Apostolic palace (official residence of reigning pope) in Vatican
1454047372
apostle, square, historic, official, residence, pietro, saint, column, san, piazza, italian, destination, apostolico, apostolic, bernini, papal, catholic, famous, peter, st, building, landmark

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Palazzo Apostolico

Castelli Romani


Dominating Castel Gandolfo's skyline, the 17th-century Palazzo Apostolico was the pope's traditional summer residence. However, since 2016 it has been open to the public and you can now visit the papal apartments and explore the palace's marble halls. Look out for portraits of around 50 popes as well as costumes, robes and assorted Vatican paraphernalia, including the BMW that Pope John Paul II used when he stayed at the palace.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Castelli Romani attractions

1. Giardini di Villa Barberini

0.04 MILES

For centuries a closed world, the papal gardens at Castel Gandolfo can now be visited, albeit accompanied and in groups. The regular one-hour tour…

2. Lago Albano

0.89 MILES

The larger and more developed of the Castelli's two volcanic lakes – the other is Lago di Nemi – Lago Albano is set in a steeply banked wooded crater. It…

3. Palazzo Chigi

2.1 MILES

Lording it over the small town of Ariccia, this 17th-century palazzo was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for the Chigi family. Its interior, used by…

4. Abbazia Greca di San Nilo

2.82 MILES

Grottaferrata's fortified monastery, the last of the Byzantine-Greek abbeys that once dotted medieval Italy, was founded in 1004. The walls and…

5. Museo delle Navi Romane

3.18 MILES

This museum on the shores of Lago di Nemi was built by Mussolini to house two Roman boats salvaged from the lake in 1932. These dated from Caligula’s time…

6. Nemi

3.73 MILES

The small town of Nemi is perched high above Lago di Nemi, the smaller of the two volcanic lakes in the Castelli Romani. This area was the centre of a…

7. Villa Aldobrandini Gardens

4.25 MILES

Looming over Frascati's main square, Villa Aldobrandini is a haughty 16th-century villa designed by Giacomo della Porta and built by Carlo Maderno. It's…

8. Scuderie Aldobrandini

4.35 MILES

The former stables of Villa Aldobrandini, restored by architect Massimiliano Fuksas, house Frascati's single museum of note, the Museo Tuscolano…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "italy/lazio/castel-gandolfo/attractions/palazzo-apostolico/a/poi-sig/1525634/1324851",
      "destination": "Castelli-Romani",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Italy",
      "region": "Castelli-Romani",
      "position": "superzone"
    }