Palazzi Aperti

Palazzi Aperti: The hidden heritage of Trentino

Palazzi Aperti is one of the most anticipated cultural events of the Trentino autumn. Each year, during the first weekends of September, the initiative opens the doors of historic palaces, private homes, churches, courtyards, towers, and locations normally closed to the public, spread across more than fifty municipalities in the Autonomous Province of Trento, in the heart of Trentino-Alto Adige. Coordinated by the Municipality of Trento through its Culture, Tourism, and Events Department, the festival was established in the mid-2000s and has now surpassed twenty editions, becoming an unmissable appointment for those who love the history, art, and secret atmosphere of the region.

A journey through art and memory

The core of the event consists of guided tours and theatrical tours, designed to bring the sites opened for the occasion to life in a vivid and engaging way. Each edition revolves around a theme that ties the various events together: from Roman domus in the underground city to the lives of Trentino artists between the 19th and 20th centuries. In Trento, the program focuses on iconic landmarks of the capital, allowing visitors to discover little-known corners or places usually closed to the public.

• The most secret areas of the Castello del Buonconsiglio
• The funerary art of the Monumental Cemetery
• The Baroque architecture of Palazzo Trentini
• Historic city-center churches and their decorations
• The 1940s atmosphere of the Palazzo delle Poste
• The air-raid shelters used by the population during World War II

A festival spread across the territory

Beyond Trento, Palazzi Aperti involves dozens of municipalities scattered throughout Trentino, from the Non and Sole Valleys to the Vallagarina and Valsugana areas. Each municipality offers its own program of openings and tours, transforming the entire province into a vast open-air museum. It is the ideal opportunity to combine the discovery of artistic and architectural heritage with a weekend dedicated to slow tourism among villages, castles, and alpine landscapes.

How to participate

Tours generally take place on Saturday and Sunday over two weekends. Booking is mandatory for most appointments and is managed through the local Tourist Boards. A symbolic contribution is required for guided tours. The detailed program for Trento and the more than fifty participating municipalities is published on the official website in the weeks leading up to the event.