Castel Sant'Angelo in the evening

Is Castel Sant'Angelo open in the evening in 2026?

Only during special openings: in 2026 on 23 May, 26 September, 4 October and the summer festival evenings. No other evenings are currently scheduled.

The two European evenings were the cheapest. On Saturday 23 May 2026, for the European Night of Museums, and on Saturday 26 September 2026, for the European Heritage Days, the castle stayed open from 19:30 to 23:30 at the symbolic price of €1, with last entry at 22:30. The ticket was sold only on site, with no reservation.

From 2 July to 4 October 2026 there was the festival «L'Angelo e la Luna», with contemporary circus, dance, music and theatre; on show evenings the museum opened from 19:30 to 23:30. The last evening, Sunday 4 October, was also the last scheduled evening opening: entry from 19:30 until 22:30, with the standard ticket at €18.

Next year’s evening openings will be announced by the museum, each time with their own times and prices.

What changes in the evening visit to the castle?

From 19:30 the route may have changes or restrictions, and groups do not enter: in the evening you visit alone, in pairs or as a family.

The Ministry writes this for all evening events: from 19:30 the route «may be subject to changes or restrictions». Do not expect to see everything in the evening.

The second rule concerns groups: during evening openings, access for organised groups is not allowed. The guided tours and audio guide tickets you find on GetYourGuide are during the day, within the museum's normal hours. For a full visit, with the papal rooms and the prisons, the day remains the best choice; what’s inside is in the guide to what to see.

How does the Passetto di Borgo work on Saturday evenings?

On Saturdays, from 19:00 to 23:00, the museum organises one-hour visits to the Passetto with a walk on the bastions, while the castle is closed to the public.

The Passetto di Borgo is the fortified corridor, about 800 metres long, that connects the castle to the Vatican Palaces along the walls. It can only be visited with the museum’s tours, and on Saturday evenings there is a special slot. According to CoopCulture, the tour starts from the Passetto, then continues with an evening walk on the bastions and crosses the Sala delle Urne, the spiral ramp and the Dromos, with the museum closed. The exit is at the castle.

The meeting point is at the ticket office, in Lungotevere Castello 50. CoopCulture asks you to arrive 15 minutes early. You book on the Musei Italiani platform, in the app or with CoopCulture.

There are two versions, with two different prices.

Is the silent visit or the guided tour of the evening Passetto better?

The €28 guided tour if it’s your first time; the €14 silent tour if you know the history and just want to walk the bastions in the evening.

In the silent tour, the escort takes you along the route but does not act as a guide: according to CoopCulture, they can give information before or after the tour, not during. The Passetto, seen without explanations, is a stone corridor. To understand why Alexander VI fled from here in 1494 and Clement VII during the Sack of Rome in 1527, you need someone to tell the story.

The evening guided tour costs double, and for a first time it’s worth it. The silent tour makes sense if you’ve already done the Passetto during the day, or if you’ve read the history beforehand. Check the language of the slot when you book. The history of the corridor is in the guide to the Passetto di Borgo.

Can the Passetto be visited during the day?

Yes, from Friday to Sunday between 9:00 and 13:00, except the first Sunday of the month: 1-hour guided tour for €30 or 30-minute accompanied tour for €24, castle included.

During the day, the Passetto is combined with entry to the castle. The guided tour lasts one hour, includes the Bastione di San Marco and costs €30 full price, €14 for ages 18 to 25; it is in Italian and English. The silent accompanied version lasts 30 minutes and costs €24 full price. Under 18 is free for both.

On GetYourGuide there is the Passetto di Borgo with a guide and the castle: one hour with the Bastione di San Marco, then the castle with the audio guide on the app. It is non-refundable, so book it when the date is certain. On the first Sunday of the month, the Passetto remains closed: on 1 November and 6 December 2026 there are no tours.

2 hours with a guide inside the castle, reserved entry and headsets: the tour with the highest rating, to pair with the Passetto on Saturday evening.

★ 4.8 · 2 hours · from $55

Discover the 2-hour guided tour → Tour details

How to see the castle at sunset if there are no evening openings?

Enter in the late afternoon, before the last entry at 18:30, and leave the terrace for last; on Lunedì di Castello you can stay inside until 20:00.

In autumn and winter the sun sets before the 19:30 closing time, and the terrace becomes the perfect spot to watch it. Enter around 17:00, do the rooms first and go to the terrace at the end. The last entry is at 18:30, not 19:00.

There is also the long afternoon of the first Monday of the month: Lunedì di Castello opens from 14:00 to 20:00, at €5, with a reduced route that includes the terrace. The remaining dates are 2 November and 7 December 2026, and the details are in the article on Lunedì di Castello 2026. Once out of the castle, the round drum is best seen from Ponte Sant'Angelo.

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