During the All Saints’ Weekend 2026, leave the routine at home and discover Italy’s treasures of culture and nature. The program is varied, designed for those who love history, but also for those who want to move outdoors.
From Lake Maggiore to the Aspromonte, passing along the Campanian coast and Sardinia, here are the events to put on your calendar.
Visit to the Statue of San Carlo Borromeo in Arona (Piedmont)
Did you know that the designer of the Statue of Liberty, before starting the project, came to Arona to study the San Carlone? The colossal statue, commissioned in the 17th century by Federico Borromeo to celebrate his cousin Carlo and drawn by Giovan Battista Crespi, towers about 35 meters above the Holy Mountain and is among the tallest interior-accessible statues in the world.
Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 PM, before the winter closure, you can explore it with a guided Archeologistics tour. A spiral staircase in the pedestal leads to the terrace at the foot of the saint, from which the first overlook of the lake opens, then a steep sailor’s staircase climbs to the head, where the panorama peeps through the eye holes (along with openings on the back). Tickets from 13 euros (reduced 8), with mandatory reservation.
Special opening of the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso in Leggiuno (Lombardy)
On the Lombard shore of Lake Maggiore, the Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso seems clung to a rock overhanging the water. Its origins date back to the XII century when, according to legend, merchant Alberto Besozzi, saved from a storm, kept his vow made to the saint by retreating to pray in a rock cave on the cliff.
Today the complex gathers three sacred buildings connected by arcades and terraces over the lake, with frescoes spanning from the 14th to the 19th century. Until November 1st it is open in extraordinary mode, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM, with a 5-euro ticket.
Sport and nature in the Aspromonte National Park in Cittanova (Calabria)
For those who prefer spending the long weekend with boots on, October 31 and November 1 the Zomaro plateau, in the heart of the Aspromonte National Park, hosts La Grande Via-Aspromonte X Trail. The routes are two: Epic, a 40-kilometer challenge for seasoned long-distance runners, and Origins, a 10-kilometer course, open to everyone, including those who simply want to stroll through the woods without the clock ticking.
However, the event serves mainly as a great excuse to stay a few extra days in Cittanova and the inland towns, spending the All Saints weekend also savoring local flavors—artisan cheeses, handmade cured meats, extra-virgin olive oil, and countryside dishes.
Miniature Railways in Naples (Campania)
On the outskirts of Naples, along the route of Italy’s first railway, from October 30 to November 1 the National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa hosts the seventh edition of Miniature Railways. Among dioramas and scale models, children can become little conductors and operate the toy trains, while adults can climb into the cab of locomotive E.551.001, opened to the public for the first time. Tickets cost 3 euros and, on Sunday, you can reach from Napoli Centrale aboard the historic Pietrarsa Express. And if after the trains you’re looking for more ideas for the long weekend, take a look at what to do for Halloween 2026 in Italy.
Uànema and the festival of the “other living” in Naples (Campania)
If, after the Pietrarsa trains, you stay in the city, discover Naples in a different way. Here the dead have never really left because they inhabit the tufa quarries, hypogea, and churches, and the city has always welcomed them as “the other living”. From this tradition, Uànema was born, which from October 30 to November 2 returns for its fifth edition with over 30 free events across catacombs, necropolises, and sacred grounds.
On October 31, for example, the evening visit to the Catacombs of San Gennaro is accompanied by the reading of a Leopardi dialogue, while on November 1 the Basilica of San Giovanni Maggiore hosts Amedeo Colella’s performance about the Capuzzella Attilio, blending irony and a irreverent spirit. The most awaited moment, however, is November 2, with the extraordinary nighttime opening of the Fontanelle Cemetery, followed by a marathon of the film Morti fuori orario. Almost all events require reservations.
The Night of the Fucacoste e cocce priatorje in Orsara di Puglia
Let us head to the Monti Dauni in the province of Foggia, where Orsara di Puglia renews the Fucacoste and cocce priatorje, which in the dialect means “bonfires and heads of purgatory”. On the night of November 1, a hundred bonfires light up every corner of the town, while a thousand carved and illuminated pumpkins guide the way for the souls of the departed.
The festival begins already on October 31, with the pumpkin-carving workshop and a nighttime ghost tour through fear-inducing stories linked to the tradition. On All Saints’ Day, after Mass and the blessing of the pumpkins, the town fills with music, culminating in the procession of the hooded figures of the Congregation of the Dead.
Giornate del Romanico in Sardegna
In Sardinia, the long weekend coincides with the final weekend of the Romanesque Days, which open medieval churches in various zones of the island on an extraordinary basis. The most evocative appointment is Saturday, October 31 at 7:00 PM in Quartu Sant’Elena, where the Church of Saint Agatha hosts The Light of the Romanesque, a candlelight concert handed to you at the entrance.
The same evening, in Olbia, the Basilica of San Simplicio resonates with medieval hurdy-gurdy and small organ, while on Sunday Quartu opens five Romanesque churches, with guided tours by archaeologists from the University of Cagliari and itinerant musicians roaming the city. All concerts are free.
Day of the Castles in Lombardy
Sunday, November 1 marks the close of the twelfth edition of the Days of Castles, Palaces and Medieval Towns, the Pianura da Scoprire circuit that brings together 23 locations across the provinces of Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Milan. For the year’s final appointment, the Middle Ages blend with Halloween: at the Visconteo Castle in Trezzo sull’Adda, beyond guided tours with a climb up the tower, you can take part in Magic Halloween and, in the evening, immerse yourself in the horror atmosphere of The Curse of the Witches.
At the Castle of Malpaga, in Cavernago, the frescoed rooms provide the backdrop for The Mysteries of Halloween, while in Solza you return to the fifteenth century among weapons, armor and period costumes. Those who prefer a calmer pace can visit the rooms and the arcade of Palazzo Oldofredi Tadini Botti in Torre Pallavicina. And if you have collected at least 20 stamps on the Castle Passport, by November 15 you can request the board game devoted to Bartolomeo Colleoni.
