Castel Gandolfo: Popes’ summer getaway can be yours, too

In the seventh month, the popes rest. That’s July, the time when popes have escaped to Castel Gandolfo, off and on, since 1626. With an elevation of 1,390 feet (425 meters), it offers a cool respite from the heat in Rome 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the southeast in the Alban Hills.

The 17th century palace has been turned into a museum for the public and you can visit just to enjoy the panoramic views of Lake Albano below. The palace has a proud history of hosting everyone from heads of state to war refugees and the surrounding piazza helped put the town of 8,000 people on the list of I Borghi Piu Belli d’Italia (The Prettiest Villages in Italy).

The town stretches the entire two-mile length of the lake. If you just want to cool off, there are a variety of boat tours available and a restaurant with one of the best views in Lazio.

Things to do

1 • Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo. Known locally as the pope’s castle, the 17th century palace covers 135 acres (54.6 hectares) and was designed by Carlo Maderno for Pope Urban VII and built on the grounds of a former castle. However, it is the property of the Holy See and not under Italian jurisdiction. The Barberini Gardens, built by Pope Urban VIII in 1929, has remains of a 5.4-square mile (14-square kilometer) complex built by Emperor Domitian. Pope Francis (2013-2025) never stayed in the palace and turned it into a museum. Visitors can see the apartments, papal portrait gallery, the private bedroom, gardens and various pope mobiles. Next year marks the 400-year anniversary of the residence.

Info: Piazza della Liberta’, 39-06-6986-3111, 9 a.m.-1 p.m

https://romesite.com/castel-gandolfo.html, .

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, €24 and includes an audio guide.

2 • Boat tours. Visitors have a choice of cruising Lake Albano in a kayak, clear-bottom boat, on a three-hour boat tour or a sailboat. You can also rent a paddle boat for €10 an hour.

Prices range from €24-€70. We took the three-hour boat tour and it’s fantastic with great views of the castle and historical tidbits about the town.

Call before you go there: +39 347 61 04 110

3 • Piazza della Liberta’. Either before or after touring the castle, carve out some time to hang out in the town’s central piazza. It’s lined with outdoor restaurants and bars. It can get crowded on weekends but on weekdays it takes on the air of small-town Italy.

Grab a gelato or coffee and admire the castle’s facade and the square’s beautiful fountain. The piazza also features the world’s first mailbox, posted in 1820, and the Church of San Tommaso, built in 1658.

What did the popes do in the palace?

Over the centuries the pope’s palace has been used for pleasure and refuge. After Urban VIII turned it into a residence in 1626, 900 anti-French citizens from nearby Velletri hid in the castle against the siege of French marshal Joachim Murat. During World War II, Pope Pius XII took in 12,000 refugees who brought their farm animals. The group included many Roman Jews and Protestants.

The pope turned his apartment into a nursery where 36 children were born, nearly all, nearly all named after him for offering safety. In 2001, Pope John Paul II gave Pres. George Bush and first lady Laura a tour of the castle. After Pope Benedict retired in 2013, he lived there. Pope Leo XIV, elected this year, stayed in the palace for six weeks this summer and said he will continue the tradition in the future.