FAI's story begins with an ancient Roman tower in the middle of a pristine forest 25 miles from Milan; a group of respected art historians asked FAI to help rescue it. Giulia Maria Crespi stepped in, bought the tower, and donated it to the foundation...

Today, FAI has a number of properties, located throughout Italy's regions. Every one of these properties is a gem, each in its own way, charming, unique, and different from the others.

FAI's mission is to preserve its properties as monuments to the past, available to the general public. In fact, once a FAI property has been restore, it is opened to the public for regular visiting hours. Each property comes alive in many and varied ways: we offer guided tours as well as an array of cultural events. In a way, we feel that not only are we making magnificent buildings available to the public; we are bringing a welcome breath of life back into venerable homes that were, for too many years, abandoned to decay and solitude.

In that spirit, FAI also makes our properties available to responsible parties; it is possible to rent a FAI property for private events, from cocktail parties to dinner parties, meetings, and conferences. This is an exclusive opportunity that FAI provide to its friends for experiencing Italy's heritage in a unique and unforgettable way. Friends of FAI can host their own partners, friends, and families in a unique setting, while helping the foundation to achieve its stated goals.