nick as our guide. It was beyond our expectations! It was filled with information and history and also kept our attention with great humor. Nick used a mini projector that added to his talking points. We learned a lot about the city as well as some of the impact that some families had upon our culture and history. What a great way to spend 90 minutes in the city. We would highly recommend this tour. You will not be disappointed. read more

Mike was literally the best tour guide I have ever had. He was witty and informative, and also super tolerant of the loud brooklynite. He answered all of my questions and made it a super intriguing experience. Definitely recommend. Also, Mike if you're single, come to Salt Lake City. read more

We walked the Catacombs by Candlelight tour and learned a lot! Our tour guide Dan really made the experience fun for us, he has a great way of speaking & making the historical happenings funny and interesting. Most of the tour is of & about the church & small cemetery, which was beautiful & interesting. This is not a ghost or spooky tour at all. read more

We went on the Catacombs by Candlelight tour. Mike was a great guide--very knowledgeable and entertaining. The tour is mostly above ground and as much focused on the church and graveyard as on the catacombs, which isn't what we expected, but was interesting anyway. read more

My husband and I booked the Catacombs by Candlelight tour of the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in the Lower Eastside and it was wonderful. Our guide, Ronny, was great! He was very informative & funny, with a wealth of knowledge and interesting facts. I've lived in Manhattan for 28yrs and never even knew this place existed! We toured on a bitterly cold afternoon, so bundle up because you start the tour outside for about 1/2 hour. We started at the back of the Basilica, then along the wall to the front courtyard and then onto the cemetery (St. Peter's Cemetery - he will explain). We then enter the lovely & grand interior which is deceptive bc the exterior is so plain. Finally we headed back to the back of the building and down to the catacombs. The catacombs are small, only 3 corridors and takes about 15-20mins. All in the tour was about an hour or so and was great! I would HIGHLY recommend! read more

A really interesting and beautiful tour! I'm a lifelong New Yorker, and I had never been in the old St. Patrick's cathedral, so this was a really fun experience (I also went around Halloween, for extra spooks!). The tour guide, Kyle, was super engaged and really brought the history to life, and the cathedral and catacombs themselves were so beautiful. I only wish that we could've spent a little more time in the church itself, but since it's open to the public, you can stop in there after the tour to take more pictures and look around! read more