The Palazzo Colonna at Piazza SS. Apostoli 66 is the oldest continuously inhabited private palace in Rome, Italy. It is still home to the Colonna family, and contains one of the most sumptuously decorated Baroque galleries in the world.
This guide was updated in June 2026. The most significant update is that the palace is now open to the public on both Friday and Saturday mornings — most existing guides and aggregators still state “open only on Saturday.” Saturday self-guided tickets are €15 (short tour) or €25 (complete tour). Friday is guided-only at €35. You can book through GetYourGuide in advance.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | Piazza SS. Apostoli 66 (Friday entrance); Via della Pilotta 17 (Saturday entrance) |
| Friday hours | Guided tours by reservation: 09:30, 10:00, 10:30 (Italian); 09:30, 10:00 (English); 10:30 (French). From 15:00 private tours only. |
| Saturday hours | 09:15–13:15 (last entry); self-guided or optional guided. From 15:00 private tours only. |
| Friday full guided tour | €35 (FAI cardholders: €30) |
| Saturday short tour (self-guided, Galleria + Pio + gardens) | €15 |
| Saturday complete tour (self-guided, adds Princess Isabelle Apartment) | €25 (FAI cardholders: €20) |
| Saturday optional accompanied visit (any language) | €150 + ticket price |
| Friday/Saturday private tours (from 15:00) | By arrangement, minimum 10 pax equivalent |
| Audioguide (Saturday only) | €5 (10 languages, QR code) |
| Nearest metro | Colosseo (Line B), 10-minute walk; or walk from Piazza Venezia |
| Nearest bus stop | Multiple routes to Via IV Novembre / Piazza Venezia |
| Typical visit | 1–2 hours |
Colonna Palace opening hours
The palace is open to the general public on two mornings per week — a significant change from the Saturday-only schedule that most existing guides describe.
Friday mornings: Guided tours by reservation only, entering from Piazza SS. Apostoli 66. Tour times in Italian: 09:30, 10:00, 10:30; in English: 09:30, 10:00; in French: 10:30. Groups of up to 15 participants can arrange pre-formed tours at 09:00, 12:00, or 13:00.
Saturday mornings: Self-guided (with or without audioguide), entering from Via della Pilotta 17, open 09:15 to 13:15 (last entry). Disability-access entrance is from Piazza SS. Apostoli 66.
All other times: Exclusive private tours by prior reservation only (minimum payment for 10 people). Available from 15:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and any time Sunday to Thursday.
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Colonna Palace admission prices
Prices differ significantly between Friday and Saturday. Many guides list only the Saturday self-guided prices or — more confusingly — still describe the palace as Saturday-only.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Friday: complete guided tour (full, approx. 2 hours) | €35 |
| Friday: complete guided tour (FAI cardholders) | €30 |
| Saturday: short self-guided tour (Galleria + Pio + gardens) | €15 |
| Saturday: complete self-guided tour (adds Princess Isabelle Apartment) | €25 |
| Saturday: complete tour (FAI cardholders) | €20 |
| Saturday: optional accompanied visit (all languages) | €150 + ticket |
| Audioguide (Saturday only, 10 languages) | +€5 |
Free admission on Saturdays: children under 12 (max 2 per paying adult), companion of disabled visitor, uniformed Carabinieri/Polizia/Guardia di Finanza, ADSI members, licensed tour guides accompanying groups. Book in advance through GetYourGuide for the Friday guided tour.
Why visit the Colonna Palace?
- 🏛️ The Great Hall of the Colonna Gallery is 76 metres long: One of the longest private gallery halls in Rome, its vault is frescoed with the Naval Battle of Lepanto (1571) — a victory in which Marcantonio Colonna played a decisive role — and flanked by painted marble columns.
- 🎟️ Now open on Friday mornings too: The official site (updated 20 April 2026) confirms Friday guided tours are now available — most existing guides still state Saturday only. The Friday visit is guided throughout (€35) and includes areas not accessible on the self-guided Saturday visit.
- 🌿 The Colonna family still lives here: Unlike almost every comparable palace museum in Italy, this is a living private residence. The portion open to visitors is only part of the palace. The Colonna collection spans over 270 works including masterpieces by Tintoretto, Guido Reni, Guercino, Rubens, Bronzino, and Annibale Carracci.
- 📜 The Princess Isabelle Apartment is included in the Saturday complete tour: Many older guides present this as a separate €15 add-on. The €25 complete Saturday ticket now includes the apartment as part of the tour.
- 💰 Audioguide in 10 languages at no extra inconvenience: The QR-code audioguide (€5 on Saturdays) works via smartphone browser, requires no app download, and runs offline once loaded. Available in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Polish.
How to get to the Colonna Palace
Friday entrance is from Piazza SS. Apostoli 66, at the north end of the square beside the Basilica dei SS. Apostoli. This is a 3-minute walk from Piazza Venezia.
Saturday entrance is from Via della Pilotta 17, on the quieter street running along the palace’s south side. Mobility-impaired visitors use the Piazza SS. Apostoli entrance on both days.
By bus, multiple routes run to Via IV Novembre, Piazza Venezia, and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II — all within a 5-minute walk. This is one of the most central locations in Rome; almost every tourist bus route passes within 5 minutes.
By metro, the nearest stations are Colosseo (Line B, around 10 minutes’ walk north-west) and Spagna (Line A, around 15 minutes south-west via Via del Corso). Bus is generally more direct from the historic centre.
On foot, from the Trevi Fountain: 10 minutes. From the Pantheon: 10 minutes. From Piazza Navona: 15 minutes.
Parking at the Colonna Palace
There is no dedicated parking. The area around Piazza Venezia and Piazza SS. Apostoli is central Rome and heavily trafficked. Street parking is almost impossible on Saturday mornings. Arriving by bus, metro, or on foot is the only practical option.
How long to spend at the Colonna Palace
The short Saturday tour (Galleria + Pio Pavilion + gardens) takes approximately 60–75 minutes. The complete Saturday tour (adding the Princess Isabelle Apartment) takes 90–120 minutes. The Friday guided tour also lasts approximately 2 hours. The palace is compact by major museum standards, but the density of art and the extraordinary architectural decoration reward a slow pace — many visitors describe feeling they have seen more per square metre here than in any publicly funded museum in Rome.
Why book the Roma Pass for your visit?
- Free entry to top attractions: Enjoy complimentary admission to many of Rome’s leading museums and archaeological sites with a Roma Pass.
- Public transport included: Use buses, trams and the metro across the city without needing separate tickets throughout the pass validity.
- Flexible duration options: Choose between 48-hour or 72-hour passes to suit how long you’re exploring Rome’s sights.
- Skip-the-line entry: Access select sites faster with priority or skip-the-line benefits where available.
- Cost-effective sightseeing: Save money compared with buying individual tickets, especially if you plan to visit several museums and landmarks.
Accessibility at the Colonna Palace
The Saturday self-guided entrance on Via della Pilotta involves a staircase for the main public route. Visitors with mobility difficulties should enter from Piazza SS. Apostoli 66 on both Fridays and Saturdays — confirmed on the official visits page. Contact the gallery in advance (+39 06 6784350) for specific requirements. One companion per disabled visitor is admitted free. Some rooms within the palace involve steps; accessibility is partial by the nature of a historic Baroque palace.
What to see at the Colonna Palace
The Great Hall of the Colonna Gallery is 76 metres long — one of the longest private gallery halls in Rome. The vault ceiling carries the fresco of the Battle of Lepanto (1571), commemorating the victory of the Christian fleet led by Marcantonio II Colonna over the Ottoman navy. The paintings along the walls are displayed in the dense Baroque hang in which they were originally installed.
The painting collection numbers over 270 works from the 14th to 18th centuries. The most celebrated is Annibale Carracci’s The Bean Eater (c.1583–1585) — one of the earliest naturalistic genre paintings in Italian art. Works by Tintoretto, Guercino, Bronzino, Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, Rubens, and Gaspard Dughet (whose landscape series fills the Hall of Landscapes) are displayed throughout.
The Pio Pavilion is a connecting wing named for Pope Pius V Ghislieri, whose alliance with the Colonna at Lepanto is the subject of the vault fresco. The rooms hold 17th and 18th-century furniture, tapestries, and further paintings.
The Princess Isabelle Apartment (included in the €25 complete Saturday tour) was home to Princess Isabelle Sursock Colonna until the late 20th century. The rooms retain a domestic character distinct from the formal state rooms of the gallery.
The Colonna Garden on the Quirinal Hill — accessible with the complete tour, weather permitting — is terraced up the Quirinal slope and offers one of the highest vantage points over central Rome.
Practical tips for visiting the Colonna Palace
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| The palace is now open on Fridays too | The official site (updated 20 April 2026) confirms Friday morning guided tours. Most existing guides still describe Saturday-only access — that information is out of date. |
| Friday and Saturday use different entrances | Friday: Piazza SS. Apostoli 66. Saturday: Via della Pilotta 17 (mobility-impaired visitors always from Piazza SS. Apostoli). Arriving at the wrong door means a delay. |
| The complete Saturday tour includes the Princess Isabelle Apartment | Many older guides still list it as a separate €15 add-on. The current complete self-guided ticket (€25) includes the apartment. |
| Audioguide is Saturday only, via QR code | The €5 audioguide (10 languages) is available only on Saturdays. It needs no app and loads offline once opened. Bring earphones. |
| Book in advance | Friday tours are by reservation only. Saturday self-guided visits can be walk-in, but booking is recommended at busy periods and essential for groups. |
Colonna Palace FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Colonna Palace only open on Saturdays? | No longer. Since at least April 2026, the palace has been open on Friday mornings too (guided tours by reservation) as well as Saturday mornings (self-guided or optional guided). Most existing guides are incorrect on this point. |
| What is the Saturday ticket price? | €15 for the short tour (Galleria, Pio Pavilion, gardens); €25 for the complete tour (adds Princess Isabelle Apartment). FAI cardholders pay €20 for the complete tour. |
| What does Friday cost? | €35 for the guided complete tour (approximately 2 hours). FAI cardholders pay €30. |
| Can I visit without a booking on Saturday? | Yes — walk-in tickets can be purchased at the Via della Pilotta 17 ticket office on Saturday mornings. Groups must book in advance. |
| Is the garden always accessible? | The Colonna Garden on the Quirinal Hill is included in the complete tour but subject to weather conditions. |
Things to do near the Colonna Palace
Trajan’s Markets (Museo dei Fori Imperiali) is a 5-minute walk north, on Via IV Novembre. The semicircular brick complex of Trajan’s markets (c.107–110 AD) is one of the best-preserved commercial and administrative buildings of ancient Rome, now a museum covering the Imperial Fora.
Piazza Venezia and the Vittoriano is 3 minutes south — the massive white marble monument to Victor Emmanuel II (1885–1935), also called the Altare della Patria. The free panoramic terrace offers a 360-degree view of Rome.
The Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini) are a 10-minute walk south-west, on the Capitoline Hill. The oldest public museums in the world, founded in 1471, hold the Marcus Aurelius equestrian statue, the Capitoline Wolf, and a significant collection of ancient sculpture.
The Church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli is on the Capitoline Hill adjacent to the Capitoline Museums. The Pinturicchio frescoes in the Bufalini Chapel (1484–1486) make it an important art-historical stop and a direct connection to the Colonna painting collection.
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is 8 minutes north-west along Via del Corso — another major privately owned Baroque palace museum, still occupied by the Doria Pamphilj family. The collection includes Velázquez’s Portrait of Innocent X, Caravaggio’s Rest on the Flight to Egypt, and important works by Raphael and Titian.
Similar private palace museums to visit near Rome
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, Rome is the most comparable experience — another major aristocratic collection in a continuously inhabited palace, open daily. Velázquez, Caravaggio, Titian, and Raphael are represented. Around 10 minutes’ walk north-west.
Palazzo Spada, Rome holds the Galleria Spada with a Cardinal’s private collection, plus Borromini’s famous false-perspective colonnade (the Perspective Gallery). Around 20 minutes’ walk south-west, near Campo de’ Fiori.
Palazzo Barberini (Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica), Rome occupies the most ambitious Baroque palace in Rome — built by Bernini for the Barberini family and now a national museum holding Raphael’s La Fornarina and Caravaggio’s Judith and Holofernes.
Villa Borghese (Galleria Borghese), Rome is the supreme private collection, held in the casino of Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Bernini, Canova, Caravaggio, and Titian are all represented. Timed entry strictly limited; advance booking mandatory. Around 30 minutes from the Colonna Palace.
Palazzo Corsini, Florence holds the Corsini collection of Florentine, Dutch, and Flemish masters in a 17th-century palace, rarely visited despite significant holdings. For the collector of private palace museum experiences.
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- Plan your visit to the Palazzo Altemps in Rome.
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- Why you should take a closer look at the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
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