Fancy a holiday at the Pope’s house? Pope Francis has opened his private apartments at Castel Gandolfo to tourists. The Castel is about 25 kilometres from Rome. He has only visited Castel Gandolfo a couple of times since his 2013 election. He has never spent the night there. Nor has he moved into his sumptuous Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Castel Gandolfo’
New public train between Vatican and Castel Gandolfo
Friday, September 18th, 2015A new weekly train service for the public has been launched between the Vatican and the traditional papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. The public can now visit the Vatican Museums in Rome and the gardens and a new papal portrait gallery in the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo — thanks to the Saturday service Read more
Benedict XVI to return to Castel Gandolfo
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2015
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is expected to spend two weeks at the papal summer residence Castel Gandolfo during the Italian summer. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said Pope Francis invited Benedict to spend some time at Castel Gandolfo and Benedict accepted. The dates for Benedict’s visit have not been set. But he is scheduled to Read more
Holy cow! Vatican to open pope’s farm to public
Thursday, December 18th, 2014Pope Francis is opening the doors to an earthly paradise: the working farm at the papal summer residence here that produces the dairy, meat and vegetables for the pope and his staff. The Vatican is planning to open the farm at Castel Gandolfo to the public next year, after finding success with its guided tours Read more
Benedict XVI looks refreshed during Mass with students
Friday, August 29th, 2014
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI looked refreshed and stood for an hour and a half during a Mass with his former students this week. Members of the Ratzinger “schuelerkreis” or “student circle” had been meeting at Castel Gandolfo in Italy, and then travelled to the Vatican for a Mass on August 24, with Benedict as principal Read more
Pope Francis urged to take holiday amid health speculation
Tuesday, June 10th, 2014
Pope Francis’s advisors have asked him to take a holiday this year, as he sometimes gets very fatigued. In the first year of his pontificate, amid a hectic schedule, Pope Francis did not have a break and did not even spend time at the traditional papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo. Church officials have said Read more
Pope opens private papal gardens to public
Friday, March 7th, 2014Pope Francis has opened the private papal gardens at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, to the public. People who want to visit the gardens at the traditional summer residence of popes can buy a ticket to go on a tour. Modest dress is mandatory, so those wearing shorts, mini-skirts or tank tops will not be Read more
Pope Francis and Pope Benedict meet as ‘brothers’
Tuesday, March 26th, 2013
In an historic meeting, Pope Francis and Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI prayed side-by-side in the chapel at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. “In the chapel, the Pope Emeritus offered the place of honour to Pope Francis, but he said: ‘We are brothers’, and wanted them to kneel together in the same place,” said Read more
Castel Gandolfo’s colourful history
Friday, March 8th, 2013
Pope Benedict has withdrawn to Castel Gandolfo while his successor is chosen. But few know that the papal summer residence of almost 400 years has a curious history, serving as a hideout for Jews, delivery ward and target for paparazzi. In the late evening of Aug. 6, 1978, a heavy iron chain was pulled across Read more
Working holiday for Pope Benedict
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012Benedict XVI is writing the third part of his essay on Jesus and preparing texts and reflections for the Post-Synodal Exhortation on the Middle East, the Year of Faith and the Second Vatican Council’s 50th anniversary The Pope arrived just last Tuesday at Castel Gandolfo, the beautiful town south-east of Rome where he usually spends Read more