Around 700 noted Italian buildings and historic sites open their doors to the public on the weekend of 26-27 March as part of the annual Spring Days initiative organised by the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI). The sites include rarely-opened palaces, castles, abbeys, libraries, parks, nature trails and gardens in 400 towns and cities across Italy, in what is the 30th edition of the popular event.

Some of the highlights on this year's itinerary include Rome: the Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, or Villa Aurora, the palace with a Caravaggio mural that goes up for auction again on 7 April; and the 16th-century Collegio Romano complex housing Italy's culture ministry which will open the usually inaccessible Spadolini Room and Meteorology Room.