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.
Palazzo Apostolico
Castelli Romani
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Vatican Museums
14.94 MILES
Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and enlarged by successive pontiffs, the Vatican Museums boast one of the world's greatest art…
Roman Forum
13.08 MILES
An impressive – if rather confusing – sprawl of ruins, the Roman Forum was ancient Rome's showpiece center, a grandiose district of temples, basilicas and…
Palatino
12.9 MILES
Sandwiched between the Roman Forum and the Circo Massimo, the Palatino (Palatine Hill) is one of Rome's most spectacular sights. It's a beautiful,…
Colosseum
12.82 MILES
Everyone wants to see the Colosseum, and it doesn’t disappoint, especially if accompanied by tales of armored gladiators and hungry lions. More than any…
St Peter's Basilica
14.74 MILES
In the city of outstanding churches, none can hold a candle to St Peter's, Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. Built atop a 4th…
Piazza Navona
13.91 MILES
With its showy fountains, baroque palazzi and colorful cast of street artists, hawkers and tourists, Piazza Navona is central Rome’s elegant showcase…
Pantheon
13.78 MILES
A striking 2000-year-old temple, now a church, the Pantheon is the best preserved of Rome’s ancient monuments and one of the most influential buildings in…
Trevi Fountain
13.69 MILES
Rome's most famous fountain, the iconic Fontana di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain, is a flamboyant baroque ensemble of mythical figures and wild horses taking…
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…