Papal Palace Tickets and Tours in Avignon

Far from the glamour of other French cities such as Lyon or Paris, Avignon shines with its own light. Located in southeastern France, in the Provence region, this medieval jewel continues to dazzle its hundreds of thousands of visitors. Located a few meters from the Rhone River, the Papal Palace is the center of the city.

Visiting the Palace of the Popes is undoubtedly one of the visits you cannot miss. Over the centuries, this palace has been home to 9 different popes, as well as priceless frescoes and sublime architecture. In this article I will tell you all about how to visit this incredible place, which was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

The most practical option

Avignon Palais des Papes Tickets

A visit inside the Papal Palace of Avignon, including its halls and galleries.

You will tour the largest Gothic building in the world, immerse yourself in a dreamlike atmosphere and understand how people lived during the 14th century thanks to an augmented reality tablet that faithfully reconstructs the building as it was centuries ago.

From $16 at Hellotickets

Buying your tickets to the Papal Palace of Avignon will allow you to know in depth this Gothic building and all the history that lies within its walls. In addition, you can enjoy a stroll through its splendid gardens and, if you choose the option, enjoy a truly fascinating sound and light show.

Recommended if... you are traveling with children, since waiting in a long line to enter an attraction can be a headache and, in addition, with the entrance ticket the little ones will be able to carry out an interactive treasure hunt.

Tickets to this incredible Gothic-medieval monument start at 17 euros per person. They can be purchased very easily online, thus saving you from unnecessary queues and you can start enjoying all the majesty of the palace right away. Of course, you can also combine the entrance to the palace with tickets to the famous Avignon Bridge or the Papal Gardens, options more than recommended.

While the entrance to the Palace of the Popes in Avignon is a single ticket, you can purchase it in conjunction with tickets to the beautiful Papal Gardens or the Avignon Bridge. If you choose tickets to two or three of these attractions, you can even get a better price. The ticket includes a histopad with 7 languages available, including English, which will be your guide throughout your visit and will allow you to learn all the details of this wonderful place.

All these tickets, purchased online, will save you from having to wait in endless lines at the box office of the palace. This is ideal if you are traveling with children, since for the little ones the wait can be too tedious and they can easily get irritated, thus spoiling the visit.

Yes, as in almost all major cities, Avignon also has its City Pass, and among the attractions included is the Papal Palace, since it is the best kept treasure of the city. If you opt for this tourist pass you will save on the cost of admission, although the savings for this attraction itself is not significant. The Avignon Pass is more convenient if you plan to visit a lot of attractions in a few days.

The Palace of the Popes is included in all the best tours of Avignon, as it is a national jewel, and a World Heritage Site.

There are guided tours inside the palace, to discover all the history behind this stone colossus, which has been home to 9 Popes and papal seat. Although the visit can be very interesting, when you buy the ticket for the Palace of the Popes of Avignon, a histopad is included, with which you can get to know and learn as you go through the palace, so, in my opinion, the guided tour is only recommended if you do not get along well with technology, or if you are one of those who prefer a guide of flesh and blood.

The histopad has a geolocation system that detects each room you enter, so it is very easy to manage during the tour of the palace. Thanks to its animated maps you can orient yourself and organize your visit. It also indicates which other rooms are nearby.

The palace offers discounted tickets, however it is worth saying that the prices are indeed very affordable, especially considering what we will see on our visit. The Papal Palace offers discounted tickets for:

• Students with some kind of certificate (currently in effect).
• Persons with a disability of at least 80%.
• Children under 17 years of age.
• Seniors over 60 with ID.

You can even ask about discounts for large families. All this information can also be found on the official website.

Yes, children between 8 and 17 years old pay a reduced admission fee of about 10 euros, and children under 8 years old do not pay admission. If you are traveling with children, the Palace of the Popes of Avignon is a place that will fascinate them. During your visit you can see medieval objects and enjoy a stroll through its beautiful gardens and huge halls and courtyards.

It is always a good idea to tell them a story that took place in the place (you can even invent names and details to add an extra dose of adventure and excitement). Another detail to take into account is that the palace can be perfectly toured with a baby carriage, and there are benches to sit and take a break in almost every room.

The histopad offers an interactive treasure hunt for children. Through an animation on the screen, each room shows a virtual object where a coin is hidden with the parents' mark on it. One more option to bring the little ones closer to the wonderful world of French history.

It is always preferable to buy your tickets online, since you save queues, you don't waste time and you can consult and plan your visit in advance. This is definitely one of the attractions that you must visit if you are visiting Avignon for 2 days, as there is no better place to learn about the past of the city. Centuries of history have passed within its stone walls.

When you buy your tickets online you can also read the comments of other travelers, as they often allow you to find out details that are worthwhile.

The opening hours of the Papal Palace of Avignon are modified depending on the time of the year you decide to visit. Here are the opening and closing times from January to December:

• Between January 1 and February 3 it is open every day between 10 am and 5 pm.
• Between February 4 and February 28 it is open every day between 10 am and 6 pm.
• Between March 1 and November 5 it is open every day between 9am and 7pm.
• Between November 6 and December 22 it is open every day between 10am and 5pm.
• Between December 23 and December 31 it is open every day between 10 am and 6 pm.

Please note that entrance is allowed until 1 hour before closing time.

The time needed to tour this amazing palace will depend on the type of visit you wish to make. Keep in mind that the place has 25 halls open to the public, a lot of frescoes, beautiful courtyards and gardens, 5 cathedrals, and much more. In general you can do the whole tour in about 90 minutes, but I assure you that it is worth taking the time to enjoy it to the fullest.

There are many attractions of this medieval palace, and the histopad allows you to know in detail every corner. In addition, if you are an architecture enthusiast, you can find endless treasures both inside and outside the palace. The frescoes inside the palace are mostly the work of two of the most renowned masters of the Sienese school: Simone Martini and Matteo Giovanetti.

It is always a good time to visit this palace, but I recommend avoiding the colder winter months, as you will not be able to enjoy its gardens or inner courtyards as much as in the warmer months. From April to September you will find pleasant temperatures, and you will be able to visit not only the palace but the whole city without any problems.

Although, of course, if you are passing through Avignon in winter, I advise you to book a ticket for the Papal Palace anyway. Of course, bring some warm clothes, especially for a walk in the gardens. Always check what the weather will be like in Avignon, so you can better organize your visit.

There is no one in Avignon who does not know where the Papal Palace is, as it is its most precious building. Being in the center of the city, next to the mythical Pont d'Avignon, almost on the banks of the Rhone, there are many ways to get here. Depending on where you are you can opt for the train, the nearest station is the Gare d'Avignon Centre.

The bus is also a good way to get here, lines 11 and 20 are the closest. And, of course, you can also take a cab, Uber or Lyft. From the Avignon TGV station to the Palace, for example, it's about 4 kilometers, so you can even go on foot, while enjoying a stroll through this charming city.

The whole building itself is not to be missed, but I must say that the Grande Chapelle is one of the most incredible places for architecture lovers, its dimensions and its exceptional presence make it one of the must-sees of the palace.

Also, another thing you can not miss on your visit is the collection of frescoes, most of which correspond to the fourteenth century. You can't miss the room with the portraits of the 9 Popes who resided in the palace, an important part of the history of the place.

• The Papal Palace of Avignon is one of the key points of the city, to visit it I recommend you to take the time to discover its corners full of history.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, as there are about 25 halls, courtyards, gardens, chapels and so on to visit.
• Another tip I can give you is to buy your tickets online, so you will avoid queues and delays.
• The entire tour can be done in about 90 minutes, although it is always better to take a moment in each space to appreciate its architecture, furniture and all the details included in the histopad.
• If you are passionate about architecture or history, I recommend you to read a little about the palace, so you can enrich your visit even more.
• If you are only visiting Avignon for 3 days, you must visit this jewel of medieval gothic architecture. The palace has been used since the beginning of the 20th century as a space for exhibitions, both of ancient and contemporary art.
• Before your visit you can check the palace's website to see what exhibitions or shows are currently available, so in addition to all the history of the place, you can enjoy the best of art.

After visiting this amazing palace, you can learn a little more about the region in one of the highly recommended day trips in Provence from Avignon, a unique experience that will allow you to discover all the appeal of one of the most beautiful areas in the south of France.

Built in the 14th century by order of Pope John XXII, the monumental palace was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995, and is considered one of the finest examples of international Gothic architecture. Throughout its history it was used as the seat for the election of Popes Benedict XII, Clement VI, Innocent VI, Urban V, Gregory XI and Benedict XIII.

In 1305, the papal curia left Rome and settled in the city of Avignon. The construction of the Palace was carried out in two phases and was one of the most expensive works for the time, since it consumed a large part of the papal income. It is composed of the Palais Vieux (Old Palace) and Palais Neuf (New Palace). You can see the ancient walls that protected the city from possible attacks.

Today, the Palace of the Popes has become the main attraction of the city; its halls, original furniture, 14th century frescoes, chapels, courtyards and gardens are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world.