Originally inhabited by Celts, Milan was conquered by the Romans in 222 a.C. and since then it has been a thriving commercial centre. The population on Milan now is about two million people and Milan is located 250 KM from Florence, 150 KM from Venice and 600 KM from the Capital City.
Milan is placed in the middle of the Po valley, crossed by the Ticino and the Adda rivers, its name derives from the Latin “Mediolanum” that means “In the middle of the plain”. A trip of 30 minutes takes you in the district of Como or Maggiore lakes, while in about two hours you can visit the enchanting Garda lake, the Alps or dive into the beautiful sea of Liguria.
I love History, Music, Art
Leonardo’s “Ultima Cena” in the refectory and the Church which is guarded, Santa Maria delle Grazie (work of Bramante), are symbols of a Humanistic and Reinassance Milan and emblems of a new era in the history of art. To visit the “Cenacolo” you must book in advance and you can do it even online.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò and take off to Conciliazione.
View the map of the MIlano metropolitan region.
The Pinacoteca of Brera is placed in the homonymous palace where there are also located other cultural institutions such as the Library and the Observatory, the Botanical Garden, the Lombard Institute of Science and Letters and the Academy of Fine Art. The Pinacoteca of Brera is the main art museum in Milan, one of the most important in the world for its prestigious collections of ancient and modern paintings. Visiting the Pinacoteca, you will be captivated by this ethereal place so different from the city whose pace is frantic. You can not escape one of the restaurant by the unusual medieval flavour that overlook the streets of Milan or artists set up makeshift markets that offer creative creations often come right before your eyes.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò, take off to Cairoli than take the bus 61 and take off to Verdi – Dell’Orso. Brera centre is 200 metres after.
Symbol of Milan and very heart of the city, the Duomo has six century of history. The construction of the magnificent cathedral saw succession of dozens of architects, sculptors, artists and thousands of workers; all working in a company so huge that even now we can not say that is completely finished. Works going on in the cathedral for the need of restore. The Madonnina beloved by all of us makes its appearance on the highest spire of the cathedral in the 1774. It is a work made by Giuseppe Perego.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò and take off to Duomo.
Castello Sforzesco and Duomo represent now the most important monuments to Milan. The large castle was for centuries the protagonist of painful events in the eyes of citizens becoming a hateful symbol of the power exercised by the Lords of Milan or foreign oppressors. Only in the twentieth century it has assumed the aspect of becoming a place of culture intended to preserve the testimonies of Lombard Art. His name takes back to the fifteen century to the time of Francesco Sforza, who wanted to rebuild it from 1450, but the origin of the castle is much older, it was built at the behest of Galeazzo II Visconti in the second half of the fourteenth century. A sculpture made by Michelangelo is kept in the rooms of the castle, the Pity Rondanini.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò and take off to Cairoli or Cadorna.
Considered much more than just a cemetery, this series of works of art has meant that time is defined by an open – air museum. Since its opening, the cemetery has been an extraordinary opportunity for artists to compete with an ancient and solemn theme as the funeral. At the Monumentale Cemetery we can observe a particular architecture of historicism and late eclectic period with works made by Carlo Maciachini, Luca Beltrami and Gaetano Moretti, considerable evidences of Liberty well represented by Giuseppe Sommaruga, Ernesto Pirovano and Ulisse Stacchini; important examples of architecture in Milan between the two wars, fluctuating between the 1900 and the Rationalism with works made by Paolo Mezzanotte, Piero Portaluppi, the BBPR, Luigi Figini, Gino Pollini.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò to Loreto, then take the green line – MM2 – and take off to Garibaldi.
The theatre, made by the neoclassical architect Giuseppe Piermarini, was inaugurated the 3rd August with the work made by Antonio Salieri “L’Europa riconosciuta” on a book of Mattia Verazi.
The first period of his artistic history is linked to the tradition of Neapolitan bizarre opera , whose leading exponents are Giovanni Paisiello (1740- 1816) and Domenico Cimarosa (1749 – 1801). Among the many works represented we must remember the following: La Frescatana (1780), Barbiere di Siviglia (1786) and Nina, crazy for love, of Pisiello (1804), L’Italiana in Londra (1780) and Il matrimonio segreto of Cimarosa. The inauguration of La Scala season is always 7th December, coinciding with the patron of the city, St. Ambrogio.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò to Duomo.
I love Sport
Stadium of the two great rivals football teams , AC Milan and Inter Milan.
How to get there: take the underground – red line – from Sesto Rondò to Lotto. Once there walk along the avenue “Caprilli” up to the stadium. At footballmatches time there is a shuttle service from the nearest Lotto and Lampugnano (interchange parking) – red line – MM1.
The race is always on Sundays and as usual in April.
This not competitive race is the most famous in Italy and one of the world’s most popular. Born in 1972, it celebrates its 36th Edition. The route starts from Piazza Duomo and ends at the Civic Arena exploiting the wide boulevards of the city. The line was reduced from 15 to 12 KM. The distance must be covered in a maximum of five hours at a rate equal to a relaxed walk.
One of the most famous circuits in the world that is only 6 KM from the Grand Hotel “Barone di Sassy”. It is a venue that hosts events related to high speed at any time of the year culminating with the Grand Prix Formula One, that always runs in September. Our hotel is a favourite among some teams who stay there every year since opening.
The night il my kingdom
It is very easy to find a place to enjoy happy and carefree hours in Milan that it has always been considered the heart of fashion in Italy and worldwide, even in the night life. There are always modern nightclubs, discos, social events that fill the calendar at any time of the year.
The realisation of the first waterway started from the second half of the twelfth century when the great ship began the construction of the Big Naviglio. Great engineers worked on the project and even today you can admire the ingenious system of locks designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Channels have given life to the Ticino district where the houses have retained an architecture unchanged over the years. This was a popular area full of shops and street markets, but now it has become a place frequented by artists, models, young people and all those are in Milan for business or just by chance. The atmosphere is unique in fact close to trendy clubs, restaurants, pizzeria and pubs, there are still the latest craft shops and browsing around you can definitely see some painter concentrated in giving life to his work.
Highlights
January: Winter Seasonal Sales. Starting on 7th January.
February: Women Fashion Weeks.
April: Furniture and Lighting International Fair.
July: Spring-Summer sales. From the 7th July.
September: Monza Grand Prix.
December: La Scala Opening Season.
