Hotel for visiting Castel Gandolfo and Lake Albano: the hotel between Rome and the Castelli Romani

A village perched above a volcanic lake, a papal palace with gardens concealing an imperial villa, views stretching all the way to the sea: Castel Gandolfo and Lake Albano are the most beautiful day trip you can take from Rome. Hotel Meeting Roma is the right hotel to set out from: it stands at the Ciampino exit of the Grande Raccordo Anulare ring road, about 20 minutes from the village and a few minutes from Ciampino airport and railway station, from where the train takes you straight to the town.

Castel Gandolfo: from the Alba Longa of the kings to the Palace of the Popes

According to tradition, the shores of the lake were home to Alba Longa, the mother city of Rome founded by Ascanius, son of Aeneas, and birthplace of Romulus and Remus. In the imperial age Domitian chose this hill for his immense villa, the Albanum Domitiani, whose remains (cryptoporticus, theatre, nymphaea) can still be seen in the papal gardens. In the Middle Ages the castle of the Gandolfi family gave the village its name, and in 1596 the estate passed to the Apostolic Chamber.

It was Pope Urban VIII who, from 1624, commissioned Carlo Maderno to build the Apostolic Palace overlooking the square, while Alexander VII entrusted Gian Lorenzo Bernini with the church of San Tommaso da Villanova, a Baroque jewel whose dome is inspired by St Peter's. For almost four centuries the palace was the popes' summer residence: here Pius XII sheltered thousands of refugees during the Second World War, and here both Pius XII and Paul VI died. Since 2016 Pope Francis has opened the private apartments and the Gallery of Papal Portraits to the public, turning the residence into a museum.

What to see: the Papal Villas, the Barberini Gardens and the lake

A visit to the Apostolic Palace takes you into the popes' private rooms, the bedroom and the throne room, with views over the lake. The Barberini Gardens, inside the Papal Villas, are explored along a route through avenues of holm oaks, an Italian garden, citrus groves and the monumental remains of Domitian's villa: 55 hectares of parkland open to visitors since 2014, with the option of an eco-shuttle tour.

Deep-blue Lake Albano fills the crater of an ancient volcano of the Alban Hills and is the deepest volcanic lake in Italy. In 1960 it hosted the rowing events of the Rome Olympics. Along its shores you will find lidos, restaurants and a trail of about 10 km that circles the whole lake; nearby, the emissary tunnel dug by the Romans in the 4th century BC to regulate the water level remains a marvel of ancient engineering. If you want to go further, a few kilometres away are Albano Laziale, Ariccia with its Palazzo Chigi and famous porchetta, Nemi with its lake and strawberries, and Frascati with its villas.

Why choose our hotel for visiting Castel Gandolfo

Many visitors look for a hotel in Castel Gandolfo and discover that the tiny village offers few rooms, at high prices. The most practical solution is a hotel well connected both to the Castelli Romani and to Rome. Hotel Meeting Roma, at Via Pier Vittorio Aldini 38/A, is strategically placed: by car you reach Castel Gandolfo in about 20 minutes via Via Appia Nuova or Via dei Laghi, with free private parking at the hotel. Without a car, the hotel shuttle takes you to Ciampino railway station, from where trains on the Albano line stop at Castel Gandolfo in about 10 minutes, just below the village.

Our hotel welcomes you with single, double, twin and triple rooms, free Wi-Fi, breakfast included, a restaurant and a bar; it is family-friendly, pets are welcome and rates are honest all year round. And for those who want to alternate the Castelli with the city, the centre of Rome is 12 minutes by train from Ciampino station.

Tips for planning your trip

Visits to the Apostolic Palace and the Barberini Gardens are booked online on the Vatican Museums website, with days and times that vary through the year: check availability in advance, especially at weekends and in spring. The best time for the lake is the morning, when the water is calm and the light falls on the village from the east; in the afternoon the Belvedere terrace in Piazza della Libertà offers the most photographed view of the Castelli. In summer many Romans head to the shores for a swim: arrive early to find a spot.

In short

Castel Gandolfo and Lake Albano combine papal history, imperial archaeology and nature just twenty minutes from Rome. Hotel Meeting Roma is the ideal hotel for visiting them: close to Ciampino, with free parking, a shuttle to the train that goes straight to the village, and the comfort of returning in the evening to a cosy room at honest prices.

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