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DISCOVER ITALY

How to see Italy’s ‘hidden’ cultural sites for free this weekend

This Saturday and Sunday, Italy will grant free access to a range of sites usually closed to the public. Here's how to take advantage of the scheme - and what to prioritise seeing.

Published: 11 October 2022 16:52 CEST
Updated: 14 October 2022 09:01 CEST
Members of the public will have free access to a range of cultural sites in Italy this weekend.
Members of the public will have free access to a range of cultural sites in Italy this weekend. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP.

More than 700 of Italy’s historic and cultural sites will open to visitors for free this weekend – October 15th and 16th – thanks to the Giornate FAI d’Autunno, or ‘FAI Autumn days’ programme organised by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano, a cultural heritage society similar to Britain’s National Trust.

Many of the participating sites, including villas, castles, churches, abbeys, parks, and theatres, are not usually open to the public or are otherwise difficult to visit.

READ ALSO: Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit in October

The guided visits will be led by FAI youth members; entry is free but donations are encouraged.

For some of the more popular sites, you’ll need to book in advance; for others you simply show up at the meeting point (though it’s worth arriving in good time to secure a place). Instructions for visiting each site are provided on the FAI website.

You can view participating sites by region or search FAI’s map to see which places are opening closest to you, but the range of options can still be overwhelming.

With that in mind, here are some of the top sites that FAI itself has singled out as being particularly worth visiting if you live in or near any of the Italian cities listed below:

Rome

The Corsie Sistine or ‘Sistene Wards’, sometimes referred to as the ‘Second Sistine Chapel’ for their sumptuous Renaissance frescoes, are part of Europe’s  oldest still-functioning hospital, which dates back to 727 AD. No booking is required, but only FAI members can visit on the Saturday (the complex is open to all members of the public on Sunday; if you want to visit on the Saturday, FAI is currently offering a discount for new members).

Milan

Places for Palazzo Dotti are now booked out online, but a limited number of spots are reserved for those who come on the day. This 18th century building, whose origins date back to the 1500s, currently houses Milan’s prefettura, or prefect’s office. Visitors to this well-preserved former aristocratic residence will be rewarded with the sight of early frescoes by the neoclassical painter Andrea Appiani.

READ ALSO: Seven reasons autumn is the best time to visit Italy

Florence

Villa Favard – both the one in the city centre and the one out in Rovezzano – are recommended as top sites to visit this weekend, with neither requiring advance booking. The two villas date back to the 19th and 13th centuries respectively, with the latter located in the large grounds of what is now a public park, though the villa itself is usually closed to visitors.

Venice

First built in the early 12th century as a convent and variously used over the centuries as a navy and artillery barracks, the Convent of San Francesco della Vigna has served as the headquarters of the Institute of Ecumenical Studies since 1989. Its grounds contain the oldest vineyard in Venice, and the site overlooks Venice’s northern lagoon. No need to book in advance; entry is first come, first served.

TRAVEL: Eight of the best destinations for an autumn break in Italy

Turin

A more modern recommendation than those listed above, FAI’s top pick for Turin is the economics and law library at Turin University’s Luigi Einaudi Campus, inaugurated in 2012. Designed by British modernist architect Norman Foster, it has been recognised as one of the 10 most spectacular modern university buildings in the world. The library is open to the public on both Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th, with no advance booking required.

Palermo

Overlooking Palermo’s lively Ballarò market sits the colourful dome of the Church of Carmine Maggiore, a 17th century baroque structure with a 13th century Carmelite chapel. Visitors will be able to climb the bell tower for free, with no advance booking required – FAI’s summary does note that the tour involves a climb of 100 steps up a spiral stairwell, so this isn’t suitable for those suffering from vertigo or heart disease.

Naples 

At 33,000sqm, the ‘monastic citadel’ of Suor Orsola Benincasa is one of the largest architectural complexes in Naples, but is still situated within the confines of the city’s historic centre, at the foot of Castel Sant’Elmo. Housing seven buildings, the site is also contains the Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Italy’s oldest free university that, like the complex itself, is named after the 16th century Neapolitan mystic. No booking required.

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FOOD AND DRINK

15 typical Roman foods you need to try at least once

Rome’s 2,000-year-old food scene has something to make everyone’s taste buds tingle. So what are the typical dishes you really must try?

Published: 20 June 2024 15:20 CEST
15 typical Roman foods you need to try at least once

It almost goes without saying that Italy is a very regional country when it comes to food. From pesto in Liguria to tortellini in Emilia Romagna, Italy is chock-a-block with regional specialities. Rome, and wider Lazio, are no different. 

If you try a carbonara in Lombardy, you’ll more than likely be told by the Laziali (people from Lazio) that you haven’t tried a real one. This is the same for most regions in Italy. 

READ ALSO: Seven surprising Italian food rules foreigners fall foul of

While breakfast in Rome is made up of coffee and some form of cornetto, there are plenty of specialties to try and things to know, such as pork being as abundant as vegetables, or the two popular types of artichoke you’ll want to try.

A carby affair

Pasta reigns supreme in Italy, but Rome has its fair share of options. The city’s key four pasta dishes are: cacio e pepe, amatriciana, gricia, and carbonara.

Word of advice, skip the restaurants that include cream and ham in their carbonara; if they’re getting that wrong, imagine what else they’re getting wrong.

The traditional Roman carbonara is supposed to be a blend of guanciale (pork cheek), eggs, and pecorino. There are lots of legends as to where carbonara came from, but the most well-known is that it was invented during World War Two when Americans came to Italy during the liberation of Rome. Legend has it that the Italians supplied the eggs and the Americans the guanciale.

READ ALSO: Do Italians really eat pasta every day?

Amatriciana is a bit more tomato-based. Originating from a Lazio town named Amatrice, the guanciale-tomato blend of this pasta dish is a firm favourite. It is known locally as ‘matriciana.

Cacio e pepe is perhaps the most simple in terms of taste but not necessarily in terms of preparation. The dish only includes pecorino and black pepper, but the right technique is needed to make the sauce perfectly creamy.

Then there’s pasta alla gricia. This is said to be the ancestor of Amatriciana, as it doesn’t have the tomato base, but some say it’s the ancestor of all four of the pasta dishes, cacio e pepe included. 

Spaghetti alla carbonara being prepared. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP.

Gnocchi Thursdays

A special mention goes to gnocchi, the potatoey pasta. Romans have gnocchi Thursdays, and you’ll see many tavole calde (a type of Italian diner) serving it up.

The common custom is due to eating a high-calorie meal before Friday, which according to Catholic tradition is the day to abstain from meat or fast.

The quinto quarto

Most parts of an animal is eaten in Rome. Dishes with the quinto quarto, or fifth quarter, can be seen on most menus. It just means offal and no organ goes to waste. Tripe (trippa) is a popular meal, as is oxtail (coda alla vaccinara) . It’s also not uncommon to see tongues or brains on the menu. 

READ ALSO: The essential vocabulary you’ll need to dine out in Italy

If offal is not your thing, there are meat options without it. For example, saltimbocca alla romana which is veal wrapped in prosciutto, flavoured with sage and cooked in butter and wine. Lamb is also another rustic delight as is often on menus as abbacchio alla cacciatora. 

Is it all meat?

Strictly speaking, no, although it’s hard to come by a traditional meatless option for a second course in Rome. Artichokes are extremely popular here with carciofi alla giudia and carciofi alla romana being the favourite two.

Carciofi alla giudia (Roman-Jewish artichokes) are entirely fried twice making them crisp and then sprinkled with salt. Carciofi alla romana (Roman artichokes) are braised and seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley and garlic.

Though not strictly from Lazio, friarielli, a type of leafy green, is also a popular topping on pizzas and a constant side dish.

Artichokes are used frequently in Roman cuisine. Photo by JOEL SAGET / AFP.

Street food galore

Rome is pretty big on street food and fried fare. Supplì, little balls of stuffed rice bread-crumbed and fried are beloved. They’re usually filled with mincemeat and mozzarella. If you buy one, see if you can make a cheese bridge also known as supplì al telefono. 

READ MORE: Do Italians really hate all spicy food? 

Pizza cut into square slices is also very common. This is known as pizza al taglio. The dough is thin and crisp, which is very common for Roman pizzas even if you get a circular, whole one. They are the opposite of pizzas from Naples.

For the sweet tooth

Lastly, what is a guide to food without a bit of sugar at the end? Light, sweet, cream-filled buns named maritozzi are the go-to in Rome. They can be enjoyed any time of day. 

If you’d prefer something cooling, other than gelato, try grattachecca, an iced drink full of flavour and occasionally topped with fruit. Lemon and cherry are popular favourites.

Do you have another favourite Roman dish or a story about trying one? Let us know in the comments below.

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