L610-ITALIA PAPA CASTEL GANDOLFO

STORY: Pope Leo on Sunday (July 6) travelled to the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, where he will spend a two-week summer break, reviving a centuries-old tradition that had been interrupted by his predecessor.

The Vatican has owned a papal palace in the town, including vast Renaissance-style gardens, since 1596, but Francis, who shunned much of the pomp and privilege of the papacy, chose not to take vacations, spending the summer in his Vatican residence.

In contrast, Leo, who was elected pope on May 8, has decided to take a break during his first summer in office, escaping the heatwave in Rome to enjoy the cooler temperatures in Castel Gandolfo, on the shores of Lake Albano.

Business owners in the town, home to around 8,900 people, hope for a tourism boost during the pope’s stay, which will conclude on July 20. He may also return to the lakeshore for at least one weekend in August.

While Leo is expected to spend most of his holiday out of the public eye, residents and tourists will have the opportunity to see him at religious celebrations on July 13 and 20.