Half a day in Borgo

How do you plan a half-day between Castel Sant'Angelo and St Peter's?

Castle at 9:00, St Peter's at the end of the morning: this is the simplest order, because the castle opens at a fixed time and the basilica is visited with a guide.

Enter the castle at opening time. From the ramp of Hadrian's tomb to the papal rooms and the terrace, a self-guided visit takes one and a half to two hours. If it's Friday, Saturday or Sunday and you've booked the Passetto, do it right away: daytime visits run from 9:00 to 13:00.

Around noon you’re ready for St Peter’s. The tour of St Peter’s with the dome and the papal tombs starts from an office at Via del Mascherino 88, near the basilica, and according to the listing lasts from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Below are the times for each stop.

How much time do you need to visit Castel Sant'Angelo?

One and a half to two hours for the castle; with the Passetto, add another hour.

With a simple ticket you go at your own pace: the castle has three layers, the Roman tomb, the fortress and the papal apartments, and you climb up to the terrace with the view of the dome. The guided tours on GetYourGuide last from 75 minutes to 2 hours: the guided tour of Castel Sant'Angelo according to the listing also passes through areas usually closed to the public, and to reach the terrace you climb a series of stairs.

If you prefer your own pace, the ticket with digital audio guide gives you entry and commentary on your phone in 8 languages; bring headphones and a charged phone. According to reviews, the audio numbering does not always follow the current route, which during works may be diverted: follow the museum signs and use the app for explanations. Room by room, the route is in the guide to what to see.

The guided tour with the ticket included: from Hadrian's tomb to the terrace, with headsets and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 4.7 · 1.5-2 hours · from $65

Discover the guided tour of Castel Sant'Angelo → Tour details

On which days can you do the Passetto di Borgo?

Daytime from Friday to Sunday, between 9:00 and 13:00, and Saturday evening from 19:00 to 23:00; never on the first Sunday of the month.

The Passetto can only be visited with the museum’s tours, never on your own. During the day it is combined with entry to the castle: one hour with a guide and the Bastione di San Marco, or 30 minutes in the silent version. You book on the Musei Italiani platform or with CoopCulture, and it’s best to arrive 15 minutes early. On Saturday evenings there is a one-hour tour on the bastions with the museum closed, described in the article on Castel Sant'Angelo in the evening.

On GetYourGuide the Passetto appears in two listings, both non-refundable: the Passetto di Borgo with a guide and the castle, with the audio guide for the castle, or the Passetto with reserved entry. On the second and fourth Sunday of the month, at 10:45 and 12:15, there is also an accessible route starting from Torre del Mascherino, without entry to the castle.

What do you see at St Peter's after the castle, and how long does it take?

With the guided tour in the listing, you see Michelangelo's Pietà, Bernini's baldachin, the Chair of St Peter and the Vatican Grottoes with St Peter's tomb, in 1.5-2.5 hours.

The tour starts from Via del Mascherino 88, a few steps from the basilica. According to the listing, you enter with the guide, see the Pietà near the entrance, Bernini’s baldachin above the papal altar and the Chair of St Peter, then go down into the Vatican Grottoes, to the apostle’s tomb. The climb to the dome is an optional extra at the end of the tour.

Two things to know in advance. Security checks are like at the airport and no reservation skips them. For the dome, the listing warns that 200 people go up per hour and the wait ranges from 10 to 120 minutes: if you have a booked lunch, take that into account. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility issues or who use a wheelchair, and it can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before.

The basilica with a guide, the Pietà and the baldachin, the Vatican Grottoes and the climb to the dome as an option, a few minutes' walk from the castle.

★ 4.6 · 1.5-2.5 hours · from $22

Discover St Peter's with the dome and the papal tombs → Tour details

Where to fit Castel Sant'Angelo in 3 or 4 days in Rome?

On the Vatican day, together with St Peter's, and if you want the Passetto on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday; never on Mondays, except the afternoon of the first Monday of the month.

In three days the castle fits well into one morning of your Vatican day: castle, then St Peter's, on foot. The Vatican Museums are about 10-15 minutes' walk from the castle; if you want them in the same booking there is the castle with the Vatican Museums or Pantheon option, which is non-refundable and, according to the listing, requires appropriate clothing with those options.

In four days you can split it: one morning for the castle and Passetto, another for St Peter's with the dome at your own pace. Choose the day carefully, because the castle's calendar matters more than the distance.

What to bring and how to get around in Borgo?

An ID, comfortable shoes and little luggage: the castle has no cloakroom and the ticket is named.

The castle ticket is named: at the entrance your details must match an original ID, otherwise you won't enter. The castle has no cloakroom, animals are not allowed and several listings ban suitcases and large bags. The castle bar, according to CoopCulture, is also temporarily closed: bring water.

You reach the castle by metro line A, Lepanto stop, about 15 minutes on foot, by bus 40 from Termini, or on foot from the historic centre via Ponte Sant'Angelo. At weekends and on public holidays the museum recommends booking: fix the castle first, then organise the rest. Prices and official channels are in the ticket guide.

Frequently asked questions