According to plans announced earlier today, Pope Leo XIV arrived at Castel Gandolfo in the late afternoon of July 5, 2026. Until July 27, he will be staying at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo, which is now once again serving as a papal residence after having been converted into a museum by Pope Francis.
Last summer, Leo XIV came to spend his first summer holiday as pope in this small town situated some 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Rome. This had been a tradition for all his recent predecessors, with the exception of Francis, who remained at the Vatican for summer rest throughout the 12 summers of his pontificate.
In this town perched on the rim of an ancient volcano, the Holy See owns a large estate comprising several residences, including the Apostolic Palace, traditionally the popes’ summer residence. For his first summer, Leo XIV stayed at the Villa Barberini, which is traditionally the summer residence of the Secretary of State. He has also returned there almost every week, on Tuesdays, his day of rest.
But for this second summer since his election, he decided to take up residence in the Papal Palace. The last pope to have spent the summer there was Benedict XVI, in 2012. The German pontiff also returned there after his retirement in 2013, until the monastery where he stayed in the Vatican was renovated for what ended up being his many years there.
This Sunday, Leo XIV appeared at the central window of the palace to greet 100 or so residents and tourists who had gathered in Piazza della Libertà.
They gave him a very warm welcome. “I am very happy to be here among you, to be able to spend the coming weeks with a bit of rest, a bit of prayer, a bit of greenery, and I hope a bit of sport,” the Pope told those present, thanking them warmly.
He also announced that, in addition to the Angelus prayer every Sunday, he might meet them “at other times” over the coming weeks. Last year, he visited neighboring parishes, met the young people of Castel Gandolfo, stopped in to pray and spend time at a retirement community, and even had a pizza made by a local restaurant owner.
