Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo

At the end of the 16th century the Pontiffs came into possession of the area, which became inalienable patrimony of the Holy See.

Urban VIII Barberini (1623-1644) was the first Pope to sojourn in this residence in the spring of 1626, once the earliest works of restoration and extension of the palace, carried out by Carlo Maderno were finished. It was Alexander VII Chigi (1655-1667) who had the Pontifical Palace fully completed.

Clement XIV Ganganelli (1769 - 1774) enlarged the residence with the purchase of the adjacent Villa Cybo and its huge park of around three hectares, turned into splendid gardens rich in marble, statues and fine fountains.

METHOD OF PURCHASE AND RESERVATION

It is mandatory to book the date and time of the visit.

At the moment the visit is only available on Saturdays and Sundays.

For timetables, individual rates and prices dedicated to pre-established groups, parishes and ecclesial realities write to info@omniavaticanrome.org

TOUR OPTIONS:

• Tour on eco-friendly vehicle (on tires) with multilingual audio-guide (Italian, English, Spanish, German, French, Russian) - Duration approx. 1 h;
• Tour on foot with an official guide of the Vatican State (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish) - Duration approx. 2 hours.

MEETING POINT:

Arrive at least 15 minutes before your pre-booked time at the entrance of the Pontifical Villas

ACCESSIBILITY

The service is not accessible to wheelchair users.

USEFUL INDICATIONS

• At present the bus is not equipped with a wheelchair ramp
• The tour is only open to appropriately dressed visitors
• No wardrobe service
• No luggage or parcels. Only backpacks and small bags allowed
• No umbrellas
• Only plastic bottles allowed
• No eating during the tour
• No smoking on the bus
• Photography allowed without flash
• Leaving the bus during the tour is not permitted
• Picking flowers, plants or aromatic herbs is not permitted
• The tour is confirmed also in case of adverse weather conditions
• The itinerary of the Pontifical Gardens tour may vary due to unforeseen activities of the Holy See or of the Vatican State
• The site is not equipped with an internal car park
• Walking aids allowed
• Visitors may undergo security checks

Meeting point: Castel Gandolfo, near the entrance to the Pontifical Villas

How to get there

Bus: Metro Linea A, direction Anagnina. Leave the train at the last stop (Anagnina). From the terminal there take the bus line Rome - Castel Gandolfo (operated by COTRAL). Leave the bus at the stop Castel Gandolfo and follow directions to the town centre (a 10-minute walk).

Train: Termini Station, train line Rome - Albano. Leave the train at Castel Gandolfo station. From there, follow directions to the town centre (a 15-minute walk)

Car: state road 7, follow the directions to Castel Gandolfo. Various free or pay car parks available. From the car park of your choice follow the directions to the town centre (between 5 and 15 minutes walking).