Parks and the outdoors in Milan

Parks and the outdoors in Milan

1. SeeSouth

   Basilicas Park

   Parco Papa Giovanni Paolo II or Parco delle Basiliche

   Named the Basilicas Park as it connects two basilicas: the Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio. Formerly a place for drug use and anti-social behavior, it has been cleaned up and redesigned and is now more pleasant. It was renamed after the late Pope John Paul II.

2. SeeNorth

   Bosco Verticale

   Vertical Forest

   The residential twin tower's name should be interpreted literally, as it stems from the fact that the buildings' intricate facades contain actual living trees on various levels, which serve a variety of purposes beneficial to the residents. The total amount of vegetation growing on the facades is equivalent to a hectare of an actual forest.

3. SeeNorth

   Corso Venezia

   Considered one of the finest and most beautiful streets in the city. Right near the glitzy Montenapoleone area, it is flanked by a series of beautiful villas, museums and palazzi, from all eras. It also contains parts of the Giardini Pubblici, an old and leafy garden and park. On addition to being an aristocratic-aired place, today, several elegant boutiques have opened up here, so it's great for both sight-seeing and designer shopping. Best station to reach it is that of Palestro right in the middle, but San Babila and P.ta Venezia are within decent walking distance.

4. SeeCentro Storico

   Duomo

   Cathedral

   Massive, impressive and slightly mad: the cathedral is a late Gothic confection in white marble, festooned with spires and statues. You can admire the facade free from the piazza; getting inside or onto the roof involves three separate queues that may take over an hour, unless you book online. First locate the ticket office: it's along the street on the cathedral's south flank but has been known to wander, with various pop-up outlets. Here you queue #1 to pick up a number to queue #2 for the ticket desks. Buy your ticket, which will be for a specific time slot that day. When that time approaches (and off-peak it could be immediate) join queue #3 at the cathedral door for security and ticket check. There's a tedious list of what is and isn't allowed. Despite this list, shorts which end just above the knee are indeed allowed. Short-shorts are prohibited. Small backpacks are allowed (there is a bag check station). The interior is just as impressive as outside, though if you hate it you'll be in distinguished company. The problem was that construction went on in fits and starts for over 500 years, with every ruler adding bits or disliking previous work. Then in 1805 the conquering Napoleon said "Get this finished tout de suite, and my treasury will pick up the bill" and lo! it was finished. (Though he never paid up.) The Crypt of St Charles is entered within the cathedral, no extra fee, it closes around 17:00. The Baptistery of St John (extra fee) is within the cathedral. The roof (extra fee) can be reached by a lift or by 250 steps. The museum (included in ticket, closed W) is in the adjacent Church of St Gottard in Corte. It displays the story of the construction, with walk-in wooden models, façade designs from several centuries, sculptures and more.

   Daily 08:00-19:00, roof from 09:00·Cathedral: adult €3; roof by stairs €13, by lift €15; Baptistery of St John €3

5. SeeSouth

   Gardens of the Guastalla

   Parco della Guastalla

   Among Milan's oldest (founded in the 16th century), but quite small gardens, and are very close to the University district. The parks, however, were only opened to the public in the early 20th century. You can have a nice walk inside, and you also have a classical temple-like structure and also a sort of pond with a Baroque railing surrounding it. Reachable via Crocetta, P.ta Romana, Missori or even San Babila metro stations. It's also not that far from the Duomo.

6. SeeNorth

   Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli

   Public gardens

   An 18th-century park complex in the Montenapoleone/Porta Venezia district, designed in an English Romantic garden style. Inside, you can find rockeries, water features, fountains, statues and monuments, and other interesting features. You also get a planetarium, a natural history museum, and on the other side of the Palestro street, you can also find an opulent Royal villa which today hosts a contemporary art collection within grand ornate halls. Reachable via P.ta Venezia, Turati or Palestro metro stations. The gardens are in an excellent position since they're quite near to the Duomo and Brera district, and extremely close to the Montenapoleone street and the glamorous shopping area around it.

7. EatWest

   Just Cavalli

   Found inside the Torre Branca in the big, leafy Sempione park, the Just Cavalli Hollywood was the brainchild of Roberto Cavalli, the fashion designer. It was renovated in 2009-10. For beginners, one can find cheese, tuna tartar, Parma ham, and caviar, and for the main course, you can eat dishes of spaghetti, risotto, small gnocchi with crab, different forms of seafood, veal, steak, and different forms of salads. It also contains some dance floors and three bars.

   Open now · closes 5 am tomorrow

8. SeeSouth

   Parco Vittorio Formentano

   Largo Marinai d'Italia

   A park with many different trees in the southeast of Milan at the location of a former market. The park also hosts the building of, where theater performances and concerts are held.

9. SeeWest

   Sempione Park

   Parco Sempione

   A big space of green land right behind the Sforzesco castle, and one of the most famous and popular in the city. Designed in like a neoclassical landscape garden, there are loads of features - such as a lake, the aforementioned arch of peace, a Roman-style sports' amphitheatre, a tower (which today hosts the Just Cavalli Hollywood), and several interesting features. It's a lovely leafy place to enjoy a walk at any time of the year. Reachable via Cairoli, Lanza, Cadorna or Moscova metro stations depending on what side of the park one refers to.

10. DoOuter Milan

    Sunbathing and do aquatic sports at the Idroscalo

    Also known as "sea of Milan", the Idroscalo is an artificial lake in Milan. In this place you can practice many sports such as kayaking, canoeing, dragon boats, rowing, sailing, swimming, horse riding and water skiing. In Idroscalo park there are also bars and nightclubs and it is used for open-air concerts. Free wifi internet connection available. Near idroscalo there is Europark Idroscalo Milano, a family-oriented amusement park, open from March to September and on weekends during the rest of the year.

11. SeeNorth

    Villa Necchi Campiglio

    owned by FAI - Italian National Trust

    Built by Piero Portaluppi from 1932 to 1935 for the industrial Necchi Campiglio family, it also has a beautiful garden.

    Wed-Sun 10:09-18:00·€15. Free entry with the Case Museo (house museums) card. Free entry to the bar/restaurant and garden

12. SeeCentro Storico Not mapped

    Viale Beatrice d'Este

    Viale Beatrice d'Este is a street in the center of Milan, which is a 1 kilometer walk from Piazza del Duomo, begins in piazzale di Porta Lodovica and ends at the ancient Porta Vigentina, continuing with the name of viale Angelo Filippetti. It is a tree-lined avenue, which is connected in its continuation with viale Regina Margherita and viale Majno. The street is named after Princess Beatrice d'Este, Duchess of Milan in 1494 and wife of Ludovico Sforza.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Milan (CC BY-SA 4.0).