How to get there

Which metro station is closest to Castel Sant'Angelo?

Lepanto, on line A, is about 1.2-1.3 km from the castle: a 15-minute walk. It is the stop recommended by CoopCulture.

From Lepanto, walk towards the Tiber and continue along the river to the castle. Ottaviano, also on line A, is about 1.3 km away: it is convenient if you are also visiting St Peter's or the Vatican Museums.

No metro stop is right outside the castle. If you have difficulty walking, the bus or a taxi will drop you closer. Those arriving on FL3 or FL5 regional trains can get off at Roma San Pietro station, near the basilica, and then reach the castle on foot.

Which bus goes to Castel Sant'Angelo?

The 40, which departs from Termini station and arrives in the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele and Lungotevere area, a few steps from the castle.

This is the line that CoopCulture indicates for those arriving from Termini station. From the station you arrive with no changes and without the walk from Lepanto. Get off near Ponte Vittorio Emanuele or on the Lungotevere, and the castle is in front of you.

For other lines in the area, check the updated route on the website or app of ATAC, Rome's transport company, the day before your visit.

How to walk to Castel Sant'Angelo from the historic centre?

Crossing Ponte Sant'Angelo, which leads straight to the castle. It’s the best way to arrive: the bridge with its angels and the castle right in front of you.

The bridge is almost as old as the castle: it is Hadrian’s Pons Aelius, completed in AD 134. The statues are more recent: St Peter and St Paul at the entrance date from 1535, the ten angels with the instruments of the Passion from 1669, part of Bernini’s programme. Two original angels are in the church of Sant'Andrea delle Fratte.

The bridge leads straight to the entrance: you cross it and you’re there.

Is Castel Sant'Angelo part of the Vatican?

No. It has been the property of the Italian State since 1870 and is a national museum of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The ticket is a state ticket, not a Vatican Museums ticket.

The confusion comes from the proximity and the history. For centuries the castle was the popes’ fortress, and the Passetto di Borgo still connects it to the Vatican Palaces, running along the walls. Today, however, it is a state museum, with opening hours and prices set by the Ministry, and it is not part of Vatican City.

Some online listings call the Passetto the «Vatican’s secret passage». This is a figure of speech: the corridor starts from the castle and can only be visited with the museum’s guided tours. Everything about the Passetto is in the guide to the Passetto di Borgo.

How far is Castel Sant'Angelo from St Peter's and the Vatican Museums?

St Peter’s Basilica is a short walk away. For the Vatican Museums, allow about 10-15 minutes on foot.

The castle and the basilica are in the same district, Borgo, and you can walk from one to the other. The entrance to the Vatican Museums is a little further away: about 10-15 minutes on foot, according to travel guides.

Both visits fit well into the same morning. The classic route is the castle at opening time at 9:00, then St Peter’s. The half-day itinerary in Borgo is in the article on the castle in a Rome itinerary.

St Peter’s Basilica with a guide, the Pietà and the baldachin, the Vatican Grottoes with St Peter’s tomb and, with the option, the climb to the dome. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

★ 4.6 · 1.5-2.5 hours · from $22

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

How to combine Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican in one day?

With the castle in the morning and St Peter’s right after, or with a package that combines the castle and the Vatican Museums.

St Peter’s with the dome and the papal tombs, from $22 with 4,136 reviews, departs from Via del Mascherino 88, near the basilica, and lasts from one and a half to two and a half hours. The listing is clear on two points: the security check at the entrance cannot be skipped, and for the dome, with the option, the wait can range from 10 to 120 minutes.

If you prefer a single booking, the castle with the Vatican Museums or the Pantheon starts from $34 for the castle only and adds as an option the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, or the Pantheon; appropriate clothing is required for these options. Also, Passetto with reserved entry offers the Vatican Museums option. Both are non-refundable.

Where are the entrance and tour meeting points?

The entrance is at Lungotevere Castello 50, by the river. Each tour has its own meeting point, almost always in front of the main entrance.

During the works the ticket office is in temporary structures outside the castle. The meeting points for the GetYourGuide tours are all a few steps away, but it’s useful to know who to look for.

For the ticket with audio guide, the listing is precise: from Ponte Sant'Angelo, opposite the main entrance, walk about 50 metres to the right and enter the park on the left; the staff wait on the first bench on the left, wearing purple T-shirts and holding a «Crown Tours» flag. According to the reviews, the spot is discreet: look carefully at the bench.

What to know before you arrive: luggage, strollers and accessibility

The castle has no cloakroom and does not allow animals. Several tours exclude suitcases, large bags and strollers, and access for those with mobility issues is partial.

If you arrive in Rome or leave the same day, drop your luggage first: the museum has no cloakroom. Several tour listings exclude suitcases and large bags, some also strollers, and one warns that strollers must be left at the entrance as they are not allowed in most areas.

For those with mobility issues, the museum indicates partial access to outdoor areas, with accessibility works ongoing. The Passetto di Borgo has an accessible route on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, starting from Torre del Mascherino in Piazza della Città Leonina, near St Peter's.

Frequently asked questions