FAI Spring Days in Comacchio

The FAI Spring Days in Comacchio

The FAI Spring Days are the major public event that every year, since 1993, the FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano dedicates to rediscovering the artistic, historical, and natural heritage of the peninsula. For an entire weekend, thousands of places, often closed or little-known, are opened free to the public throughout Italy. In Comacchio, in the heart of the Po Delta and in the province of Ferrara, the initiative is curated by the FAI Delegation of Ferrara and leads visitors to discover some of the lagoon city's jewels.

Palazzo Bellini, heart of the visit

The protagonist of the Comacchio openings is Palazzo Bellini, which overlooks one of the main waterways in the historic center. In the mid-19th century, Luigi Bellini, from a simple valley boy, became the concessionaire for all fish production in the Comacchio Valleys and in 1865 had the palace bearing his name built, where he established the first large factory for marinated fish production. In 1976, the complex was purchased by the Municipality of Comacchio and, after a major restoration completed in 1986, it became a cultural center housing exhibition halls, the Civic Library, the Historical Archive, and the San Pietro Multipurpose Hall.

The tours and the Apprentice Cic erones

One of the most beloved features of the FAI Days is the role of the Apprentice Cic erones: high school students from the area who, after training, guide visitors and tell the history of the places. In Comacchio, the tours are led by students from the Guido Monaco Institute of Pomposa and the Remo Brindisi Institute of Lido degli Estensi, in a project that combines heritage education and active citizenship.

A heritage spread between water and tradition

The Comacchio opening is part of a broader itinerary that, in various editions, has involved the symbolic places of the city's amphibious culture: from the Manifattura dei Marinati (Marinated Fish Factory) in the Cappuccini district to religious buildings and historic arcades. It is an opportunity to see Comacchio not just as a tourist destination, but as a guardian of ancient knowledge linked to the valleys, eel fishing, and the art of marinating.

• National FAI event, free admission with optional donation
• Guided tours by Apprentice Cic erones students
• Heart of the openings: Palazzo Bellini, the city's cultural center
• Organized by the FAI Delegation of Ferrara

Supporting FAI

Admission is free: at each stop, you can support the Foundation's mission and activities with a donation. FAI members enjoy preferential access and skip the line, and membership can also be arranged on-site, thus contributing to the preservation of Italian heritage.