After the whirlwind of his election and a nonstop round of public and private meetings ever since, Pope Leo XIV has chosen to take some time to rest and recharge. Choosing where to take his vacation was a simple decision.

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AP) — Pope Leo XIV arrived in the papal summer retreat of Castel Gandolfo on Sunday to start a six-week vacation, giving the hilltop town back its most illustrious resident after Pope Francis stayed away during his 12-year pontificate.

The area around Lake Albano has been a favourite getaway for Roman rulers since the time of the Emperor Domitian in the first century. In the 17th century, it became the favoured summer retreat of the Vatican leaders.