Botanic Suspiria The Night of the Living Garden

On Saturday 31 October 2026, the Botanic Garden of Pavia takes on the mysterious atmosphere of Halloween and opens its gates for an afternoon and evening of nature, science, play and magic. Botanic Suspiria – La notte dell'Orto vivente (The Night of the Living Garden) is a full day of events that begin at 3:00 pm and run late into the night: from a quest for young wizards and witches to find the ingredients of the Tremarella Potion, to visits to the Germplasm Bank, from the Lombard pumpkins of the ZuccaLO project to theatre among the trees of the arboretum, and finally a guided night visit at the witching hour.

At a glance

Botanic Suspiria takes place on Saturday 31 October 2026 at the University of Pavia Botanic Garden, Via Sant'Epifanio 18, with activities from 3:00 pm until late in the evening and two exhibitions open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission to the Garden is paid, while the activities on the programme are free of charge. Places are limited for the workshops, guided tours, theatre performance, book presentation and night visit, and booking is required through the online forms published on the Botanic Garden's website.

Halloween in Pavia among plants, pumpkins and botanical curiosities

For one evening, the University of Pavia's botanic garden, a historic place for botanical research and public outreach in the heart of the city, changes its face. The programme is designed for different audiences: children aged 6 to 12 have a team game of their own, while adults and young people from the age of 12, if accompanied, can choose between themed tours, meetings with experts, theatre and an evening route that shows the Garden in a completely new light. The common thread is the pumpkin, a symbol of Halloween but also a part of our biodiversity heritage, at the centre of exhibitions, talks and a project to protect Lombard varieties.

The programme for Saturday 31 October

Magia in Orto for young wizards and witches (3:00 pm and 4:45 pm)

Children and young people aged 6 to 12 are invited to Magia in Orto – Halloween 2026 (Magic in the Garden), a game run by ADMaiora and held in two sessions, at 3:00 pm and 4:45 pm. Young wizards and witches must find the ingredients to brew the astonishing Tremarella Potion and so save the Garden from chaos, discovering plants and secrets of the grounds along the way. Online booking is required, with a separate form for each session.

Pumpkins, the ZuccaLO project and the Germplasm Bank (from 3:00 pm)

From 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm the ZuccaLO project station, run by the Botanic Garden's Germplasm Bank, is open to visitors. The project, devoted to the characterisation, conservation and propagation of Lombard pumpkin varieties, aims to protect native genetic resources and to promote the biodiversity of the pumpkins traditionally grown across Lombardy. Those who want to see up close where seeds are kept can join the guided tours of the Germplasm Bank at 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm, with online booking.

Themed guided tours (4:30 pm)

At 4:30 pm the themed guided tours of the Botanic Garden begin. Each lasts about one hour and booking is required, subject to availability. There are four tours to choose from: "Tutti i frutti!" (All the Fruits!), with Francesco Bracco of the Friends of the Botanic Garden Association; "Zucche & Company" (Pumpkins & Company), with Nicola Ardenghi, curator of the Botanic Garden; "Orto marcio" (The Rotten Garden), with Margherita Tognela and Francesco Ferrari of the Network of Lombardy Botanical Gardens; and "Piante mortali… o quasi!" (Deadly Plants… or Almost!), with Emanuela Martino, lecturer in Pharmaceutical Botany at the University of Pavia.

"Bargniff. Fuga dall'Orto": theatre in the arboretum (6:30 pm)

As evening falls, the arboretum becomes a stage with "Bargniff. Fuga dall'Orto" (Bargniff. Escape from the Garden), a tour with theatrical performance by the company Tra il Dito e la Luna, from an idea by Paola De Bartolo, featuring Enrico Cabua, Mattia Cortesi, Paola De Bartolo, Gerardo Innarella, Beatrice Rizzolo and Ludovica Taurisano. The event lasts about one hour and booking is required, subject to availability.

"La scienza? Un gioco da ragazze… pavesi!" (9:00 pm)

At 9:00 pm comes the presentation of the book "La scienza? Un gioco da ragazze… pavesi!" (Science? A Game for Girls… from Pavia!) by Ilaria Canobbio (Univers, 2026), with playful audience participation. The event lasts about an hour and a quarter and booking is required, subject to availability.

The Night of the Living Garden: guided visit at the witching hour (10:30 pm)

The most eagerly awaited moment is the guided visit at 10:30 pm, which gives the day its name. For the first time since the Botanic Garden reopened after the restoration works funded by Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), it will be possible to visit it at night, guided by the director and the head gardener, in an unusual and atmospheric guise. What surprises will the darkness hold? Booking is required, subject to availability; warm, comfortable clothing is recommended for the evening walk.

Exhibitions set up for the occasion

From 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, two exhibitions created for Halloween are open to visitors. The first is dedicated to pumpkins of different species and cultivated varieties grown in the Garden. The second is the exhibition "Legni nostrani, pregiati, proibiti. La biodiversità attraverso il legno" (Native, Precious, Forbidden Woods: Biodiversity Through Wood), curated by the Educational and Outreach Centre of the Bosco Siro Negri Nature Reserve and housed near the Tropical Greenhouse.

Waiting for Halloween: Wednesday 28 October in the Library

The Halloween calendar starts a few days earlier. On Wednesday 28 October 2026, in the Library of the Pavia Botanic Garden, a pumpkin-themed watercolour course with Daniela Passuello runs from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm (information and bookings on 339 8726275), while at 3:00 pm there is a guided tour of the exhibition of pumpkin-themed books, with bookings by email at bst@unipv.it.

Practical information and booking

The University of Pavia Botanic Garden is located at Via Sant'Epifanio 18, 27100 Pavia, in the historic centre, some thirty kilometres from Milan. Admission is paid and the activities are free. The evening activities and themed tours are recommended for adults and for minors aged 12 and over accompanied by an adult, while Magia in Orto is reserved for children aged 6 to 12. As places are limited, it is best to book in advance using the online forms available on the event page, https://ortobotanico.unipv.eu/botanic-suspiria/. For information, write to orto.botanico@unipv.eu or call +39 0382 984848.

Frequently asked questions about Botanic Suspiria

When does Botanic Suspiria take place at the Pavia Botanic Garden?

On Saturday 31 October 2026. Activities start at 3:00 pm and continue until late in the evening, with the guided night visit at 10:30 pm; the exhibitions are open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Where is the Pavia Botanic Garden?

At Via Sant'Epifanio 18, in the historic centre of Pavia.

Is Botanic Suspiria suitable for children?

Yes. Magia in Orto, the Tremarella Potion game, is aimed at children and young people aged 6 to 12 and runs at 3:00 pm and 4:45 pm. The other activities are recommended for adults and for minors aged 12 and over accompanied by an adult.

Do I need to book?

Yes, for the activities with limited places. Booking is required, subject to availability, for the themed guided tours, the "Bargniff. Fuga dall'Orto" performance, the book presentation and the night visit; online booking is also provided for Magia in Orto and the Germplasm Bank tours. The forms are on the Botanic Garden's website.