San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
Rome, Italy
Quirinal Palace, Rome
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Photo: Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Square free; tours by booking
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Square always open; palace tours by booking on set days
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 15 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Square
- Free, 24 hours
- Palace tours
- Book on the official site; small booking fee
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Changing of the guard
- Usually Sundays, with cuirassiers — sometimes on horseback
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - ID
- Passport required — it's a guarded residence
- Time needed
- 15 minutes on the square, 1.5–2 hours with a tour
- Location
- Quirinal Hill; 10 minutes from Trevi, Metro A Barberini
Key facts
1583construction of the papal summer residence began
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English Wikipedia3 erashome to popes, then kings of Italy, and since 1946 the presidents
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English Wikipedia≈ 1,200rooms — one of the largest palaces in the world
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English WikipediaDioscuriancient statues of Castor and Pollux with their horses on the square
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English WikipediaHighestthe Quirinal is the tallest of Rome's seven hills
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English WikipediaQuirinal Palace tours
You can visit only on a guided tour booked in advance on the Quirinal's official website, usually on set days of the week, for a small booking fee. The route takes in the state rooms: the Hall of Mirrors, the Ballroom, the gilded Pauline Chapel, the Hall of the Cuirassiers and rooms of tapestries and frescoes. Sometimes the gardens open too, with fountains and an 18th-century Coffee House.
There's airport-style security and a passport check: arrive 20–30 minutes early with the ID you used to book. Slots often go weeks ahead.
A short history
The Quirinal is the highest of Rome's seven hills, with fresh air above the stuffy lowlands, so in 1583 Pope Gregory XIII began a summer residence here. Domenico Fontana, Carlo Maderno and Bernini all worked on it, and it grew into one of the world's largest palaces, with hundreds of rooms and a huge garden.
Popes lived here until 1870, then the kings of united Italy, and since 1946 it has been the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic, guarded by cuirassiers in horsehair-plumed helmets.
Piazza del Quirinale
Even without a tour, climb to the Piazza del Quirinale. An obelisk and fountain rise between colossal ancient statues of the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux taming their horses, found in the Baths of Constantine. From the balustrade at the edge you get a view over Rome's rooftops to St Peter's dome, glorious at sunset.
Opposite the palace, the Scuderie del Quirinale — the old papal stables — host major art exhibitions, and just beyond are two Baroque gems: Bernini's Sant'Andrea al Quirinale and Borromini's San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.
What to see
- Piazza del Quirinale — the Dioscuri, the obelisk and the city view.
- State rooms — on a booked tour.
- Changing of the guard — cuirassiers and guards at the main portal.
- Scuderie del Quirinale — exhibition halls in the old stables.
- Sant'Andrea al Quirinale — Bernini's oval church nearby.
- San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane — Borromini's masterpiece, 5 minutes away.
How to get there
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
- San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is about 5 min away on foot.
- Trevi Fountain is about 8 min away on foot.
- Palazzo Barberini is about 7 min away on foot.
More tips
- From the Trevi Fountain, 10 minutes up the steps of Via della Dataria.
- Metro line A to Barberini, then 10 minutes along Via delle Quattro Fontane.
- Buses 40, 64, 70 and 170 to Via Nazionale, then 5 minutes.
- From Piazza Venezia, 10–12 minutes uphill.
Is it worth visiting?
The square, yes: it's free, ten minutes from Trevi and one of the best views of the centre. The palace tour suits lovers of grand interiors who plan ahead — book weeks in advance. Combine it with Trevi, Palazzo Barberini and the Bernini and Borromini churches nearby.
Before you go
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Rome's palaces: compare and choose
Palaces in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Vittoriano | 61 | 1 h | Terraces free; lift ≈ €12–18 | 12 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palatine Hill | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 23 min walk |
| Piazza Venezia | 53 | 20 min | Free | 10 min walk |
| Quirinal Palaceyou are here | 50 | 1 h 15 min | Square free; tours by booking | — |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 20 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 28 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 15 min walk |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 10 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 26 min walk |
| Villa Medici | 38 | 1 h 30 min | Paid, scheduled tours | 17 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 7 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 31 min walk |
| Villa d'Este | 29 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 26.5 km |
| Hadrian's Villa | 29 | 3 h | ≈ €12–15 | 24.3 km |
Trevi and the Quirinal
The Trevi Fountain in the morning, up to the Quirinal, then San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane and Palazzo Barberini.
- Trevi Fountain20 min · Free; basin €2
- 6 min walk from the previous stopQuirinal Palaceyou are here1 h 15 min · Square free; tours by booking
- 6 min walk from the previous stopSan Carlo alle Quattro Fontane20 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopPalazzo Barberini2 h · ≈ €15
4 places · about 4 h 10 min with walks · 15 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- The square and its view are free.
- Tours by booking only, with a passport.
- Sundays bring the full changing of the guard.
- Ten minutes uphill from Trevi.
Questions
Can you visit the Quirinal Palace?
Yes, by advance booking on the official website, on set days of the week.
How much does a Quirinal Palace tour cost?
Usually a small booking fee; check the Quirinal site for the exact amount.
When is the changing of the guard?
Daily, with a full ceremony usually on Sundays; times are on the palace website.
Who lives in the Quirinal Palace?
The President of the Italian Republic; previously popes and the kings of Italy.
Where is it?
On the Quirinal Hill, 10 minutes from the Trevi Fountain.
How long do you need?
15 minutes on the square, 1.5–2 hours with a tour.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Palazzo del Quirinale official website
- English Wikipedia, Quirinal Palace
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