Castel Gandolfo, Italy: Summer Residence of the Pope

About Castel Gandolfo:

In the past (before modern air conditioning, of course) most Popes chose to reside in the town of Castel Gandolfo to escape the summer heat in Rome.  Castel Gandolfo is located at a considerably higher elevation than Rome, with elevations around the town reaching approximately 1,398 feet (426 meters) above sea level, while Rome is approximately 121 feet (37 meters) above sea level.  And, even Popes need a vacation now and then!

The first Pope to stay here was Pope Urban VI, in 1628.

The Holy Father normally would lead the Angelus from here instead of Saint Peter’s on Sundays in July and August.  The Wednesday weekly audiences in Rome were usually cancelled from about July 7th through most of August.

Be sure to check to see if the regular Wednesday Papal audience is on the schedule during the summer it can be either here or in Rome. On occasions various Popes have been known to lead the rosary here,  although not on a regularly scheduled basis.

Often, whoever was Pope at that time would come out to greet the pilgrims personally, as shown above, when Pope Benedict XVI greeted a group of nuns who had traveled to Castel Gandolfo for the weekly Papal audience. It was a special treat to get to see him up close–ask anyone who has had that experience.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was in residence at Castel Gandolfo after renouncing his office, but later moved back to Rome and lived in a small convent (Mater Ecclesiae) within the Vatican Gardens.

Pope Francis chose not to continue the tradition of staying here in the summer, a decision which negatively effected the local economy that depended upon tourism.

Pope Leo XIV  revived the tradition in  the summer of 2025, spending  half of July and part of August at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, celebrating Sunday Mass in local churches and praying the Angelus with pilgrims in the town’s Liberty Square.

Castel Gandolfo raises much of its own food right here: milk from their own cows, chickens, vegetable gardens and olive trees that are centuries old. These are also delivered daily to the Vatican.

There are three tiers of gardens as well, known as the Barberini Gardens. The first is a floral garden, the second consists of what might be called a maze and the third is a citrus garden with lemon and orange trees.

Unfortunately there are no guided tours of the Papal residence itself; however, the Barberini Garden is now open to visitors six days per week. Since Pope Francis did not summer here, it had a negative effect on the town’s economy, and so to compensate for that, the gardens and the new gallery are now open to the public. Guided tours are offered several times each day. Each tour requires a guide and there is a charge for the tour.

You may also visit the new papal portrait gallery in the Apostolic Palace. Click here for information concerning guided tours of the Barberini Garden.

Castel Gandolfo also houses the Vatican Observatory as well as a small farm and other residences. Overall, the Papal area at Castel Gandolfo is larger than Vatican City itself.

New to Castel Gandolfo in 2025 is the Borgo Laudato Si’, dedicated to embodying the vision of Laudato si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for creation—now celebrating its tenth anniversary. First entrusted to the Laudato Si’ Centre for Higher Education in 2023, the Borgo—which in Italian means “village”—represents a tangible sign of the Church’s mission to unite faith with concrete care for the earth and for the most vulnerable. Spread across 135 acres of gardens, villas, archeological sites, and farmland, the project integrates history with a forward-looking commitment to education, sustainability, and community life.

In a press release, the Centre explains, “This is not simply a place to visit but a place to live, to pray, to learn, and to grow in communion with God, with one another, and with creation.”

Traveling to Castel Gandolfo:

We feel that Castel Gandolfo is still one of the highlights for Catholic visitors to Rome, if you have the time………a place to see where so many Popes have spent their summers, wander through the gardens and enjoy a break from Rome.

There is bus service to Castel Gandolfo and train service from Roma Termini. The train trip is about 45 minutes and very scenic. However the train station is about half way up the slope to the town so it is a fairly strenuous climb up to the town square.  Get train & bus schedules, see fares & buy tickets here.

As of September 2015, on Saturdays only, you can now travel by train directly from the Vatican Train Station (Roma San Pietro) to Castel Gandolfo.  Your ticket includes a visit to the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and about one hour in the Vatican Gardens. You then leave the Vatican City train station and on to Albano Laziale, where you transfer by bus to Castel Gandolfo.  Reservations and tickets should be arranged through the Vatican Museums website.

Want to know more about the Vatican State Railway? Click here for more information.

You can also arrange day trips through many tour companies in Rome. There is not a lot to see in the town itself other than the two places mentioned here. Like most small Italian towns, it is an interesting trip and makes a nice overnight stay if you are looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of Rome.

Address: Piazza della Libertà, 7, 00040 Castel Gandolfo RM

GPS coordinates: 41° 44′ 48.5448” N, 12° 39′ 1.9188” E

Tel: +39 (06) 935 9181 (for the Commune of Castel Gandolfo, not the Papal residence)

Photos credit Prof. E. Lisot

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