Tthey also decorate for summer 2026 the FAI summer evenings, the calendar of events from mid-June to mid-September transforms some of the most extraordinary places of Italian heritage in scenarios of experiences to be lived slowly. Precisely at the time when the sun slowly descends and gives way to the evening light, a moment when the gardens seem more fragrant, the castles acquire an almost cinematic charm and the great monuments can be discovered without the frenzy of rush hour.
FAI summer evenings 2026: dates, places to visit, gardens and castles
The 2026 edition it involves 30 FAI assets distributed across fifteen Italian regionswith over 350 events that intertwine culture, music, theatre, wellbeing, astronomy and food and wine. The idea is to offer opportunities for discovery that go beyond the traditional guided tour: walks at sunset, concerts surrounded by greenery, open-air cinema, aperitifs in the historic gardens, themed dinners and even yoga sessions surrounded by nature.
Visiting a historic property when evening falls, it means having a completely different experience. The light changes, the noises fade and even the architecture reveals details that risk going unnoticed during the day. A medieval castle lit by candles or a villa overlooking the sea caressed by the last rays of the sun, in fact, they have an almost natural ability to create atmosphere.
A journey through art, nature and small pleasures
Among the new features this year is Villa Rezzola in Lerici, in the province of La Speziaan elegant residence overlooking the famous Gulf of Poets. Here the English garden becomes the stage for guided tours at sunset and tastings dedicated to wines, bitters and iced teas, to be enjoyed on the panoramic terrace. Also the Garden of Kolymbethra, in the heart of the Valley of the Temples of Agrigentowill offer walks among citrus and centuries-old olive trees while listening to live music. Likewise, the Bosco di San Francesco, at the foot of the basilica of Assisiwill be transformed into a place suspended between nature and spirituality, with concerts and evening events immersed in the silence of the forest.
Kolymbethra Garden, Agrigento, at dusk. (Photo Emiliano Merzagora)
Poetry rediscovered emotions
The FAI Summer Evenings program demonstrates how culture can break out of traditional patterns and become an experience to be enjoyed with all the senses. It happens, for example, that it is poetry to open the season with two events dedicated to the word and the voice. In Bergamo, Palazzo Moroni hosts an evening that explores female poetryfrom the Renaissance to the present day, while in Recanati, in the Garden on the Hill of Infinity, the homage to Giacomo Leopardi invites you to rediscover the great author from the Marche through the reading and interpretation of his works.
Theater and music travel together
Alongside literature, theater and music find space, with jazz, opera and swing concertsshows dedicated to popular traditions and performances that combine story and sound. There is no shortage of contemporary artistscalled to dialogue with ancient places and timeless landscapes, creating a fascinating encounter between past and present.
Wellbeing and nature, the luxury of simplicity
Among the most popular proposals of the latest editions are those dedicated to well-being. In outdoor yoga sessions are organized in various FAI propertieswalks at sunset and forest dives, a practice inspired by the Japanese tradition of forest bathingwhich invites you to experience the forest as a space for relaxation and psychophysical regeneration. There Sila Giants nature reservewith its monumental trees, and the Park of Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli these are just some of the places where contact with nature becomes an integral part of the experience.
Villa Gregoriana, Tivoli (RM)
Evenings for the whole family
The calendar pays particular attention even to the little oneswith events designed to turn the discovery of cultural heritage into an adventure. There are bedtime stories read outdoors, walks dedicated to animalsthat populate the woods and historic parks, and the encounters that allow you to closely observe nocturnal birds of prey and small mammals.
Astronomers for a night
Summer nights also become an opportunity to look up at the sky. After the success of past years, in fact, they return the appointments of “Astronomers for a night”with guided observations of the stars and constellations thanks to the presence of astronomy experts and enthusiasts. A simple and engaging way to rediscover the charm of the universeaway from the city lights.
Traditions, flavors and conviviality
An important role is also entrusted to the table, because the Italian heritage inevitably passes through local flavors and traditions. The FAI summer evenings offer medieval dinners, picnic in the historic gardenstastings of wines and typical products, as well as events that tell the story of the gastronomic culture of the territories.
From Puglia to Christ of the Abyss in Liguria
In Puglia, the Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate hosts an event dedicated to the Grika culture, an ancient community of Hellenic origin still present in Salento, with dances, popular songs, stories and traditional recipes. In Liguria. The Abbey of San Fruttuoso it will be the backdrop to the evocative Night of the Christ of the Abyss, when the village lights up with candles and divers reach the famous submerged monument in a procession full of emotion.
FAI summer evenings: a new way to experience Italian heritage
For over fifty years the FAI works to protect and enhance the heritage historical, artistic and landscape of the country. With Sere FAI d’estate this mission takes on an even more engaging form: don’t just conserve places, but make them alivelet people live in them and transform them into meeting spaces. Because a castle, a garden or an ancient abbey are not just monuments to observe, but scenarios in which to build memories.