FAI Spring Days - Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Lamoli
The FAI's extraordinary openings in the heart of the upper Metauro Valley
About FAI Spring Days in Lamoli
A hidden treasure of the upper Metauro Valley
The FAI Spring Days are the flagship event of the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI): every year, for a weekend in March, hundreds of places usually closed or little known are opened to the public throughout Italy. In the Municipality of Borgo Pace, in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, the absolute protagonist is the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo, located in the hamlet of Lamoli, at the foot of the woods of the upper Marche Montefeltro.
The Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo
Founded by Benedictine monks, the abbey is an authentic jewel of Romanesque architecture whose origins date back to between the 7th and 11th centuries. The abbey church has three naves with a suggestive crypt and houses a precious pictorial heritage: a 14th-century frescoed Calvary, 15th-century Umbrian school frescoes depicting Saint Romuald and Saint Julian, and a delicate Madonna breastfeeding the Child. Much of the monastic complex is preserved around the church, now restored and partly adapted as a guesthouse.
The Museum of Natural Colors
In the abbey cloister is the "Delio Bischi" Museum of Natural Colors, founded in 1998 and dedicated to the history of vegetable color and its use before the advent of synthetic pigments in the early 20th century. It is a unique stop of its kind, telling the ancient link between man, dye plants, and art.
What makes the FAI Days in Lamoli special
- Guided tours led by Apprentice Ciceronis, students from the schools of Borgo Pace and Mercatello sul Metauro who become guides of their own heritage for a day.
- Nature excursions in the surroundings, from the fir forest of Fonteabeti to the hermitage of Monte Sant'Antonio.
- The opportunity to discover the creative residence ValdericArte and the village of Lamoli, immersed in the green of the Apennines.
An event that combines art, spirituality, nature, and civic engagement, perfectly in line with the FAI's mission to protect and enhance Italy's landscape and historical-artistic heritage, even in the most secluded areas of the Marche.
FAI Spring Days in Lamoli — edition 2026
For the 2026 edition (the 34th of the FAI Spring Days), the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Lamoli di Borgo Pace offered a rich program of visits and activities on the weekend of March 21 and 22. Guided tours of the abbey, the cloister, and the Museum of Natural Colors were led by Apprentice Ciceronis from local schools, while nature excursions allowed visitors to discover the surrounding landscape. An opportunity to experience one of the most evocative sites in the province of Pesaro and Urbino.
Programme FAI Spring Days in Lamoli 2026
Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2026
Extraordinary openings of the Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo in Lamoli di Borgo Pace for the 34th edition of the FAI Spring Days.
- 10:30 AM - Guided tours of the abbey, cloister, and artworks, led by Apprentice Ciceronis from the "Fabio Bischi" Primary School of Borgo Pace and the Secondary School of Mercatello sul Metauro.
- 2:45 PM - "EREMO" excursion: departure from the Abbey to climb Monte Sant'Antonio to discover the hermitage of the monks of Lamoli.
- 3:00 PM - "AUFFA" excursion: departure from the abbey courtyard towards the fir forest of Fonteabeti, whose timber was once used for the construction of Rome's palaces.
- 5:00 PM - Visit to the ValdericArte creative residence (by reservation).
During the visits, it was possible to admire the cloister, the artworks, the nearby Museum of Natural Colors, and learn more about the Benedictine history of the place.
Highlights FAI Spring Days in Lamoli 2026
Prices FAI Spring Days in Lamoli 2026
Practical information — FAI Spring Days in Lamoli
Location
Abbey of San Michele Arcangelo, Via dell'Abbazia 18, Lamoli hamlet, Borgo Pace (PU), in the upper Metauro Valley.
How to get there
By car from Urbino or Sant'Angelo in Vado following the SS73bis and signs for Borgo Pace and Lamoli. The area is mountainous: private car is recommended. From Rome, the trunks of the fir trees from the Fonteabeti forest were once transported for the construction of the capital's palaces.
Admission
FAI openings are by free contribution; special conditions are reserved for FAI members and those who join on-site. Some excursions and the visit to ValdericArte require booking.
Contacts
Lamoli Abbey Committee: [email protected] - FAI registration and info: fondoambiente.it
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Where does it take place — FAI Spring Days in Lamoli
Abbazia di San Michele Arcangelo a Lamoli
Via dell'Abbazia 18, Lamoli, 61040 Borgo Pace