Open Monuments Weekend in Italy: Private Sites Open for Free

Whether you’re a shoestring traveler or not, “free” is a very appealing word. This is one big reason why the annual “Open Monuments Weekend” in Italy is so worth keeping track of.
Open Monuments Weekend in Italy happens every year on the weekend that falls closest to the first day of spring, and it’s when hundreds of monuments and gardens in Italy that are normally closed to the public are open to visitors. Not only are these usually-private sites made briefly public, giving those who get in that delicious feeling of exclusivity, they’re almost always free.
It’s organized by a group called Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano, or FAI, and in Italian Open Monuments Weekend is known as the Giornate FAI di Primavera. Since the dates vary each year, if you’re determined to take advantage of the sites on this year’s list you need to find out what the current calendar looks like. FAI announces the dates and the list of sites on its website in the weeks before. In 2010 there were nearly 600 sites altogether in locations throughout Italy, from castles and churches to convents and libraries. FAI now runs an autumn edition as well, the Giornate FAI d’Autunno, in October.
>> For more information about Open Monuments Weekend in Italy, check out the FAI website.
>> And here are some other free things to do in Italy, too.
photo by ho visto nina volare