Castel Sant'Angelo

Originally Hadrian's mausoleum (139 AD), this drum-shaped fortress has lived three lives: imperial tomb, papal stronghold, and prison. It's connected to the Vatican by the Passetto di Borgo — an elevated escape corridor used by Pope Clement VII to flee the 1527 Sack of Rome. The rooftop terrace, marked by Verschaffelt's bronze archangel statue, offers a direct sightline along Via della Conciliazione to St. Peter's, plus a café for slow drinks at sunset. Closed Mondays.