Experience Castel Sant'Angelo with Dex
The Castel St. Angelo Dex experience is an interactive self-guided tour available exclusively with selected Castel St. Angelo admission tickets booked through Headout.
Put on your earphones and follow a story that unfolds from the ancient ramp up to the terrace, connecting Hadrian’s tomb, the papal apartments, and the bronze archangel with the corridors, cells, and staircases layered between them. Historical and fictional characters lead you through stories of the emperor Hadrian, who built it as a mausoleum; its conversion into a fortress guarding the Tiber; the Passetto di Borgo escape corridor to the Vatican; the popes who sheltered here in 1527; the prisoners held in its cells; and the legend of the archangel Michael that gave it its name, accompanied by original music and immersive sound design.\
How Dex guides you through the castle
- Dex uses your phone’s location to guide you along a recommended route covering the spiral Roman ramp, the courtyard of the Angel, the prison cells, the papal apartments and Sala Paolina, the Passetto, and the upper terrace.
- As you reach each location, it automatically begins the story connected to what you are seeing.
- The route is only the starting point. When a doorway, a fresco, or a fragment of Roman stone catches your attention, pause and ask your Dex guide a question. Photograph a supported fresco, statue, or architectural detail to uncover more about it, open a related story, or return to the route when you are ready.
- Dex also points you towards recommended viewpoints, photo spots, and the terrace views over St. Peter’s, the Tiber, and the angel-lined Ponte Sant’Angelo below. You decide when to pause, where to go deeper, and when to continue.
How Dex differs from an audio guide and a group tour
An audio guide gives you a collection of prepared recordings. Dex builds those stories into a location-aware route, automatically connects them to what is around you, and lets you ask questions or investigate supported objects along the way.
A group tour gives you live interpretation from a human guide while following a scheduled departure, shared route, and group pace.
Dex offers a different experience: a structured tour that you can begin when you choose, pause whenever something interests you, and explore at your own pace. Choose Dex if you want the direction and storytelling of a guided visit with the freedom to explore the castle independently.
Unlock Castel Sant'Angelo Dex
Selected Castel St. Angelo admission tickets booked through Headout unlock the complete Castel St. Angelo Dex experience at no additional cost. It is not available as a standalone purchase or with tickets bought elsewhere.
After booking:
- Download the Dex app.
- Sign in with your Headout details.
- The Castel St. Angelo experience will unlock automatically.