Saturday, March23 and Sunday, March 24, 2024 mark the return of the annual "FAI Days of Spring" in Lecce, now in their 32nd year. Once again this year, the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI) is offering the opportunity to explore and rediscover, together with the Foundation's volunteers, treasures of history, art and nature throughout Italy, with free-contribution visits to more than 750 places, distributed in 400 Italian cities, many of which are usually inaccessible or little known.
In the province of Lecce, as many as 13 extraordinary openings are planned for this occasion. The municipalities involved include Lecce, Nardò, Castrì di Lecce, Gallipoli, Matino, Tuglie, Sannicola and Carpignano Salentino with the hamlet of Serrano, along with the opening of the Abbey ofSanta Maria di Cerrate, the only FAI Property in Puglia.
The visitable properties proposed by the FAI Delegation of Lecce and the FAI Group Salento Jonico are presented this year through two main itineraries: "FAI...la storia" and "Le vie dell'olio."
The first itinerary offers the opportunity to visit the Church of Saints Niccolò and Cataldo and the Monumental Cemetery in Lecce, as well as the Church of Santa Maria Incoronata and the former Convent of the Scalzi Augustinians in Nardò. Regarding history, it should be recalled that it was the extraordinary reopening of the latter property in Nardò in 1997 that represented the first FAI Day in Salento, marking a significant moment in the enhancement of local heritage.
The second itinerary, "Le vie dell'olio," proposes a series of routes focused on the cultivation of olive trees, from underground oil mills of medieval origin to projects related to the fight against xylella, in order to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the region's environmental heritage, particularly olive trees and oil production.
Among the properties involved in this itinerary, we find the village, church and underground oil mill of San Ligorio in Lecce, the underground oil mill of Castrì di Lecce, the Granafei underground oil mill in Gallipoli, the Marquisate of the "Del Tufo" family and the frescoed stables of their palace in Matino, the Masseria Carignani in Tuglie, the Cooperativa Olearia Sannicolese in Sannicola, the Olivami project and new reforestation in Serrano, hamlet of Carpignano Salentino, and the Campo dei Giganti at the Boncore Village in Nardò.
For more details on all the openings in the province of Lecce, including times and planned initiatives, you can visit the official FAI website
The FAI Spring Days represent an unmissable opportunity to immerse yourself in the history, art and nature of Lecce and Salento, offering an unforgettable experience for both residents and visitors. Don't miss the opportunity to fully experience this wonderful land and book now one of our exclusive vacation homes in Lecce to make your stay even more unforgettable! Discover the beauty of Lecce and Salento with us.
