FAI Spring Days in Catania: here are the 21 secret places of the city presented by the students "Aspiranti Ciceroni"

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 21, and Sunday, March 22, the FAI Spring Days return, and for the Catania area, it is an edition not to be missed: 21 places to visit for free, distributed between the city of Catania and the municipalities of Acireale, Giarre, Mascalucia, Mineo, Misterbianco, and Piedimonte Etneo. This edition, the 34th, is built around five thematic "intertwining" that tell the story of the territory through noble palaces, historic churches, ancient residences, and institutions often inaccessible to the general public. 

And we host on these pages the presentation of the FAI locations made by young students from the secondary schools of Catania and province who have become, for the occasion, Aspiring Ciceroni, to guide the public in discovering the artistic and natural sites of our territory.

Among the most anticipated openings is that of the Crypt of the Bellini Garden (entrance from via Etnea 292): an area usually closed to the public, immersed in stone, which will be open for visits on both days from 9 AM to 1 PM and from 3 PM to 6 PM, for groups of a maximum of 20 people. The same formula applies to the Balneum in Piazza Dante (no. 21), a Roman thermal complex — from the 2nd to the 3rd century AD — which will be open during the same time slots.

Also of great interest is the opening of the Bank of Italy Palace (Piazza della Repubblica 49), which will make available to visitors areas normally closed to the public, with short videos on the history of currency in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. On Saturday afternoon, at 4:30 PM, a guided tour for blind and visually impaired people is scheduled, in collaboration with the Italian Union of the Blind of Catania, which will conclude with a concert by the students of the Angelo Musco musical high school.

The Museum of Knowledge and Sicilian Wonders (Piazza Università 2), which collects the scientific and cultural heritage of the Catania university, will offer tools for a multisensory experience of the rooms. The Palazzo delle Finanze (Piazza Vincenzo Bellini 5) will instead open with a new path titled "The Palace that Protects: A Journey into the Logistics of Security," which will take visitors behind the scenes of the Technical Logistics Service of the State Police, with continuous hours on Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM. The halls and terraces of the Archbishopric can also be visited, only during the time slot 9:00 AM/1:00 PM.

Among the curiosities, the Church of S. Martino ai Bianchi (Via Vittorio Emanuele II 189) will provide access to the Hall of Governors, a space that, before its current use, hosted the Albergo del Leon d'Oro: here Johann Wolfgang von Goethe stayed during his trip to Italy.

In Catania, you can also visit the Church of Sant’Agata al Borgo, the Salesian House, the Church of Santa Maria dell’Ogninella, and the Fineco Center, formerly Villa Bonajuto.

This edition marks an important step forward in terms of accessibility: the FAI Delegation of Catania has strengthened its collaboration with the Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired and with the Association of Hearing-Impaired Families of Etna. At some sites, inclusive paths and LIS interpreters will be available — at the Archbishop's Palace, for example, visits with sign language translation are guaranteed from 10 AM to 12 PM on both days.

Outside the capital, notable sites include Villa Fiamingo, an ancient villa in the Macchia area of Giarre, the Borgopetra of Mascalucia (with visits available in English, French, German, Spanish, and Russian), the Castle of Serravalle in Mineo, a medieval private property, and the Church of Campanarazzu in Misterbianco, which remained buried for centuries under the lava flows of Etna. Finally, in Piedimonte Etneo, the Palazzo Voces opens, featuring the valuable frescoes by the painter Giuseppe Sciuti, recently restored by the Zappalà family.

In Acireale, the Palazzo Martino Fiorini will be open, showcasing beautiful Pompeian frescoes, the Bishop's Seminary, the Diocesan Museum, the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio, and the Santa Tecla Water Consortium.

Visits are free and open to everyone; FAI members have the right to priority lanes. For the Fineco Center ex Villa Bonajuto, the opening is reserved for members only and will take place exclusively on Friday, March 20th in the afternoon.

Here are all the student presentations: