Castel Sant'Angelo Express: Straight Up to the Terrace

A short visit built around one thing: getting to the top without losing an hour to the queue and the wrong staircase. An English-speaking host takes the group up through the building, covering how a tomb became a fortress on the way, and the route includes areas normally closed to the public. The point of arrival is the terrace at the summit, which is the highest publicly accessible viewpoint on this side of the river. From up there the bend of the Tiber, the roofs of the Borgo and the dome of St Peter's line up in one direction, and the whole historic centre spreads out in the other. Hadrian built the drum below as a tomb for himself and his family, and its diameter is the reason the terrace is as wide as it is. Everything above the Roman cylinder was added later by people who needed a fortress rather than a mausoleum. On the bridge in front, the angels are by Bernini and his workshop, set on a Roman bridge that has been carrying people to the building since the 2nd century. Tickets are valid only for the date and time slot you select. Arrive fifteen minutes early.