On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March 2026, the FAI Spring Days return, the great national event dedicated to the discovery and enhancement of Italy's cultural and landscape heritage. Now in its 34th edition, the initiative promoted by FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano represents one of the most anticipated events for citizens and enthusiasts of art, history, and nature.
In the first weekend of spring, hundreds of thousands of visitors will have the opportunity to access, with a free contribution, places often little known or normally closed to the public: historic villas, castles, churches, institutional buildings, gardens, artisan workshops, theaters, production sites, and natural areas distributed throughout the Peninsula.
The FAI Spring Days are not only an opportunity to visit extraordinary places but also an invitation to rediscover the heritage that characterizes Italian cities and territories. The initiative, in fact, was born with the aim of promoting the knowledge, care, and protection of cultural and environmental assets, in line with the educational mission that the Foundation has been pursuing for over fifty years.
Participating in the event also means concretely supporting the activities of FAI: during the visits, it will be possible to contribute with a donation to the protection and enhancement of Italy's heritage.
Among the new features of the 2026 edition is a special selection of openings dedicated to the memory of Saint Francis of Assisi, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of his death, with initiatives designed to enhance the figure and the spiritual and cultural legacy of the patron saint of Italy.
A story spanning over thirty years
The FAI Spring Days were born in 1993 with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of safeguarding Italy's historical, artistic, and natural heritage. Since then, the event has grown to become a true national celebration of widespread culture.
During the weekends dedicated to the initiative, places of great value that are often little accessible are opened and narrated to the public: historic palaces, institutional headquarters, churches, gardens, villages, minor museums, theaters, ancient hospitals, barracks, stadiums, and sites of industrial archaeology.
Over the years, there have been exceptional openings of great appeal, such as Gallinara Island in Albenga, the Rai headquarters in Milan, Palazzo Chigi in Rome, the former Buoncammino prison in Cagliari – which in 2015 recorded a record of 28,000 visitors in two days – the Varignano Fortress in Portovenere, the Lantern of Montorsoli and the crypt of the Cathedral in Messina, Bisentina Island on Lake Bolsena, or the Medici Castle of Melegnano.
From 1993 to today, the FAI Spring Days have involved over 15 million visitors and more than 13,000 volunteers, numbers that testify to the success and cultural impact of the event.
The role of volunteers and communities
The organization of the event each year is made possible primarily by the commitment of volunteers from the Delegations and FAI Groups present in all Italian regions. With the support of the Foundation's headquarters, volunteers select the places to open to the public and collaborate with institutions, entities, and private owners to make normally inaccessible spaces accessible.
The work of the FAI Delegations translates into a large collective project that involves local communities, schools, associations, and public administrations.
The FAI Spring Days also take place under the patronage of Italian and European institutions and thanks to the collaboration with numerous national entities and associations, in addition to the contribution of companies that support the event.
A collective commitment that, year after year, transforms the beginning of spring into a great celebration dedicated to the discovery, memory, and protection of Italy's cultural heritage.
