Even popes require time away from their duties.

Since Pope Urban VIII began the tradition in 1626, several popes have fled Rome's intense summer heat for the papal summer home in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

This lakeside property encompasses various buildings and gardens across a 135-acre estate.

The Vatican's Prefecture of the Papal Household announced that Pope Leo XIV would enjoy a period of rest at the estate during July.

Here is an inside look at the papal summer residence.

Pope Leo XIV is spending three weeks at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy.

He arrived on July 5 and plans to remain until July 27.

Situated 16 miles from Rome, the papal summer residence lies in the Alban Hills with views over Lake Albano.

The estate offers gardens, an observatory, a recently added tennis court, and several residential structures.

The Apostolic Palace stands in Castel Gandolfo's central square.

Constructed atop the remains of an ancient Roman emperor's villa, it joined the Holy See in 1604.

Also called the Papal Palace, it boasts elegant sitting rooms and living quarters for the pope.

The first floor holds an art gallery, while the second features bedrooms, a library, a private chapel, and various sitting areas.

It also preserves papal items such as theological encyclopedias once owned by Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Francis made the Apostolic Palace and gardens accessible to visitors, though he seldom used them himself.

Unlike predecessors who mingled with locals during summer stays, Francis visited Castel Gandolfo only three times in 2013 and never overnight, according to reports.

In 2025, Leo XIV opted for Villa Barberini on the grounds rather than the main Papal Palace.

Built in the 17th century by nobleman Scipione Visconti, the villa was later acquired and expanded by Taddeo Barberini, nephew of Pope Urban VIII, and has served as home to the Vatican Secretary of State in recent times.

Villa Barberini is renowned for its extensive gardens.

These include Borgo Laudato Si, a 55-hectare area with gardens, a farm, and ecological education facilities established by Pope Francis in 2023.

Even during vacations, Leo XIV leads Mass on the residence grounds.

In his first summer as pope in 2025, he celebrated the initial Mass for the Care of Creation in the gardens, describing the setting as a kind of natural cathedral in his homily.

That year he also met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Castel Gandolfo.

Zelenskyy expressed hope that the Vatican and the Pope could facilitate high-level talks to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This summer the Pope welcomed 200 individuals facing difficult circumstances for lunch in the Pontifical Gardens.

Guests included single parents, refugees, people with disabilities, and those reentering the workforce.

In his remarks, Leo XIV noted that the title Pontiff means builder of bridges and expressed a desire to connect with the guests, their families, and society at large in pursuit of justice.