'Domenica al Museo': the unmissable

A truly unrepeatable opportunity for those visiting Italy, especially for art and culture enthusiasts. We are talking about ‘Domenica al Museo’ (Sunday at the Museum), the ministerial initiative that, for several years now, allows free entry to all museums and archaeological sites on the first Sunday of each month.
 

Here are the must-visit places from north to south according to Audiogiro!

Giorgio Franchetti Gallery at Ca' d'Oro in Venice

Let's start with Venice and one of its most representative buildings, Ca’ d'Oro. Located in the Cannaregio district and overlooking the Grand Canal, the palace gets its name from the fact that some parts of the facade were originally covered in gold. Acquired by Baron Giorgio Franchetti in the late 19th century, it underwent a significant philological restoration and was donated to the Italian State in 1916 by the baron himself, after being restored to its original splendor. The Gallery houses Franchetti's collection, including sculptures, bronzes, paintings, as well as wooden furnishings and textile artifacts.

If you want to learn more, you can listen to Audiogiro's dedicated audio guides at this link.

Royal Museums of Turin

Located in the heart of the ancient city, the Royal Museums offer visitors a vast itinerary of artistic and historical evidence, ranging from prehistory to modern times. Particularly noteworthy are the Chapel of the Holy Shroud, a splendid example of Baroque architecture designed by Guarino Guarini in the late 17th century, and the Sabauda Gallery, which preserves masterpieces from major European schools of painting.

The complex is extensive and includes various buildings, in addition to the Royal Gardens, which also explains the entrance fee (€15 per person) on other days of the year.

Uffizi Galleries in Florence

With a full-price entrance fee of €25, the Uffizi Galleries in Florence are one of the world's most famous museum spaces, thanks to extraordinary collections of paintings and ancient statues, containing some absolute masterpieces of art throughout history. In particular, we recommend visiting the exhibition ‘Divina Simulacra’, open until June 30, as mentioned in this article.

If you want to immerse yourself in the stories of our guides on Audiogiro, click here.

Archaeological park of the Colosseum in Rome

One of the most visited sites in the world and the first in Italy: the archaeological park of the Colosseum in Rome encompasses a vast area, including that of the Roman Forum and the Palatine, with some of the most important archaeological evidence of the history of Western civilization, from the end of the Bronze Age to the present day. A tip: given the large turnout, book your visit in advance... and enjoy the mild temperatures of this season!

Royal Palace of Caserta

The Royal Palace of Caserta is a must-visit for those in the area: however, be aware of the large crowds. Here too, entrances during the first Sunday of the month are limited by the number of visitors and time slots. It is advisable to purchase tickets online in advance. The building includes numerous rooms, in addition to the Royal Park, such as ceremonial halls, apartments, and libraries. The Court Theater is also of great significance, a scale reproduction of the San Carlo in Naples, with five orders of boxes and a sumptuous royal box.

Pompeii and Hercolaneum

Finally, we conclude our tour with two archaeological areas of extraordinary importance. We are, of course, talking about Pompeii and Herculaneum, Roman cities sadly preserved by history due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, which completely buried them. These spaces, requiring more than one visit and several hours of walking, vividly portray the organization of Roman cities, daily life, and its inhabitants.

Our recommendations end here, but as always, your journey has just begun: here you can find the complete list of all openings, updated in real time by the Peripheral Institutes of the Ministry of Culture. Happy Sunday at the Museum!