FAI Spring Days
A weekend to discover the hidden places of Macerata with FAI
About FAI Spring Days Macerata
The FAI Spring Days in Macerata
The FAI Spring Days represent the most important national event dedicated to the protection and enhancement of Italy's artistic, historical, and landscape heritage. Organized by the FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano since 1993, every year they transform an entire spring weekend into a great widespread celebration of culture, with the extraordinary opening of hundreds of places normally closed or little known throughout Italy.
In the Municipality of Macerata, the provincial capital of the Marche region, the event is curated by the FAI Marche Delegation and offers a journey that reveals the most intimate and secret face of the city, usually hidden from visitors.
Places to Visit
The heart of the Macerata openings revolves around some of the city's symbolic monuments:
- Sferisterio Arena: the protagonist with a evocative and unprecedented "backstage", dedicated to the hidden areas and behind-the-scenes of the most famous open-air theatre in the Marche, home to the renowned Macerata Opera Festival.
- Lauro Rossi Theatre: the historic Italian-style theatre opens its halls with an itinerary that allows visitors to discover not only the architecture but also the spaces normally off-limits during performances, such as the stage, corridors, and preparation areas.
- Basilica of the Madonna della Misericordia: a symbolic journey into the "Mater Misericordiae" of Macerata, discovering the artistic and devotional treasures of the sanctuary.
The initiative also extends to the rest of the province, with openings in Camerino (the ChIP research center of the University of Camerino and the Archbishop's Palace), Recanati (the Persiani Theatre and the Garden on the Hill of the Infinite), and Montecosaro.
The Apprentice Ciceros
One of the most appreciated features of the FAI Days is the role of the Apprentice Ciceros: high school students from the area who, after training, guide the public by illustrating the history and curiosities of the places visited. In Macerata and its province, hundreds of young people from local institutes are involved in an experience that combines heritage education and active citizenship.
An Experience for Everyone
Visits are by free contribution: a small gesture of support that allows FAI to continue its mission of protection. The event, eagerly awaited every spring, is a unique opportunity to rediscover the cultural identity of Macerata and the Marche through places that can rarely be visited.
FAI Spring Days Macerata — edition 2026
2026 Edition: The XXXIV National Edition
The 2026 edition of the FAI Spring Days, the thirty-fourth at the national level, was held on Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22. In Macerata, the program offered an unprecedented tour of some of the city's most representative places.
The absolute protagonist was the Sferisterio Arena, with a "backstage" dedicated to the usually hidden areas of the open-air theatre. The Lauro Rossi Theatre opened its stage, corridors, and preparation areas, while the Basilica of the Madonna della Misericordia offered the symbolic journey "Inedita Misericordia".
The visits, with free contribution, were accompanied by the Apprentice Ciceros, students from Macerata and its province's high schools. The initiative also extended to Camerino, Recanati, and Montecosaro.
Programme FAI Spring Days Macerata 2026
Places Open in Macerata
- Sferisterio Arena - visit to the backstage and hidden areas of the open-air theatre
- Lauro Rossi Theatre - stage, corridors, and preparation areas
- Basilica of the Madonna della Misericordia - "Inedita Misericordia: Symbolic Journey into the Mater Misericordiae" tour
In the Province
- Camerino: ChIP - Unicam Research Center and Archbishop's Palace
- Recanati: Persiani Theatre and Garden on the Hill of the Infinite
- Montecosaro: churches and Augustinian Garden
Opening hours: Saturday, March 21 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM; Sunday, March 22 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Highlights FAI Spring Days Macerata 2026
- Exclusive backstage of the Sferisterio Arena
- Unprecedented tour of the Lauro Rossi Theatre
- Over 400 Apprentice Ciceros as guides
- Free contribution visits
Prices FAI Spring Days Macerata 2026
Practical information — FAI Spring Days Macerata
How to get there
Macerata can be reached by car from the A14 motorway (Civitanova Marche exit) and the SS77 dual carriageway. Macerata train station is connected to the Civitanova Marche-Albacina line. The historic center, where the opening sites are located, is largely pedestrianized: it is advisable to use the car parks near the walls.
Opening hours and admission
Openings generally take place on Saturday afternoons and Sundays (morning and afternoon). Visits are by free contribution, with a suggested donation to FAI. It is advisable to consult the official website www.giornatefai.it for updated opening hours for each location and any reservation procedures.
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Where does it take place — FAI Spring Days Macerata
Arena Sferisterio, Teatro Lauro Rossi, Basilica della Madonna della Misericordia