The Vatican Gardens at Castel Gandolfo is located on the wooded slopes of the Alban Hills, overlooking the blue waters of a small volcanic crater lake. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA
Rome Newsroom, Jun 17, 2025 / 06:47 am (CNA).
ThetownofCastelGandolfohassaidPopeLeoXIVwillagainpartakeinthecenturies-longtraditionofspendingasummervacationatthelakesidepapalresidenceintheAlbanHillssouthofRome.
TheVaticanhasnotrespondedtoarequestforconfirmation,butaspokeswomanforthesmalltown,GiuliaAgostinelli,toldCNALeowillarrivesometimeduringthefirstweekofJuly.
PopeFrancisin2013brokewiththepapalpracticeofescaping theRomanheatinCastelGandolfo,withitsextensivegardens,preferringtoremainathisVaticanresidence,SantaMarta,evenduringthesummer.
Francisoptedtoturnthepapalsummerresidenceintoamuseum.Itopenedtothepublicin2016.
Thegardensofthepapalresidence,calledtheBarberiniGardens,wereopenedtothepublicin2014asawaytoincreaserevenueforthetown,whichthrivedontourismbroughtbyvisitorswhocametoseethepopeduringhisstay.
ForBenedictXVI,thevillawasafavoritesummergetaw
