La Dolce Vita: Explore Italy with Your National Trust Membership
Are you planning an Italian getaway this summer? Thanks to our partnership with the International National Trusts Organisation, members of the National Trust for Canada get access to historic sites owned by Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI) across Italy.
Founded in 1975, FAI has been taking care of Italy’s special places for future and present generations. Today, they manage over 60 historic sites across Italy. From 1930s homes to the world’s smallest theatre, and everything in-between, explore “the Boot” from North to South with your National Trust for Canada membership.
Villa Necchi Campiglio, Milan
Exterior of Villa Necchi Campiglio. Photo by: arenaimmagini.it (2014) © FAI.jpg
In Milan’s bustling fashion district, you will find this 1930s gem suspended in time. Designed by Piero Portaluppi, the Villa Necchi Campiglio was built with hard-working people in mind, while also prioritizing spaces where one could enjoy free time in the company of guests and friends. Surrounded by gardens and featuring deco furnishings, artworks from Picasso and Matisse, and luxurious and modern features like lifts and walled cellars, the Villa Necchi Campiglio invites you to lose yourself in the glamour of Milan’s interwar years.
Villa del Balbianello, Lake Como
Photo by: Alessio Mesiano, 2010 © FAI.jpg
Perched on the shores of the idyllic Lake Como, this elegant and romantic 18th century mansion is sure to delight. Though you may recognize it from blockbuster movies like Casino Royale (2006) or Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), this villa is also famous for its last owner, Guido Monzino, who explored remote regions like the North Pole and was the first Italian to climb Mount Everest. Relics from Monzino’s travels across the world are displayed in the Museum of Expeditions. Take in panoramic views of Lake Como and explore the famous terraced gardens.
Villa del Babianello from above. Photo by: Alessio Mesiano, 2010 © FAI.jpg
Teatrino di Vetriano, Vetriano
The stage at Teatro di Vetriano. Photo by: THINKlab, 2013 © FAI.jpg
A small theatre with a big history, Teatrino di Vetriano was originally constructed as a barn before being transformed into a theatre by locals in the late 19th century. By the 1890s, productions of works in verse and musical comedies, many of which were written and acted by locals, were being performed. Often, locals had to bring their own chairs to attend a performance, and it soon became a dramatic hub for the area. It also holds the Guinness record for smallest theatre in the world and continues to put on productions to a maximum audience of 85.
Costumes on stage. Photo by: Paolo Barcucci, 2015 © FAI.JPG
Casa Noha, Matera
View of Matera. Photo by: arenaimmagini.it, 2014 © FAI
Known as the gateway to Matera, historic Casa Noha features stone walls, vaulted ceilings and delicate carving and is a prime example of the residential architecture of the Sassi – ancient cave dwellings in Matera that have been inhabited since the Paleolithic. The ancient town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Home to a multimedia journey, Casa Noha shares the story of the Matera from many perspectives, offering visitors a complete reconstruction of the history of the city.
