IN ADDITION TO WEARING LARIA THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO ENJOY ITALY WITHOUT TRAVELING!

YOU CAN EXPERIENCE ITALY THROUGH THE VIDEOS AND WEBINARS OF FAI: FONDO AMBIENTE ITALIANO

FAI IS ITALY’S NATIONAL TRUST. FOUNDED IN 1975 BY GIULIA MARIA CRESPI (OWNER OF IL CORRIERE DELLA SERA) IT PRESERVES ITALIAN LANDSCAPES AND HERITAGE DONATED BY PRIVATE OWNERS

THE FIRST LANDSCAPE DONATED TO FAI WAS ‘CALA JUNCO’ ON THE ISLAND OF PANAREA, OVERLOOKING THE ISLANDS OF VULCANO, LIPARI AND SALINA

ONE OF GIULIA CRESPI’S DRIVERS FOR STARTING FAI WAS A PASSION FOR SUSTAINABILITY. IN 1976, SEPARATE FROM FAI, SHE AND HER FAMILY FOUNDED ‘CASCINE ORSINE’ ORGANIC FARM THAT PRODUCES BIODYNAMIC RICE, VEGETABLES AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

THE BEST KNOWN FAI PROPERTY IS PROBABLY VILLA NECCHI-CAMPIGLIO IN MILAN WHICH WAS USED AS THE SETTING FOR THE FILM ‘I AM LOVE’

PORTALUPPI’S PERSPECTIVE DESIGN FOR THE VILLA

THE VILLA WAS WILLED TO FAI BY GIGINA NECCHI (TOGETHER WITH A FINANCIAL ENDOWMENT) IN 2001 AND OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 2008

THE STORY GOES THAT THE NEWLY-WEDS GIGINA NECCHI AND ANGELO CAMPIGLIO CAME OUT OF THE OPERA AT LA SCALA ONE FOGGY WINTER EVENING, LOOKING FOR THEIR CAR AND CHAUFFEUR TO TAKE THEM HOME TO PAVIA

THE FOG WAS SO DENSE THAT THEY GOT LOST IN THE STREETS TO THE EAST OF LA SCALA AROUND PALAZZO SERBELLONI. THERE THEY DISCOVERED A HIDDEN GARDEN THAT HAD A ‘FOR SALE’ SIGN AND THEY RESOLVED TO BUY IT AND BUILD A HOME

PIERO PORTALUPPI’S 1932 DESIGN WAS THE LAST WORD IN 1930S CHIC. IT HAD A TENNIS COURT AND HEATED SWIMMING POOL HIDDEN IN A CITY OASIS

THE COUPLE LIVED IN THE VILLA WITH GIGINA’S UNMARRIED SISTER NEDDA

AFTER THE WAR THEY RE-DECORATED THE INTERIORS WITH ANTIQUES TO MAKE IT COSIER THAN THE ORIGINAL 30S FURNITURE

WHEN FAI ACQUIRED THE VILLA THE ART DEALER CLAUDIA GIAN FERRARI OFFERED HER PERSONAL COLLECTION OF 1920S AND 30S ITALIAN ART AS A GIFT TO COMPLEMENT THE INTERIORS. WORKS INCLUDE PAINTINGS BY SIRONI, DONGHI AND DE CHIRICO AS WELL AS SCULPTURES BY MARTINI AND WILD

ARTURO MARTINI

ADOLFO WILD

FAI’S PROPERTIES ALSO INCLUDE QUIRKY THINGS LIKE A TRAM-STOP AND A PUBLIC REST-ROOM AS WELL AS GRAND CASTLES, VILLAS AND LANDSCAPES

CASTELLO DI AVIO OVERLOOKING LAGO DI GARDA

ONE OF FAI’S NEWEST PROJECTS CONTINUES GIULIA CRESPI’S INTEREST IN SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT

CLOSE TO THE HOME OF LARIA, ON THE PROMONTORY OF PUNTA MESCO BETWEEN LEVANTO AND MONTEROSSO, ‘PODERE CASE LOVARA’ IS 45 HECTARES OF TERRACED OLIVE GROVES AND WOODS. VISITORS CAN STAY OVERNIGHT AND DISCOVER WHAT SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION MEANS ‘ON THE GROUND’ IN THE CINQUE TERRE

WHY NOT DISCOVER ITALY VIA FAI’S NEXT WEBINAR? IT WILL BE ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 1, AT 7 PM ROME TIME: https://uk.fai-international.org