FAI Spring Days in Sicily: special openings on 21–22 March 2026

FAI Spring Days in Sicily: special openings

On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March 2026 the FAI Spring Days return, offering unique access to historic and monumental sites. In Sicily, dozens of locations will open to the public with voluntary contributions, organized thanks to local volunteers.

Main sites open in Sicily

• Porta Nuova and Royal Stables – Palermo: monumental triumphal architecture with exceptional access to terraces and the Garibaldi Hall. The event features accessible visits, virtual tours, tactile models and materials for visitors with visual and mobility impairments.
• Cryptoporticus of Giardino Bellini – Catania: an underground space usually closed to the public, opened for an immersive route through the 19th-century garden’s hidden architecture and memory.
• Benedictine Monastery San Placido Calonerò – Messina: recently restored complex with late-Renaissance cloisters, chapels and underground rooms, offering views over the Strait and surrounding countryside.
• Rock Church of the Crucifix – Lentini (Syracuse): a key rupestrian site with multiple decorative phases and a significant Marian iconographic program.
• Palazzo Moncada – Caltanissetta: special opening to admire the architectural and decorative features of this historic palace.

Why attend

The FAI Spring Days are a chance to visit normally inaccessible or lesser-known monuments while supporting conservation and restoration projects. Contributions and donations collected during the event fund the foundation’s preservation activities.

Practical information

• When: 21–22 March 2026, openings typically from 09:00 (times vary by site).
• Price: free entry with voluntary contribution; some tours may require booking or have limited spaces.
• Accessibility: many visits include measures to facilitate access for people with reduced mobility; check site-specific details.
• How to participate: consult the local FAI program or the regional delegations for schedules, meeting points and reservation procedures where needed.

This edition also highlights recent restorations and projects supported by European funding; several openings are the result of conservation work just completed. Use the FAI Spring Days to rediscover Sicily’s monuments through guided tours and inclusive activities.