Italy’s most fragile territories — its inland areas and urban peripheries — are at the heart of the latest initiatives supported by Italian Places I Love. Twenty new projects across 11 regions, from north to south, will receive financial support from FAI, in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo.

Each edition of Italian Places I Love – the biennial programme dedicated to places not to be forgotten, promoted by FAI in partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo – is structured in two phases. The initial survey phase is followed by a call for proposals, which allows restoration and enhancement projects to be submitted for sites that have reached a minimum threshold of 2,500 votes.

While the survey focuses on raising awareness among local communities—where vote collection often becomes a powerful tool for social cohesion—the call offers the opportunity to secure financial support for projects capable of delivering tangible, long-term impact on the most-voted sites.

At the 12th edition of the survey, which concluded on 12 June 2025, 221 places had surpassed the minimum voting threshold. Of these, 115 projects were submitted for funding from 17 regions—a highly significant number, involving more than half of the eligible sites. This reflects both a widespread need for financial resources across Italy and the extent to which participation in the survey encourages the development of concrete, locally driven projects.

Regardless of the number of votes received, the selected projects stand out for the quality of their proposals, their ability to engage communities, and their potential for long-term impact. The 20 selected projects across 11 regions are rooted in their local contexts and shaped in close collaboration with communities—often in some of the country’s most vulnerable areas.

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Inland Areas and Urban Peripheries

Among the Italian Places I Love supported by the call, 18 are located far from Italy’s major urban centres: small municipalities and hamlets, often in inland or mountainous and isolated areas, as well as peripheral locations—even within large cities.

Through the FAI survey, citizens give voice to their calls for protection and enhancement of these places, as demonstrated by the passion and civic commitment of the hundreds of local committees involved in each edition.

The 20 projects focus on stories and traditions at risk of disappearing, as well as landscapes and natural environments that deserve protection. For many of these places, participation in the FAI programme—and the awarding of funding—represents a concrete opportunity, and sometimes the only one, for recovery or revitalisation.

This initial support often becomes the starting point for broader local development, helping to attract further resources, build expertise, strengthen community spirit and even generate new local economies.

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Discover the winners of the 2025 Call:
https://fondoambiente.it/il-fai/grandi-campagne/i-luoghi-del-cuore/progetto/vincitori-bando-2025/

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Since 2003, a total of 180 projects have been supported—initiatives that have demonstrated their ability to generate long-term impact, from fostering sustainable and regenerative tourism to strengthening the resilience of local communities.

The next Italian Places I Love survey will launch on 12 May 2026.

You too will have the opportunity to vote for your favourite Italian Place I Love!