The most beautiful country in the world

FAI, the National Trust for Italy, takes us on a journey through Italy to the places of most intense and poignant beauty. The battles the institution has fought in order to create “a better Italy”, and the story of the many places it has saved and protected, now means that those with sensitivity and a sense of responsibility can enjoy the art and scenic treasures that it has opened for us. The places range from the abbey in San Fruttuoso in Liguria to the Castle of Masino in Piedmont, from the forest of Saint Francis in Umbria to the Kolymbethra garden in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, along with dozens of others. Alberto Saibene, a historian of culture, writes about it in Il Paese più bello del mondo (“The most beautiful country in the world”), UTET, illustrating the accomplishments of the founders of FAI, Giulia Maria Crespi, Renato Bazzoni and Antonio Cederna, Alberto Predieri, and Franco Russoli, who were inspired by Elena Croce. The story takes us on the long journey from 1975 to the current chairmanship of Andrea Carandini and the general management of Marco Magnifico. Into a world of culture and civilisation that safeguards memories with an eye to the future. The beauty of Italy is a precious legacy to hand down to the generations of the future. Il Paese più bello del mondo. Il FAI e la sfida per un'Italia migliore Alberto Saibene UTET, 2019