Florence, Fiesole, Verona, Monselice, Padua, Venice

9-12 October 2026

Italy has a privileged space in the lives and careers of Aino, Alvar and Elissa Aalto. In October 1924, Aino and Alvar chose Italy for their honeymoon, largely following an itinerary that Aino had already experienced three years earlier after graduating in architecture. The young couple left Helsinki on their way to Italy on 8th October 1924 via Tallinn, Vienna and Innsbruck. Their Italian itinerary ended in Venice on 30th October 1924, the main places visited being Verona, Padova, Firenze, but mostly Venice.

This travel has been most influential in their lives and careers and was a solid ground for a successful network with Italian avant garde architects. From this  comes the “Aino & Alvar Aalto Honeymoon Route”, promoted by Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, with Alvar Aalto Foundation and the Aalto Family and supported by a large partnership.

The second edition (9–12 October 2026) opens an exciting new chapter in this “route of memory” designing a slightly different itinerary and adding new focusing on Aino Marsio-Aalto’s travels to Italy from 1921 to 1924.

What kind of Italy did Aino and Alvar Aalto encounter during these formative years? Through seminars, readings and guided tours in historic cities and landscape, the programme invites participants to rediscover the country as it appeared a century ago.

Also, the 2026 programme takes on a strong symbolic significance, as it marks ninety years since Aino’s success as head of Artek, crowned by the Gold Medal at the 1936 Triennale, and fifty years since Alvar’s death.

Participants may either book the complete bus tour from Florence to Venice (25-30 places) or attend selected individual events.

See full programme (PDF): Aino and Alvar Aalto Honeymoon_Locandina Program_A4_2026-07-22

More information: aaltoitalia100@gmail.com

Booking: Fill in registration form