Hortus at the Garden on the Hill of the Infinite
A day among crops, stories, and monastic traditions on the Leopardi Hill
About Hortus
Hortus, the secret garden of the Hill of the Infinite
Every spring, the Garden on the Hill of the Infinite, a FAI property in Recanati, province of Macerata, opens its doors for Hortus, a special day dedicated to rediscovering the lesser-known aspects of conventual life. We are in the heart of the Marche region, on the hill that inspired Giacomo Leopardi's verses for 'L'Infinito', a stone's throw from his birthplace: a place of silence, spirituality, and beauty where history can be felt among the plants and ancient walls.
The life of the Poor Clares at the Monastery of Santo Stefano
The common thread of Hortus is the daily life of the Poor Clares who inhabited the sixteenth-century Monastery of Santo Stefano. The day invites visitors to immerse themselves in a world of simple, skilled gestures: from the care of the garden, where vegetables, fruit trees, aromatic herbs, and medicinal plants useful to the religious community were grown, to the ancient weaving techniques and the music that, since the Middle Ages, marked the rhythm of life in the convent.
Guided tours, meetings, and concerts
The program alternates themed guided tours, titled 'Life in the Convent: Memories and Tales of Ordinary Simplicity', with meetings with experts dedicated to botany, nutraceuticals, and popular and monastic weaving. There are also chamber vocal concerts, featuring music composed by nuns from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century, capable of recreating the serene atmosphere of the cloisters. To complete the day, a small market with local exhibitors:
- seedlings and cuttings, aromatic herbs
- natural cosmetics, essential oils, and herbal teas
- herbal distillates and flours
- baked goods and traditional artisanal products
An event by FAI
Hortus is organized by the FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (Italian National Trust) with the patronage of the Municipality of Recanati, and is part of the initiatives that promote this property so closely linked to the cultural identity of the Marche region. It is a perfect opportunity for those who love historic gardens, the history of popular traditions, and the poetry of Leopardi's places, to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace on a spring Sunday.
Hortus — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Hortus offered a journey through history, nature, and spirituality on the Hill of the Infinite in Recanati. This year's theme focused on the daily life of the Poor Clares of the Monastery of Santo Stefano, from gardening to ancient weaving techniques, and the music that marked convent life. The day featured guided tours, meetings with scholars, and chamber vocal concerts, accompanied by a market with local exhibitors offering plants, herbs, natural cosmetics, and traditional products.
Programme Hortus 2026
Sunday, May 3, 2026 (10 AM - 7 PM)
- 11:00 AM — Meeting 'An ancient apple variety as a source of nutraceuticals' with Filippo Magi, Professor of Pharmaceutical Biology at the University of Camerino (focus on the pink apple of the Sibillini Mountains)
- 11:00 AM — Guided tour 'Life in the Convent: Memories and Tales of Ordinary Simplicity', by the FAI staff, inspired by the Memorial of the Sacred Monastery of Santo Stefano
- 12:00 PM — Chamber vocal concerts 'Gloria Dei. Music from the Monasteries', by the Maja Ensemble conducted by Maestro Fabio D'Orazio, featuring compositions by nuns from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth century (including Hildegarde von Bingen)
- 3:00 PM — Guided tour 'Life in the Convent' (repeat)
- 3:30 PM — Vocal concerts 'Gloria Dei' (repeat)
- 4:00 PM — Meeting 'Popular and Monastic Weaving Between History and Tradition' with Maria Giovanna Varagona, curator of the Weaving Museums
- 5:00 PM — Guided tour 'Life in the Convent' (repeat)
- 5:30 PM — Vocal concerts 'Gloria Dei' (repeat)
Throughout the day, a market with local exhibitors: seedlings and cuttings, cosmetics, essential oils, herbal teas, distillates, flours, and traditional artisanal products.
Highlights Hortus 2026
Prices Hortus 2026
Practical information — Hortus
Where
Garden on the Hill of the Infinite, Via Monte Tabor 2, 62019 Recanati (MC), next to the birthplace of Giacomo Leopardi.
How to get there
By car: A14 motorway exit Loreto-Porto Recanati, then take the dual carriageway towards Recanati. By train: Recanati or Loreto station, with bus connections to the historic center. The hill is reachable on foot from the city center.
Tickets
Admission: 7 euros full price, 5 euros FAI members. Admission with special tours: 20 euros full price, 10 euros FAI members, 15 euros reduced (Recanati residents, ages 6-18, students ages 19-25), 10 euros disabled, 45 euros family (2 adults and children ages 6-18). Free for children under 5.
Contacts
Tel. +39 071 4604521 - [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Hortus
Orto sul Colle dell'Infinito
Via Monte Tabor, 2, 62019 Recanati