Tours & tickets

Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo

Explore the 55-hectare gardens of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo by open minibus. Listen to the audio guide as you roam the gardens to learn all their secrets. Meet your greeter in the Palazzo before starting your tour. Climb aboard the eco-friendly minibus to discover the Castel Gandolfo gardens. See tree-lined avenues, flowers, fountains, and statues. Admire views of the sapphire blue and emerald green waters of Lake Albano. Take in the remains of Emperor Domitian's residence. Find out all there is to know about the Popes, including which pontiff installed a swimming pool and which one laid low in Castel Gandolfo for months after handing in his resignation. Enrich your experience by adding the option of visiting the Astronomical Domes of the Papal Palace. Choose a particular combo and enjoy the complete and niche visit. Enhance your experience by adding the option to visit the Papal Villas aboard a comfortable minibus with an audio guide, and enjoy a delicious porchetta sandwich in the picturesque town of Castel Gandolfo.

Escape the vibrant bustle of Rome and journey to the idyllic Italian countryside. Await you the sapphire waters of Lake Albano, cradling the picturesque village of Castel Gandolfo. This historic gem grew around the Pope's summer residence, a true treasure chest brimming with art and history. Step back in time within the Papal Apartments. Explore 500 years of history as you wander through the Pope's private sanctuary. Imagine quiet moments in the library, reflection in the private chapel, and the view from the balcony where the Angelus resonated every summer Sunday. Gain exclusive access to the Secret Garden. Immerse yourself in this haven, a hidden gem within the Papal Palace grounds. Explore the heart of the residence – the Pope's summer offices. Delve into seven unique rooms, each whispering tales of papal history. Enrich your experience by adding the option of visiting the Astronomical Domes of the Papal Palace. Choose a particular combo and enjoy the complete and niche visit.

Explore the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo on a self-guided visit. Top off your experience with a walking trough the Secret Garden and Moro Garden. Included in your ticket an audioguide available in Italian and English. Arrive in Castel Gandolfo and discover the treasures of the Papal Palace at your own pace. Admire the palace that served as the Pope’s summer retreat, designed by Swiss-Italian architect Carlo Maderno between 1624 and 1626. The first Pope that visited this residence was Urbano VIII. Inside the palace you can find frescoes of Simone Lagi and Zuccari. Discover the gardens and admire Rome from the terrace.

Enjoy the Vatican City’s art and architecture, without spending hours waiting around, on this guided tour of the Vatican Museum. Be accompanied by a guide to explore some of the world's most incredible works of art. Follow your guide through the opulent Vatican Museums and discover its vast collection of artistic treasures. Understand why the Renaissance was a pivotal period in human history, bringing together the arts and sciences to create a new, more glorious world of splendor. The Sistine Chapel, located in Vatican City, is renowned for its magnificent ceiling painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, depicting scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the iconic Creation of Adam. It serves as both a place of papal conclave and a masterpiece of Renaissance art, attracting millions of visitors each year. Other areas of the Vatican Museums remain open to visitors to enjoy.

Borgo Laudato Si' is located in the marvelous Gardens of the Papal Villas of Castel Gandolfo, a botanical and historical heritage of inestimable value. With its 35 hectares of gardens and 20 hectares of agricultural area, it is home to more than 3,000 plants and trees of 300 different species, as well as the archaeological remains of the Roman Emperor Domitian's villa. The beauty of the Gardens becomes the natural setting for the development of a place for training in integral ecology, open to all people of good will. The route - aboard an ecological vehicle - winds through the ruins of Emperor Domitian's villa and along avenues that flank beautiful gardens and majestic fountains.

The Vatican and Experience Pass is your key to unlocking the Eternal City. Cover all the essentials Rome has to offer by creating your own unique combination ticket to top attractions and experiences. Saving you time and money, the Pass will supercharge your sightseeing plans, with priority entrance and the masterpieces you'll see at each would justify the price alone. Select among the 3, 5 and 7-choice passes available: at the Touristation office the staff will help to customize it! WALKING GUIDED TOURS – 1 HOUR • Navona, Pantheon + Trevi Fountain Walking Tour (English only) • Leonardo da Vinci Museum: Creative Exploration • Rome Underground: A Walking Tour of Navona and Domitian Stadium • Food tasting tour in Trastevere or a Guided Culinary Food Tour • Pantheon Guided Tour (English only) • Trevi District Underground Guided Tour VATICAN AREA • Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Skip the Line ticket • St. Peter's Dome and Audioguide (NO Skip the Line) • Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore audioguide and Dome ticket • Secrets of the Passetto: Vatican's Hidden Path of Mystery COLOSSEUM AREA • Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Reserved Entrance • Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with Super Sites Reserved Entrance • Trajan’s Markets Reserved Entrance • Caracalla Baths Reserved Entrance • Circo Maximo Virtual Reality Experience Reserved Entrance • Largo Argentina Reserved Entrance UNDERGROUND • Navona Underground Reserved Entrance with Virtual Glasses Reality • Trevi District Underground Reserved Entrance with audioguide • Catacombs Guided Tour with transfer FOOD EXPERIENCE • Panoramic Terrace Breakfast/Aperitif next to the Vatican or Colosseum • Pizza Tasting or Wine Tasting at Cicero • Pasta Lovers at Trattoria La Botte Antica MUSEUMS • Capitoline Museums Skip the Line tickets • Pantheon Skip the Line ticket with Virtual Glasses Reality • Leonardo da Vinci Experience with audioguide • The Altar of the Fatherland Elevator Reserved Entrance • Castel Sant’Angelo Skip the Line tickets • Palazzo Valentini Experience Reserved Entrance • Doria Pamphilj Gallery Reserved Entrance • National Roman Museum (Palazzo Altemps, Baths of Diocletian, Palazzo Massimo) Reserved Entrance • Cappuccini Cripts Reserved Entrance • Palazzo Barberini Reserved Entrance • Palazzo Corsini Reserved Entrance • St. Agnese in Agone Church and Crypt TRANSPORTS • Open ticket 1 day Hop-on Hop-off • Classical bike rental 4hours • Public transportation ticket 72 hours • Boat panoramic ticket NIGHTLIFE • A night at the Opera • Light show at the Roman Forum (Summer only) OUTSIDE ROME (trasportation NOT included): • Pontifical Villas Castel Gandolfo minibus • Castel Gandolfo: Vatican Observatory experience • Castel Gandolfo: Papal Apartments and Secret Garden Ticket • Ancient Ostia Reserved Entrance Ticket + Golf Cart • Tivoli Villas: Villa Adriana or Villa D’Este Reserved Entrance • Pompei Skip the Line tickets and audioguide

Discover the astronomical observatories of the Vatican Observatory of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo. Climb to the third floor of the palace and admire the view of Lake Castel Gandolfo from the panoramic terrace. For the first time in almost ninety years since their construction, the astronomical domes of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo are opening their doors to visitors. These are two perfectly functioning astronomical observatories of the Vatican Observatory: the “major dome” with a diameter of 8.5 meters, equipped with a Visual Telescope, for observing stars and planets; and the “minor dome”, with a diameter of 8 meters, with the Double Astrograph, used for photographic surveys of the sky and the position of the stars. Access allows, via a spiral staircase, access to the third floor of the Papal Palace, on the highest point of the panoramic terrace, which offers a splendid view of the lake of Castel Gandolfo. It was Pius XI, on September 29, 1935, who inaugurated the new headquarters of the Vatican Observatory, as its transfer from the villa that Leo XIII had built in the Vatican Gardens became necessary due to the light pollution of the City. The astronomical observatory was thus refounded and entrusted to the Jesuits, equipping the Observatory with three new telescopes and an astrophysical laboratory for spectrochemical analysis. Among the various study programs of the new institution, in those years, an important research on variable stars should be remembered.

Castel Gandolfo is a charming town located in the Lazio region, on the shores of Lake Albano, just a few kilometers from Rome. This small but fascinating destination is best known as the summer residence of the Popes, a place steeped in history, art, and nature. A visit to Castel Gandolfo offers a perfect combination of culture, gastronomy, and spectacular landscapes. Our visit begins in the historic center, where cobbled streets and small squares transport us to another era. The Piazza della Libertà is the heart of the town, where the majestic Apostolic Palace stands. This building has served as the summer residence for popes for centuries and is now a museum open to the public, allowing visitors to admire its elegant rooms, historic furniture, and an impressive collection of works of art. After exploring the old town, we head to one of Castel Gandolfo's greatest treasures: the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas. These gardens are an oasis of peace and beauty, a place where nature and architecture blend harmoniously. In ancient times, these grounds were part of the Villa of Domitian, an imposing residence of the 1st-century Roman emperor. Today, the gardens have been meticulously restored and maintained, offering a stroll among fountains, statues, and a variety of Mediterranean flora. During our walk through the gardens, we marveled at the panoramic terraces offering spectacular views of Lake Albano and the surrounding area. We walk along paths surrounded by cypresses and magnolias, while the scent of flowers and aromatic plants envelops us in an atmosphere of tranquility. Among the highlights are the Madama Garden, with its elegant geometric flower beds, and the Avenue of Roses, where a wide variety of roses in different colors create a stunning visual spectacle. A visit to Castel Gandolfo and the Gardens of the Pontifical Villas is an unforgettable experience, a journey through the history, beauty, and serenity of one of Italy's most enchanting corners.

Elected as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Castle Gandolfo will amaze you with its beauty of the surrounding nature and its elegant historical centre. In a splendid position overlooking Lake Albano, Castle Gandolfo is situated on the brink of a volcanic crater. Above all, the small town is famous for the Papal Palace where Popes have spent their summers since the 17th century. Do not miss the opportunity to visit the Papal Palace (where you will be given an audio guide if asked, remember to specify the language you want it in once you arrive there), open to the public only recently, and the Barberini palce and gardens, (which you can visit and bying your tikets by your self in the vatican entry desk) befor this actiy vity , where you will be able to admire french-style gardens, special kinds of flowers, roman statues and fountains. You will be picked up by a private driver (9.30am) on van or a car, in the morning from your accommodation one hour before the start of your activity, and you will be drop in the frant of entrance of the Papal Palace & Gardens in Castle Gandolfo where you will be able to take your time to visit this stunning place with your audio guied.durtaione of this acitvy 90 minutes. After your visit (that should take up to two hours) we will be leaving you the time to also explore the city and have lunch or an italian aperitivo (not included in this package). Once you are over with your visit, our private driver will personally pick you up again (around 15.00 pm) and take you back to your accomodation. PLEASE NOTE: The duration of this entire activity is 5 and a half hours. PLEASE NOTE: this is a private transfer service with Audio Guide . PLEASE NOTE: it is important to read the whole description above to avoid misunderstandings, thank you! PLEASE NOTE: 1-3 people booking will be pik-up by a pvt car if more than 3 there will be a pvt van . PLEASE NOTE: We ask you to kindly provide us your phone number and evry one name and the sername so that we can contact you for any changes.

Embark on a delightful journey through the picturesque Roman countryside on this full-day tour that seamlessly combines natural beauty, local flavors, and retail therapy. Begin at 9:00 AM, when your comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle picks you up from your preferred location in Rome, setting the stage for an unforgettable adventure beyond the city’s hustle. Your first destination is Nemi, a quaint hilltop village famous for its lush forests and delectable sweet treats. Arrive around 10:00 AM and have roughly 45 minutes to explore this charming town. Stroll through its narrow streets, admire the serene views over Lake Nemi, and if you wish, treat yourself to a unique tiramisu infused with mountain fruits, a local specialty that perfectly captures the essence of this enchanting region. Next, journey to Castel Gandolfo, a historic town overlooking the shimmering Lake Albano. Renowned as the summer residence of the Pope, Castel Gandolfo boasts a fascinating blend of papal history, Renaissance architecture, and breathtaking panoramas. Soak in the views of the tranquil lake, take photos, and perhaps explore the local cafes or shops. Whether you’re an avid photographer or simply appreciate scenic beauty, Castel Gandolfo offers a truly serene escape. The final stop on this tour is the renowned Castel Romano area, celebrated for its impressive designer outlet shopping. Arrive here in the early afternoon and have free time until about 5:00 PM to browse an array of international brands, hunt for bargains on your favorite labels, and enjoy a leisurely lunch or snack at one of the many eateries. This is the perfect place to shop to your heart’s content, picking up souvenirs or that special piece you’ve been eyeing. After your retail adventure, reconvene with your driver for a relaxed return trip to Rome, arriving back at your initial pick-up point in the early evening. This tour effortlessly blends culture, cuisine, nature, and shopping, offering a refreshing alternative to a typical day in the city. Whether you’re tasting tiramisu in Nemi, gazing out over Lake Albano, or exploring designer stores at Castel Romano, you’ll discover a well-rounded experience that captures the true spirit of the Roman countryside.