Castel Gandolfo tickets: a journey through the Popes’ summer residence

Castel Gandolfo and the Papal Palace: the most stunning summer residence of the Popes to visit with a tour 

Castel Gandolfo owes its prestige and fame outside Rome as it has been the summer residence of the Popes since the 17th century. Indeed, there it lies the Pontifical Palace of Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Pontiffs since Pope Urban VII Barberini. The Palace, built with the contribution of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is located in the center of the medieval village of Castel Gandolfo and currently it hosts a museum open to the public: visitors have the access to the papal apartment, the portraits’ gallery and the throne room, as well as to the beautiful gardens that surround the residence.

Useful information about the Castel Gandolfo Papal Palace

Opening hours:
The Pontifical palace and the gardens of Castel Gandolfo are daily open from 8:30 am to 2 pm, during the weekend the opening time is from 8:30 am until 6:30 pm.

Dress code:
for the visit to the papal palace in Castel Gandolfo, it is advised to wear clothing appropriate for a place of worship.

How to reach Castel Gandolfo:

The Pontifical Palace is located in the historical city center of Castel Gandolfo, in Piazza della Libertà and it is easily reachable:

by car with the freeway SS7
by train with the regional service from Rome Termini station.

FAQ about Castel Gandolfo: 

What are the Papal villas of Castel Gandolfo?
The Papal villas of Castel Gandolfo include the Papal Palace, the Vatican observatory, Villa Cybo, Villa Barberini, the Propaganda Fide summer college and the convent of the poor Clares of Albano.

How long does a visit to the Papal palace of Castel Gandolfo take?
The visit lasts approximately 1 hour. Although it is not a guided tour, 1 hour is enough to discover the Papal apartments of Castel Gandolfo.

How much does it cost to visit Castel Gandolfo?
The basic ticket of Castel Gandolfo is 11 euros. Since it is one of the most important tourist attraction in the area, we suggest you to make an early booking so to be sure to have access to the Papal Palace and its colorful gardens.

Castel Gandolfo tickets: everything you have to know 

There are different solutions to visit the summer residence of the Popes, also including the beautiful gardens which surround the Papal Palace: the choice is up to you, mainly depending on what kind of ticket you are planning to buy. Since the Palace is a worldwide known tourist attraction, our suggestion is to book your ticket in advance, in order to enjoy the most the visit during your holiday in Rome.

Papal apartments and secret gardens entry ticket:
This tour gives you the opportunity to visit by yourself the papal apartments and the secret gardens. The ticket includes an audio guide for the Papal apartment.

Gardens of the Pontifical Villa of Castel Gandolfo ticket:
With this tour, it is possible to explore the gardens of the Pontifical palace of Castel Gandolfo using a comfortable eco mini bus, in order to not waste time and energies. The ticket includes the entry to the Papal gardens and an audio guided tour of the gardens onboard an eco-friendly bus.