FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano – is planning fun day outings to some of the sites it administers, in celebration of Pasquetta, Easter Monday, a national holiday in Italy when it’s popular to spend a day out, complete with a picnic.
FAI is a national, not-for-profit trust set up in 1975, committed to saving, restoring and making accessible to the public the numerous fine examples of Italy's artistic and natural heritage.
Here are three ideas from north to south to celebrate Pasquetta.
Medieval Castle of Avio (Trentino)
Don’t miss the chance to have an Easter picnic inside the majestic walls of the Castello di Avio, a medieval castle in the northern region of Trentino. Tables will be set up around the castle spaces, including at the foot of the fortified tower or in the meadow in front of the sumptuous Baronial Palace. This is a family-friendly event as there will be a fun and informative treasure hunt for kids with anecdotes about the history of the castle. In the afternoon, there will be musical entertainment for all, as well as ‘colomba’, the typical Easter cake, served with hot tea.
Villa Gregoriana Park, Tivoli (Rome)
Good food, the outdoors, a bit of history, friends and family: this is the idea behind Easter Monday at the romantic Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli. The park, located at the feet of the city's ancient acropolis, was commissioned by Pope Gregory XVI in 1835 to rebuild the bed of the Aniene River, which had been damaged by a flood a few years earlier. Roman ruins, caves, the gorge carved by the river Aniene, pristine nature will contribute to a relaxing day ideal to welcome spring. It will be possible to buy a food basket for a fun picnic in the woods with local products from the Aniene Valley.
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento (Sicily)
A walk in the magnificent Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, followed by a visit to the Garden of Kolymbethra, near the Temple of the Dioscuri, where, accompanied by FAI guides, you can learn about the ancient citrus grove and smell the zagara, the local orange trees in full bloom. It will also be possible to visit the ancient springs of Akragas and one of the Phaeacian Aqueducts, the hypogeum Kolymbethra-Porta Quinta, accompanied by expert speleologists. Just beyond the garden is the Tempio di Vulcano, where the view over the Hill of the Temples is breathtaking. For lunch, you can book a picnic basket, or bring your own food from home and enjoy it surrounded by orange trees.
For more info, click here.
