Castel Gandolfo, the “Town of the Popes”, is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It lies in the Castelli Romani, on the edge of the volcanic Lake Albano, a stone’s throw from Rome.
Summer residence of the Popes since the early seventeenth century, the village boasts cultural and religious traditions and preserves archaeological remains and Renaissance Villas. The surrounding natural landscape is characterized by ever-green woods and meadows, descending towards the lake.
View of Lake Albano
Let us experience the history of Castel Gandolfo among the many churches and the ancient palaces of noble families such as the Savelli, or the Poniatowskj, the owners of a more recent defensive building with walls, towers and gates, some of which from the Roman age.
Palazzo Pontificio in Castel Gandolfo
Not to be missed is Piazza della Libertà, hosting one of the most famous fountains by Bernini. The Square is dominated by the Apostolic Palace from where, on summer days, the Pope has been blessing hundreds of faithful after the Angelus, at midday.
The Garden of Mirrors
The beautiful 400-hectare Italian Gardens of the Palace overlooking the lake, are open on weekends in the warm season. From Rome, Castel Gandolfo is reachable through the historical Ferrovia Vaticana.
The local gastronomy includes barbels, trout, pikes, eels, perches and fried smelts, as well as porchetta (roasted pork), cured meats and typical cheeses from the Roman countryside. Other specialities are the sweet, juicy peaches nicknamed “cheeks” and the DOC Colli Albani wine, made excellent by the volcanic soil rich in salts and the microclimate of the lake.
The latter, accessible through easy tracks, is a paradise for hiking and paragliding enthusiasts, while nature lover may let themselves be lulled by the waters of the lake, enchanted by the gorgeous landscape.
The Castel Gandolfo Observatory
The beauty of Castel Gandolfo inspired the renowned Roman poet Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, who composed here, in the nineteenth century, the sonnet “Er viaggiatore” (The traveller), dedicated to the young foreign artists and intellectuals on the Grand Tour, an obligatory educational journey throughout Europe. The Pontifical Palace, or Apostolic Palace, which hosted the illustrious scientist Guglielmo Marconi, housed the Astronomical Observatory, transferred here from the Collegio Romano in Rome, due to the light pollution of the City (even in the early thirties!). The Observatory remained in use until the end of the last century.
The oldest Mailbox
On the village main square, we come across an exceptional discovery, the oldest mailbox in the world, installed in 1820.
Castel Gandolfo is also called “The Town of Peace”, as ceramic doves, created by local artisans, have been placed on the five entries to the village to welcome visitors from all over the world with a universal sign of peace.