FAI Spring Days: a weekend to discover Italy’s hidden monuments

FAI Spring Days: a weekend to discover Italy’s hidden monuments

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March mark the return of the FAI Spring Days, an event that opens historic and monumental sites usually closed to visitors. The initiative promotes the protection and enjoyment of Italy’s cultural heritage through guided visits, themed routes and landscape itineraries across many cities.

This edition features openings ranging from historic palaces and private gardens to craft workshops and research centres — a chance to experience monuments and public spaces from a fresh perspective.

• What to visit: historic palaces, hidden gardens and botanical parks, artisan workshops, theatres, 20th-century complexes and private collections that rarely open to the public.
• Practical examples (selection):
  • Turin: historic rooms of the Palazzo di Città, the Opificio delle Rosine and the Rai Arturo Toscanini Auditorium.
  • Workshops: the Attrezzeria Rancati near Milan and the Stamperia Pascucci in Romagna.
  • Research centres: the Eucentre Foundation in Pavia and university projects like ChIP in Camerino.
  • Thematic routes dedicated to the 800th anniversary of St Francis, with openings of convents and sanctuaries.
• Outdoor experiences: visits to historic gardens, private woods and bike routes that reveal local landscapes and biodiversity.

Participation and donations: visits are usually supported by voluntary donations; funds collected contribute to conservation, restoration and enhancement projects. Site openings are possible thanks to thousands of volunteers and the participation of secondary school students, the “Apprendisti Ciceroni” (Apprentice Ciceros), who guide the public after a training program.

How to plan your visit: check the complete programme on the event’s official website, verify opening times and access rules, consider booking where required and choose a nearby destination to explore the monumental heritage at a slow pace.

Practical tips:

• Always check the official listings for last-minute changes before you travel.
• Wear comfortable clothing and, if necessary, book in advance for limited-access sites.
• Try connecting multiple locations by bike to turn visits into scenic discovery routes.

Take the opportunity to discover monuments often unseen in everyday life: these days reveal hidden corners and help deepen appreciation for local cultural heritage.