Monumenti Aperti turns 30: over 800 sites open across 18 Italian regions

Monumenti Aperti celebrates 30 years

From 18 April to 8 November 2026, Monumenti Aperti comes back to promote discovery of Italy's monumental heritage. This year the programme includes more than 800 sites across 85 municipalities in 18 regions, with a widespread schedule of free or publicly accessible openings and events.

Programme and main stops

The season begins in April in Cagliari, where the initiative started in 1997, and continues through spring, summer and autumn. Sardinia is particularly involved (over 60 participating towns). Notable sites and stops include:

• Valle d'Aosta: the crypt of Saint-Léger in Aymavilles;
• Sicily: several monumental venues in Palermo and events in Syracuse;
• Openings across regions including Ferrara, Turin, Rome, Venice and Milan;
• Highlighted venues: the Tuvixeddu Punic necropolis in Cagliari, the Cappella dei Mercanti in Turin, the Teatro Marrucino in Chieti, the Palazzina Marfisa d'Este in Ferrara and Villa Rendano in Cosenza;
• Natural settings: the Pollino National Park, where landscape and contemporary art dialogue within the project.

Projects and accessibility

Alongside guided tours, the programme features strands focused on accessibility, music and education. Key initiatives include:

• Culture without Barriers: dedicated routes and free services to improve access for people with disabilities, including mapping of accessibility levels and involvement of volunteer guides with disabilities;
• Monuments in Music & Performance: artistic and musical activities staged inside the open sites, often involving schools and local groups;
• Educational activities for children, families and students to foster engagement with local heritage.

Organisation and figures

The national coordination is managed by the original association behind the project. Since its 1997 debut the initiative has grown nationwide, engaging communities, schools and volunteers: to date it has recorded more than 4.2 million guided visits and benefited from the contribution of thousands of students and volunteers. Monumenti Aperti has been recognised with national and European awards for its work in education and heritage awareness.

Practical information

Check local organisers and municipal listings for the full calendar, opening hours and booking rules. Many events are free, while some special activities may require prior reservation.

Monumenti Aperti offers a chance to visit lesser-known or usually closed sites, supporting local stewardship of monuments and encouraging communities to share their cultural stories.