For FAI’s 50th anniversary, 750 sites of history, art, and nature in 400 locations welcomed hundreds of thousands of people on the weekend of March 22nd and 23rd during the FAI Spring Days, the most important public event dedicated to the cultural and landscape heritage of our country.

On Saturday, March 22nd and Sunday, March 23rd, over 400,000 passionate visitors chose to take part in the 33rd edition of the FAI Spring Days, the most important public event dedicated to our country’s cultural and landscape heritage.

A joyful start to spring that has been celebrated since 1993, and this year, despite the bad weather that affected several regions of Italy, saw hundreds of thousands of people taking this opportunity to discover, in both large cities and small villages, 750 places of art, culture, and nature in 400 locations—many of which are unusual, normally inaccessible, or little-known—opened for the occasion thanks to the dedication and enthusiasm of volunteers from 350 FAI Delegations and Groups active across all regions, and the “Apprendisti Ciceroni” (Apprentice Guides), students—tomorrow’s citizens—specially trained to tell the wonders of their territory. A valuable opportunity for cultural growth and sharing, which FAI creates thanks to the help of vounteers, with the aim of telling and enhancing the often-hidden treasures of our heritage, promoting knowledge, care, and protection, and thus strengthening our identity as Italian and European citizens.

Among the many participants in the FAI Spring Days was the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, who visited Palazzo Clerici in Milan and praised the initiative: “The FAI Days have great educational significance, involving many students as ‘narrators.’ Students have the opportunity to engage and experience an event that helps raise their awareness of the beauty of our cultural heritage, understand its value, and enhance their civic sense. Due to the importance of the work carried out by FAI, we have signed a specific protocol, and we will organize more initiatives together.”

The most visited site was the Certosa di Parma, with a tie for second place between Palazzo Clerici in Milan and the Schilizzi Mausoleum in Naples. Third place went to Villa Il Vascello in Rome, fourth place to Porta Nuova and the Cavallerizza of Palazzo dei Normanni at the Military Army Command “Sicily” in Palermo, while the fifth spot was taken by the second floor of Palazzo Reale – The Prince’s Apartment in Turin.

The FAI Properties regularly open to the public also participated in the great celebration of the Spring Days, welcoming thousands of visitors. The most visited was Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan, followed by Villa dei Vescovi in Luvigliano di Torreglia (PD) in second place, Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli (RM) in third, Palazzo Moroni in Bergamo in fourth, and the Memoriale Brion in Altivole (TV) in fifth.

These sites, visited by thousands of people over two days, reflect an Italy that identifies with its heritage of history, art, and nature and sees the FAI Spring Days as a valuable opportunity for cultural growth.