Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo began as the mausoleum of the emperor Hadrian, completed in 139 AD, and over the following centuries became a fortress, a prison and a refuge for the popes. A raised, fortified corridor, the Passetto di Borgo, links it to the Vatican, and Pope Clement VII used it to escape here during the Sack of Rome in 1527. The castle became a museum in 1925 and is now part of the national museums of Rome.

A visit climbs through almost two thousand years of history. A spiral ramp leads up through the Roman core of the mausoleum, past the chamber where the imperial ashes were once kept, to the courtyards and ramparts above. On the upper floors, the papal apartments decorated in the Renaissance include the frescoed Sala Paolina, and there are displays of arms and armour. Puccini set the final act of Tosca on these ramparts, and the terrace at the top, beneath the bronze statue of the archangel Michael, gives one of the best views in the city over the Tiber, St Peter's and the historic centre.

The castle opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:30, with last entry at 18:30, and is closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January unless special openings are announced. Since August 2026 it also opens on the first Monday of each month from 14:00 to 20:00, with tickets sold only at the museum. Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month, with free tickets collected at the box office. Tickets can be bought online through the national museums platform, and the castle offers guided tours, a bookshop and a bar.

Allow around two hours. The route involves ramps and stairs, so it is tiring for anyone with limited mobility. The castle suits families, who enjoy the fortress setting and the views, as well as anyone curious about the history of the papacy. Go late in the afternoon for the light over the river from the terrace.

The castle is at Lungotevere Castello 50, on the right bank of the Tiber. Approach on foot across Ponte Sant'Angelo, lined with angel statues designed by Bernini. Lepanto and Ottaviano metro stations are each around 15 minutes' walk away. St Peter's Square is at the end of Via della Conciliazione, and the Prati district behind the castle has plenty of places to eat.