This weekend — Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October — Italy opens more than 700 historic buildings, gardens, and private sites to visitors as part of the annual Giornate FAI d’Autunno. Organised by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), Italy’s national heritage foundation, the event covers 350 towns and cities across the country.
What Is the Giornate FAI d’Autunno?
The FAI autumn open days run every October and give the public access to places that are either closed year-round, accessible only by private arrangement, or simply overlooked by mainstream tourism. The programme includes palaces, monastery libraries, industrial heritage buildings, research laboratories, private gardens, and aristocratic residences.
Entry is at a free-will contribution, typically a few euros, which goes directly to FAI’s conservation work. Visits are guided and often led by trained volunteers who can answer questions about each property’s history.
The 2026 edition carries a theme of Made in Italy, with a dedicated strand of visits to craft workshops, manufacturing sites, and studios that form the backbone of Italian artisanal production. These are among the most unusual inclusions in this year’s programme.
Highlights by Region
Rome offers guided access to several sites not routinely open: Villa Blanc, the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, Borgo di Ostia Antica, Villa Altieri, and Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli are all confirmed for the weekend.
Milan includes Palazzo Cusani, the Fondazione Renzo Piano, Dolce and Gabbana Casa, Museo Kartell, and the Santuario di Santa Maria Assunta. The Stellantis Heritage Hub in Turin is also participating this year.
Tuscany sees 30 village locations and historic centres open across the region, covering a range of small towns that rarely feature in standard tourist itineraries.
Liguria adds convents, coastal villages, and research centres to the list.
Planning a Visit
The full list of participating sites and reservation requirements is published on the FAI website at fondoambiente.it. Some properties require advance reservation and fill quickly; others operate on a first-come basis. Arrival times are staggered to manage crowd flow.
Not all sites are open on both days, so checking individual listings before travelling is worthwhile. Many smaller towns pair well with a broader day trip, especially in Tuscany, Liguria, and the Veneto where multiple sites cluster within easy driving distance.
Autumn is one of Italy’s most rewarding travel seasons. Temperatures are comfortable, summer crowds have gone, and the combination of harvest festivals, food fairs, and cultural events running through October makes the timing particularly good. See our guide to things to do in Italy and our itineraries for ideas on how to build a trip around this weekend.