If you miss the feeling of packing your bags for a weekend getaway, but you can’t go too far, the good news is that this autumn you can unplug again right after summer by exploring Italian territory not too far from home. From September 19 to November 8, 2026 the Monuments Open event returns, the festival that for thirty years has invited the public to discover Italy’s cultural heritage through places that are often little known and typically inaccessible. For the thirtieth-anniversary edition, the journey spans all 20 Italian regions, involving 85 municipalities and 800 monuments, from historic architectures to gardens, from museums to everyday life venues.
What makes the initiative special is also the way these places are told: to accompany visitors are indeed students, volunteers, associations and local communities, protagonists of a narrative that connects memory, territory and new generations.
Monumenti Aperti 2026, dates and cities to discover
The autumn calendar kicks off on September 19 and 20 in Aymavilles, in the Aosta Valley, with the Saint-Léger monumental complex and its early medieval crypt. The 25 September the event arrives in Milan, at the MIND – Milano Innovation District, where students from the Botticino Restoration School will open their workshops to the public.
The 26 September will be Venice’s turn, with the Orto Giardino del Convento del Redentore in the Giudecca, while in the same weekend Gravellona Toce will open the Antiquarium. The journey will continue on October 3 and 4 in Bellinzago Novarese, with the Badia di Dulzago, and on October 10 and 11 in Quartu Sant’Elena and Turin.
Among the October engagements are then Palermo and Ulassai, starring on October 17 and 18 with routes that tell the Kalsa and the relationship between art, territory and memory connected to Maria Lai. On the same days Ferrara will also be involved, celebrating the tenth edition of Monumenti Aperti with openings of places such as the Church of San Carlo, the Basilica of San Francesco, the Alda Costa Elementary School and the Palazzina Marfisa d’Este.
The schedule continues on October 24 and 25 with stops in Trieste, Benevento, Cosenza, Montefano, Treviso and Rome, while October 31 and November 1 will involve Nuoro and Chieti. The final openings are planned for November 7 and 8 in Latronico, Bitonto and Campi Bisenzio.
Info and details about visits
The guiding thread of the thirtieth edition is “Generation Monumenti Aperti. A heritage of culture, connections, memory: a matter of love for our land,” a theme that centers on the relationship between heritage and community and the passing of memory from one generation to the next.
From ancient architectures to contemporary places, the program builds, as noted, a very varied itinerary. In Trieste, for example, it will be possible to enter the Chapel of the Holy Trinity in the Bishop’s Palace, an example of Art Nouveau and Viennese Secession, while in Rome the route leads instead to the Museum of Urban Art on Migrations, born in public space through the stories of the communities.
Visits to the monuments are free, according to the days and times set by the individual territories. For some openings, a reservation may be required: all up-to-date information is available on the official Monumenti Aperti website and on the dedicated app.
