Spring in the Stilt Houses

A dive into prehistory among the stilt houses of Fiavè

Spring in the Stilt Houses is the festival that kicks off the cultural season every year at the Stilt House Museum and the Archeo Natura Park of Fiavè, in the municipality of Fiavè, province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige). Managed by the Superintendency for Cultural Heritage and Activities of the Autonomous Province of Trento, the festival runs from late March to late May with a rich calendar of events dedicated to families, children, and archaeology enthusiasts.

A UNESCO World Heritage site

The Fiavè stilt houses are one of the prehistoric pile-dwelling sites in the Alpine region inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. Excavations, begun in the 1960s by Renato Perini in the Doss-Torbiera area, unearthed one of the best-preserved stilt settlements in Europe, featuring wooden remains of extraordinary importance. The Archeo Natura Park, inaugurated in 2021 and covering approximately 12,000 square meters, reconstructs the Bronze Age environment with stilt huts immersed in the peat bog nature reserve, while the nearby museum preserves and tells the story of the original artifacts.

Workshops, tours, and experimental archaeology

The heart of Spring in the Stilt Houses is demonstrative and experimental archaeology: through hands-on workshops and interactive tours, adults and children experience the daily tasks of prehistory firsthand. Typical festival offerings include:

• Spinning and weaving with the event "From thread to weft: yarns and fabrics in prehistory";
• the Easter Egg Hunt among the stilt houses, the traditional family event at the Archeo Natura Park;
• the guided tour "A day in a stilt house", to relive a day in a prehistoric village;
• the workshop on ceramic production in stilt villages;
• "The prehistoric garden", dedicated to cereals, vegetables, and fruits grown and consumed in Fiavè;
• the family activity "Sweet as honey" and workshops on stone working.

Hours and access

With Spring in the Stilt Houses, the Museum and Park reopen their doors in spring: in the first part of the season, they are open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, before switching to daily opening hours with the arrival of summer. Workshop activities are generally suitable for children aged 6 and up and require mandatory booking. The open-air archaeological area of Doss-Torbiera remains freely accessible at all times.

An experience for the whole family in the Giudicarie

Immersed in the landscape of the Giudicarie Esteriori, between the Comano Valley and Lake Tenno, Fiavè is an ideal destination for a day trip dedicated to culture and nature. Spring in the Stilt Houses transforms the visit to the UNESCO site into an engaging and educational experience, bridging the gap between archaeological research, fun, and discovery.