Day Trip to the Pope’s Summer Residence at Castel Gandolfo with Cooking Experience | Small Group
Explore the culinary and cultural delights of Castel Gandolfo's papal estate
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€249.00
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For More Information
(0039) 334 7243374
Mon - Sat / 08:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Why Choose It?
- Journey to the papal estate for a day in Rome’s beautiful countryside.
- Master unique recipes in a cooking class on the papal estate.
- Explore the beautiful town of Castel Gandolfo and Barberini Gardens.

Tour Description
Escape the frenetic energy of the Eternal City for a heaven-sent day in the surrounding hillside. Our exclusive collaboration with the Vatican Museums brings you an indulgent day of culture and cuisine, exploring the papal palace and landscaped Barberini Gardens and taking part in a hands-on cooking class in which you’ll master age-refined recipes originating from the papal estate.
Castel Gandolfo is the most idyllic retreat in the Roman countryside, benefiting from an exquisite spot overlooking the fantastically sapphire volcanic lake. Before the popes, the emperor Domitian built a summer villa here in the first century AD, the ruins of which are within the estate of the Pontifical Villas. Discover what drew them to the area on this unforgettable day trip.
Venture from the Vatican into the Roman countryside
We’ve laid on luxury transport to take you into the Roman countryside. Traveling south of the city along the Via Appia, you’ll pass rolling hills and lush landscapes as you ascend above the Eternal City.
Upon arriving in the tranquil town of Castel Gandolfo, you’ll accompany your expert guide across the square and into the Apostolic Palace that’s served as the popes’ summer residence since the 16th century.
Tour the pope’s private apartments in the Apostolic Palace
Starting off in the palace’s small museum, which Pope Francis recently opened to the public to display the papacy’s treasures, we’ll discover the fascinating history of the popes and enjoy sweeping views over the sapphire waters of Lake Albano.
We’ll then make our way up to the second floor to wander the storied hallways of the pope’s private apartments. Furnished in ancient carrara marble, these apartments tell the fascinating stories of the popes who lived here. Your guide will walk you through the protocol and procedure of their prestigious visitors and provide a fascinating insight into their private lives here.
Embark on a hands-on cooking class on the papal estate
Leaving the Apostolic Palace, you’ll be met by private transport to take you the short distance through the papal estate to our converted farmhouse – the location of your cooking class. Our fluent English-speaking chef will welcome you with a wine and antipasti reception to whet your palette before your unforgettable cooking experience.
Learn how to master recipes refined over generations in this fun, hands-on cooking class. Using ingredients sourced exclusively from the papal estate, you’ll be making a pasta dish and dessert to indulge on over lunch. Best of all, we’ll email you the recipes so you can replicate them at home to impress friends and family.
Explore the sculpted Barberini Gardens
The Barberini Gardens are among the most beautiful in Italy. With sweeping panoramas over Rome and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the distance, they’re home to a wealth of ancient and apostolic treasures from an imperial palace and amphitheater to a range of themed landscaped gardens.
We’ve laid on eco-friendly transport to take you through these lush, sculpted gardens. Your guide will nourish you with the knowledge of their history, taking you from the time of Romulus and Remus to the present-day papacy of Pope Francis. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to stop off and explore various sites and gardens for stunning photo opportunities.
Finish in the town square of Castel Gandolfo
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the quaint town of Castel Gandolfo, enjoying views over the sapphire waters of Lake Albano, and relaxing over a coffee or gelato in the historic town square. You’ll then meet your driver who will accompany you back to Rome, refreshed and relaxed.
If you’d like to start your day with exclusive earliest access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica, you can upgrade this tour to our Full Day Sistine Chapel and Pope’s Summer Residence experience. Click on the link for more information.
- Itinerary:Apostolic Palace tourCooking Class and LunchBarberini Gardens tourFree time in Castel Gandolfo
- Included:Round-trip transfer from RomeLicensed guideTransport around Castel GandolfoCooking Class and Lunch
- Wheelchair accessible:Not for shared tours. Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to visit our private tour page.
- Meeting Point:Via dei Corridori 42 / TBA
excellent guides
Our guides are fluent in English and have a contagious passion for the inspiring cultural heritage of our Italian cities. Experts in their fields, they will immerse you in the hidden histories and intriguing lives of history's great protagonists. So much to see, so easy to miss out: with the help of our guides, visit the most absorbing sites and uncover the stories that have changed the world. Don't miss this fascinating journey!
M109LWmaggieb
Wonderful Wine Tour My husband and I did the secret wine bar tour with Sara. She was an absolute delight—so easy to talk to, and very knowledgeable. She took us places we would... read moreMy husband and I did the secret wine bar tour with Sara. She was an absolute delight—so easy to talk to, and very knowledgeable. She took us places we would have never chosen on our own and they were all amazing!
My only warning is that you will be full by the end of this tour—which is a great thing! We weren’t sure how much food would be provided, so we made late dinner reservations that we ended up canceling because we had plenty to eat on the tour!!
I highly recommend this experience, and highly recommend requesting Sara as your guide! read less - 4/01/2022stevejnb
A great evening with Marcos. I always wanted to know how to make the perfect pizza and gelato. Here, Marco the expert will show you how. It was a great participation event with lots... read moreI always wanted to know how to make the perfect pizza and gelato. Here, Marco the expert will show you how. It was a great participation event with lots of laughs, and we all got to sit down together afterwards to eat our creations. This is a great event for adults and children alike. Narco and his team are a credit to the company. read less - 12/05/2021
JRSwimmerDC
Exceeding Expectations in Unexpected Location This is an essential tour. After many trips to Rome this is an excursion we were excited to take. Our expectations were exceeded. Sara was great and made the tour... read moreThis is an essential tour. After many trips to Rome this is an excursion we were excited to take. Our expectations were exceeded. Sara was great and made the tour special. She has a great personality and is engaging. The chef, assistant, and team at Castel Gandolfo were all terrific to work with.
If there is one thing to do when visiting Rome after the major sites and time around the city, take this trip. read less - 12/03/2021fundumper
Geeking out at The Vatican Rosi was our guide for the experience and she was A+. Not just knowledgeable but also passionate and a great story teller. She was patient w questions and made the... read moreRosi was our guide for the experience and she was A+. Not just knowledgeable but also passionate and a great story teller. She was patient w questions and made the overall experience incredibly fun. read less - 11/30/2021
251313
The 2 villas of Tivoli We did the Private tour of Villa D'Este and Villa Adriana in Tivoli. The driver picked us up from the hotel in Rome and drove to the Villa Adriana, where... read moreWe did the Private tour of Villa D'Este and Villa Adriana in Tivoli. The driver picked us up from the hotel in Rome and drove to the Villa Adriana, where our guide, Barbara, met us. Thoroughly versed in ancient history and art history, she was a lively and fascinating guide. Never exhausting or boring, always good company, Barbara clearly loves what she does, sharing her knowledge of Rome and environs and deepening the appreciation of discerning travelers who want to learn about what they see. She was a good sport, because it was a windy rainy day, not ideal for a long day outdoors! I would definitely hire her again. read less - 11/04/2021
MarciaMMueller3
Gracious, Knowledgeable, Experienced Walk Inside Rome has the best, most informed guides and they never disappoint!
From the first inquiry through the tour they are also the most gracious and accommodating. Our most... read moreWalk Inside Rome has the best, most informed guides and they never disappoint!
From the first inquiry through the tour they are also the most gracious and accommodating. Our most recent guide at the Vatican was TEO, knowledgeable, friendly, and someone who clearly loves the city of Rome. The owner of WIR, Marilena is hands on, and considers you a friend after the first tour! read less - 11/02/2021drwu67
Great Guide and Tour Very impressed and happy - From booking to the tour, everything was very smooth. I had some questions about the tour before booking - sent an email with responses prompt... read moreVery impressed and happy - From booking to the tour, everything was very smooth. I had some questions about the tour before booking - sent an email with responses prompt and the relevant information. We did the early morning Vatican Tour with Walks Inside Rome with our guide Barbara, who was amazing. Spending the extra money was worth the experience of WIR, in depth knowledge of the guide, early access to the Vatican and the path/route to see the highlights and relevant areas of the Vatican. Would highly recommend for anyone to book this tour, and would consider them for other tours next time in Rome! Thanks to the team at WIR and special shout out to Barbara who was so very considerate (my Mom was 89 years old and visiting the Vatican for the first time, making sure my Mom was at the front and able to see everything even though she was a tiny bit slower than everyone else! Grazie Mille! read less - 10/12/2021
cyclefiend
Making Pizza & Gelato in Roma This was a fun, educational experience. I enjoy cooking, baking, etc so learning to make authentic Roman style pizza and a simple recipe for gelato is a skill I... read moreThis was a fun, educational experience. I enjoy cooking, baking, etc so learning to make authentic Roman style pizza and a simple recipe for gelato is a skill I can take home! Our chef/instructor, Marco, was enthusiastic and his experience shown through as he explained what and why following the recipes was important. The kitchen space was well equipped and the dining space magical. Next time we’re in Rome (yes we tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain) we will take another course from his organization. read less - 9/27/2021