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Discover Borgo’s 6 best spots for your trip in Rome

From the classic Castel Sant'Angelo and Vatican Scavi with St Peter's Tomb and skip line St. Peter's, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.

Prices & booking information
Opening hours & visit duration
Best time to visit
Location & practical information
Local tips for every spot

🏛️LandmarkPriority Ticket + AudioguideFrom $36

Castel Sant'Angelo

★ 4.7 · 110,399 reviews

Explore Castel Sant'Angelo, Hadrian's mausoleum turned papal fortress and prison. Wander ancient masonry and Renaissance apartments, trace the secret passage to the Vatican, and finish on the rooftop terrace for views over the Tiber and St. Peter's dome.

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Reasons to go

Originally built in the 2nd century as Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum before becoming a papal fortress
Popes escaped here from the Vatican via the still-visible Passetto di Borgo corridor, most notably during the 1527 Sack of Rome
The rooftop terrace is the setting for the final act of Puccini's opera Tosca

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Typical visit

1h30

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Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening

🚶

Walking intensity

Moderate walking

🏛️LandmarkPriority Ticket + TourFrom $132

Vatican Scavi with St Peter's Tomb and skip line St. Peter's

★ 4.3 · 2,597 reviews

Descend into the Scavi, the ancient necropolis buried beneath St Peter's Basilica. Walk among Roman-era tombs to the shrine marking St Peter's burial site, then skip the line straight into the Basilica above.

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Reasons to go

The necropolis was uncovered during excavations commissioned by Pope Pius XII in the 1940s.
It preserves a Roman-era burial ground lying directly beneath St. Peter's Basilica's high altar.
The Vatican identifies a shrine within the site as the tomb of Saint Peter.

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Typical visit

2h30

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Best time

morning, lunchtime or afternoon

🚶

Walking intensity

Moderate walking

🚶NeighborhoodsFree

Borgo

Wander Borgo, Rome's medieval quarter tucked between Castel Sant'Angelo and St Peter's. Walk Via della Conciliazione for that staged first glimpse of the dome, then slip into quieter lanes like Borgo Pio for a slower, residential feel.

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Reasons to go

Via della Conciliazione was carved through the medieval district under Mussolini to create a staged approach to St Peter's dome.
Castel Sant'Angelo began as Hadrian's mausoleum before becoming a papal fortress and prison.
A secret elevated passage, the Passetto, still runs along the fortress wall connecting it to the Vatican.

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Typical visit

1h15

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Best time

morning, afternoon or early evening

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Walking intensity

Active — lots of walking

🎨Museum$$ · Mid-range

Leonardo Da Vinci Experience Museum

★ 4.4 · 4,956 reviews

Step into Leonardo da Vinci's mind at this hands-on museum near St. Peter's. Explore large-scale working models of his flying machines and war devices, seeing his sketches come to life beyond the page.

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Reasons to go

Features large-scale physical models reconstructing Leonardo's mechanical inventions, from flying machines to war devices, rather than original artworks
Spans two floors with a near-complete collection of Leonardo's engineering sketches turned into tangible models
Located directly on the approach to St. Peter's Basilica, making it easy to combine with a Vatican visit

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Typical visit

🕰️

Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening

🚶

Walking intensity

Moderate walking

🍸Drinks$$$ · Expensive

Terrazza Les Étoiles

★ 4.4 · 2,718 reviews

Discover Terrazza Les Étoiles, a rooftop restaurant and bar overlooking St Peter's Basilica. Savor a special-occasion dinner or drinks with attentive service, sommelier guidance, and sweeping views made for milestone celebrations.

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Reasons to go

Terrace offers a direct night view of St Peter's Basilica illuminated in the distance
Staff include a dedicated sommelier who tailors wine pairings to guests
Popular for milestone celebrations like honeymoons, with staff adjusting service when a celebration is mentioned at booking

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Typical visit

🕰️

Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night

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Walking intensity

Easy pace

🏛️LandmarkPriority Ticket + AudioguideFrom $36

Castel Sant'Angelo Entry Ticket & Digital Audioguide

★ 4.6 · 8,383 reviews

Explore Castel Sant'Angelo at your own pace with a digital audio guide in hand. Wander from Hadrian's mausoleum through papal apartments and former prison cells before soaking in Tiber views from the rooftop terrace.

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Reasons to go

Emperor Hadrian commissioned the structure as his family mausoleum in 123-139 AD, and it was once the tallest building in Rome.
A secret elevated corridor called the Passetto di Borgo links the castle directly to the Vatican, built as an escape route for popes during sieges.
The castle takes its name and rooftop angel statue from a vision of the Archangel Michael that a pope credited with ending a plague.

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Typical visit

1h30

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Best time

morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening

🚶

Walking intensity

Moderate walking