Castel Sant'Angelo opening hours 2026: closures and free days

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Castel Sant'Angelo's opening hours are among the simplest in Rome: one schedule all year round, no difference between summer and winter, a fixed weekly closure. The complications come from the exceptions, and in 2026 there are quite a few. There is Lunedì di Castello, the first Monday of the month, there are the free Sundays and there are the special evening visits with a reduced route.

Here is the calendar for the rest of 2026, with the still useful dates, and a clear opinion on when to enter.

The short answer

Castel Sant'Angelo is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:30, with last entry at 18:30. It is closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January. On the first Monday of the month there is Lunedì di Castello, from 14:00 to 20:00 with a 5 euro ticket, on site only. On the first Sunday of the month, entry is free.

What time does Castel Sant'Angelo open and close?

It opens at 9:00 and closes at 19:30, from Tuesday to Sunday. The last entry is at 18:30.

The hours are the same every month of the year, according to the Italian Ministry of Culture and the museum's website. More important than the closing time is the last entry: at 18:30 they stop letting people in, and anyone arriving at that time has only one hour for the castle.

One hour is not enough. For the full route, from Hadrian's ramp to the terrace, you need between one and a half and two hours. If you arrive in the afternoon, enter by 17:00.

Day	Opening hours	Last entry	Notes
Tuesday to Sunday	9:00-19:30	18:30	All year
Monday	Closed	n/a	Except the first Monday of the month
First Monday of the month	14:00-20:00	19:00	Lunedì di Castello, €5, on site only, reduced route
First Sunday of the month	From 9:00	18:30	Free entry, no reservation
25 December and 1 January	Closed	n/a	Unless the Ministry decides on special openings

When is Castel Sant'Angelo closed?

Every Monday, 25 December and 1 January. The Ministry may decide on special openings: on 1 January 2026, for example, the castle was open.

Monday closure is the rule, with two exceptions. The first is Lunedì di Castello, which we discuss below. The second is public holiday Mondays: in those cases the castle may open and move the closure to another day. This happened on Monday 1 June 2026, an opening day, with the closure moved to Wednesday 3 June.

For the end-of-year holidays, the rule is closed on 25 December and 1 January. If you are in Rome on those days, check the museum's or the Ministry's website the week before: special openings are announced there.

A riverside at dusk with trees along the bank — Illustrative image: the riverside at dusk.

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What is Lunedì di Castello and what are the upcoming dates?

It is the special opening on the first Monday of the month, from 14:00 to 20:00, with a special ticket for €5. The last dates in 2026 are Monday 2 November and Monday 7 December.

The museum introduced it on 3 August 2026 and repeats it every first Monday until the end of the year. Last entry is at 19:00. The €5 ticket is bought only on site, without reservation, and groups are not allowed: it is valid for individual visitors, couples, families. Those under 18 and categories legally entitled to free entry enter free even on that day.

The route is reduced. According to decree no. 85 of 27 July 2026, the Mausoleum ramp, the papal apartments and the terrace are open; the Adrianeo, the Sala dei Festoni, the Sala di Perseo, the Appartamento del Castellano with its exhibition, the lower Armoury and the Cagliostra remain closed. For those who live in Rome or have a free Monday, it is still the cheapest opportunity after the free Sundays, and in November and December sunset falls within the opening hours. All the details are in the article on Lunedì di Castello 2026.

Which are the free Sundays at Castel Sant'Angelo?

The first Sunday of every month. In 2026, the remaining dates are Sunday 1 November and Sunday 6 December, with free entry from 9:00 and last entry at 18:30.

It is the #domenicalmuseo initiative by the Italian Ministry of Culture. No reservation is needed: the free ticket is collected at the ticket office and there is a single queue for everyone. With many visitors, the museum may modify the route. In 2026, entry was also free on 25 April and 2 June.

The price to pay is the crowd. If you care more about the visit than the savings, choose another Sunday or a weekday; those under 18 enter free every day, so for families the first Sunday matters less than it seems. And if you were thinking of the Passetto di Borgo: the first Sunday of the month it is not open.

The large round drum of Castel Sant'Angelo on the Tiber — Castel Sant'Angelo seen from the Tiber.

Is Castel Sant'Angelo open in the evening?

The castle only opens for special events: in 2026 the last one was 4 October. Passetto di Borgo has fixed evening visits on Saturdays.

In 2026 the castle opened in the evening for European Night of Museums, Saturday 23 May, and European Heritage Days, Saturday 26 September, both 19:30-23:30 for €1. Sunday 4 October, a free day, also had an evening opening 19:30-22:30 with the standard €18 ticket: the museum lists this as the last extraordinary evening opening in 2026. During evening events the route may be limited and groups do not enter.

On Saturday evenings, from 19:00 to 23:00, the Passetto di Borgo can be visited in two formats: the one-hour silent accompanied visit at €14, and the one-hour evening guided tour at €28. The other rates are in the guide to the Passetto; the 2026 evenings are described in the article on the castle in the evening.

A round fortress lit at night above a dark river, with a bridge and street lamps — Illustrative image: a fortress lit up at night by the river.

A live guide from Hadrian's tomb to the terrace, with areas that the listing says are usually closed to the public. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

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What is the best time to visit Castel Sant'Angelo?

A weekday at opening time, 9:00. On weekends, book and try to enter by mid-morning.

Enter at 9:00, not 11:00. That way you have the whole day ahead and avoid the last entry at 18:30.

The afternoon has its advantages: warm light on the Tiber and views towards the historic centre. The limit is the last entry at 18:30. If you choose this time, enter by 17:00 to avoid rushing.

If you have few days in Rome, do not make your visit coincide with the first Sunday of the month: the queue is unique and the people are many. For all other days, the ticket with audio guide lets you set the date in advance, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

A stone parapet on a terrace, with a view of the river and rooftops — Illustrative image: the view from a terrace over the river and rooftops.

How long does the visit take and how much time is needed with the Passetto?

From one and a half to two hours for the castle. With Passetto di Borgo add one hour.

The route climbs through multiple levels, from the Roman tomb to the papal apartments, and times depend on how long you stop in the rooms. Guided tours on GetYourGuide last from 75 minutes to 2 hours; with the audio guide you decide. According to reviews, those who linger on the terrace easily reach two hours.

Passetto di Borgo is visited in the morning from Friday to Sunday, 9:00-13:00, or on Saturday evenings. The guided tour lasts one hour, the silent tour 30 minutes, and in both cases the fee includes entry to the castle. Our advice: book a Passetto slot in the morning and visit the castle right after.

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What changes with the ongoing works in 2026?

The route may start from the Dromos and the ramp up to the Cortile dell'Angelo, and the ticket office is in temporary structures outside the castle.

Since 3 December 2024, PNRR renovation works for accessibility have been underway. The museum warns that entry may be via the Dromos, with the climb along the ramp to the Cortile dell'Angelo, and that the ground-floor ambulatory route may be diverted. For about seven months, while the reception areas are renovated, the ticket office is in temporary structures outside.

Two practical things. Do not count on the café: CoopCulture lists it as temporarily closed. And for those with mobility issues, access is currently partial, limited to outdoor areas according to the museum; Passetto has an accessible route on the second and fourth Sunday of the month.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Castel Sant'Angelo open on Mondays?

Normally no. On the first Monday of the month there is Lunedì di Castello, from 14:00 to 20:00 with a €5 ticket only on site and a reduced route; in 2026 the dates are 2 November and 7 December.

What is the last entry time for Castel Sant'Angelo?

At 18:30, one hour before the 19:30 closing time. On Lunedì di Castello, the last entry is at 19:00.

Is Castel Sant'Angelo open on Christmas Day and New Year's Day?

As a rule, it is closed on 25 December and 1 January. The Italian Ministry of Culture may decide on special openings: on 1 January 2026, for example, the castle was open.

Is the Passetto di Borgo open on the first Sunday of the month?

No. On free Sundays, the Passetto cannot be visited. Guided tours take place in the morning from Friday to Sunday, except the first Sunday of the month, and on Saturday evening.

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