Piazza Navona
Rome, Italy
Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome
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Photo: AngMoKio, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €15–20; free under 18
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Tue–Sun 9:00–19:30, last entry 18:30
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Closed
- Monday, 25 December and 1 January
- Ponte Sant'Angelo
- Free, open 24 hours
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours in the castle, 10 minutes on the bridge
- Location
- Lungotevere Castello 50; 10 minutes' walk from St Peter's
Key facts
AD 123–139built as the mausoleum of Hadrian and his family
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English Wikipedia≈ 800 mlength of the Passetto, the covered wall-walk from the Vatican
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English Wikipedia1753the bronze Archangel Michael by Verschaffelt was placed on top
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English WikipediaAD 134Hadrian built the bridge to his tomb — the Pons Aelius
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English Wikipedia10 angelswith instruments of the Passion line the bridge — Bernini's workshop, 1669–1671
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English WikipediaToscaPuccini's final act is set on the castle terrace
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English WikipediaCastel Sant'Angelo tickets
Admission to the National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo costs about €15–20 depending on the source; under-18s go free. Tickets are sold through the official Coopculture site and at the door, and booking ahead skips a summer queue of 30–40 minutes. Like other Italian state museums, it's free on the first Sunday of the month.
The Passetto di Borgo, the covered passage to the Vatican, opens only in certain periods or on special tours — check the museum's site.
Opening hours
The castle opens Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–19:30, with last entry at 18:30. It's closed on Mondays, as well as 25 December and 1 January. The bridge is open around the clock.
From tomb to fortress
The round building started as Hadrian's mausoleum, built on the Tiber bank in AD 123–139; emperors were buried here until Caracalla. In the 5th century it was folded into the city walls and became a fortress guarding Rome from the river side.
Legend says that in 590 Pope Gregory the Great saw the Archangel Michael above the tomb sheathing his sword, which gave the castle its name. Popes turned it into a refuge, linked to the Vatican by the Passetto di Borgo, and frescoed apartments at the top. It later served as barracks and a prison, and became a museum in the early 20th century.
What to see inside
- The spiral ramp — the original Roman passage through the tomb, used for funeral processions.
- Hall of the Urns — Hadrian's burial chamber at the heart of the building.
- Courtyard of the Angel — with the marble archangel that stood on top until 1753.
- Papal apartments — the 16th-century Sala Paolina frescoes, library and bedrooms.
- Armoury — weapons and armour across the centuries.
- Terrace of the Angel — under the bronze Michael, with a 360° view of the Vatican, the Tiber and Rome's domes.
- Rooftop café — coffee with St Peter's dome in front of you.
Ponte Sant'Angelo
The bridge in front was built by Hadrian himself in AD 134 as the grand approach to his tomb, then called the Pons Aelius; the three central arches are original. In 1669–1671 Bernini's workshop lined it with ten marble angels carrying the instruments of the Passion — the cross, the lance, the crown of thorns, the nails.
It's pedestrian-only and free, with the classic view of the castle and the dome of St Peter's beyond. Street musicians play here after dark, when the castle is floodlit.
How to get to Castel Sant'Angelo
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Piazza Navona is about 15 min away on foot.
- St Peter's Square is about 13 min away on foot.
- San Luigi dei Francesi is about 16 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Lepanto or Ottaviano, then a 12–15 minute walk.
- From St Peter's Basilica, 10 minutes down Via della Conciliazione.
- From the centre, cross Ponte Sant'Angelo — about 10 minutes from Piazza Navona.
- Buses 40, 62 and 64 stop on the Lungotevere or in Borgo.
Best time to visit
Go an hour or so before sunset: from the terrace you watch the sun drop behind St Peter's dome while the Tiber turns gold. Mornings have shorter queues. It's a natural last stop after a Vatican day.
Is Castel Sant'Angelo worth it?
Yes, mainly for the terrace — one of Rome's best viewpoints — and for the climb through nearly two thousand years of history on the way up. Short on time or budget? Walk across Ponte Sant'Angelo and admire the castle from outside; it's free and just as photogenic.
Before you go
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Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 17 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angeloyou are here | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | — |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 2.7 km |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 15 min walk |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 14 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 43 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 18 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 30 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 2.7 km |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 24 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 17 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 32 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 34 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 18 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 2.6 km |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 2.8 km |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 22.2 km |
The Vatican in a day
Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel in the morning, St Peter's and the dome after lunch, then the square and Castel Sant'Angelo at sunset.
- Vatican Museums3 h · ≈ €25
- 6 min walk from the previous stopSistine Chapel30 min · Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSt Peter's Basilica1 h 30 min · Free; dome ≈ €8–15
- 5 min walk from the previous stopSt Peter's Square30 min · Free
- 13 min walk from the previous stopCastel Sant'Angeloyou are here1 h 30 min · ≈ €15–20
5 places · about 7 h 27 min with walks · 27 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Watch sunset behind St Peter's dome from the terrace.
- Closed on Mondays.
- The angel bridge is free and loveliest at night.
- The top-floor café looks straight at the Vatican.
Questions
How much are Castel Sant'Angelo tickets?
About €15–20 depending on the source; free under 18 and on the first Sunday of the month.
What are the opening hours?
Tuesday–Sunday 9:00–19:30, last entry 18:30; closed Monday.
What is there to see inside Castel Sant'Angelo?
Hadrian's spiral ramp and burial chamber, the Angel courtyard, papal apartments, the armoury and the rooftop terrace.
Is Castel Sant'Angelo connected to the Vatican?
Yes, by the Passetto di Borgo, a covered passage about 800 m long, open only at certain times.
Why is it called Castel Sant'Angelo?
Legend says Pope Gregory the Great saw the Archangel Michael above it in 590.
How long do you need?
About 1.5 hours.
Who made the angels on Ponte Sant'Angelo?
Bernini's workshop, 1669–1671; two of Bernini's own originals are in the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte.
Is Castel Sant'Angelo worth it?
Yes, especially for the terrace view at sunset.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo, official Coopculture ticket office
- Italian Ministry of Culture: Direzione Musei Roma
- English Wikipedia, Castel Sant'Angelo and Ponte Sant'Angelo
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