Lame di Puglia tops FAI “Luoghi del cuore” 13th census ranking

The 13th edition of the Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (FAI) “Luoghi del cuore” census is two months old and has already gathered roughly 350 000 votes, of which more than 62 000 were submitted on paper. The provisional national ranking shows the karstic “Lame di Puglia” leading with about 21 900 votes, followed by the “Grotte rupestri di Verzino” in Calabria with 12 028 votes, and the “Convento di Renacavata” near Camerino with 10 321 votes. The top three sites are eligible for FAI grants of €70 000, €60 000 and €50 000 respectively, provided they submit restoration or valorisation projects. Over 1 500 candidate sites from across Italy are competing, and voting remains open until 15 December 2026. The initiative, run in partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo, aims to protect lesser‑known cultural and natural heritage – from coastal ecosystems and medieval abbeys to industrial hangars and historic bridges – by channeling public support into concrete funding programmes.