URBAN OASIS

Milan’s best parks and gardens: find your perfect green location

Parco Sempione Features

The Perfect Mix Of Outdoor Activities Like The Triumphal Arco Della Pace

As Well As Beautiful Historic Architecture

Certainly, “il ragazzo della via Gluck” (he of the 60s song about the urbanization of Milan’s outskirts), lived in a completely different environment, but if he looked around now, he’d realize that Milan is a decidedly greener city than many others. Not only for its lovely internal courtyards, the rooftops and balconies lush with greenery, or iconic buildings such as the Vertical Forest, but also for the numerous parks and gardens with which it is studded. Here for you are the most beautiful.

Parco Sempione

The city centre’s green lung, situated between two of its symbols - Castello Sforzesco and the Arch of Peace. Restoration works completed in 2003 doubled its overall area to 386,000 square metres, 22 times the size of Piazza Duomo. It was originally the garden of the Sforza family, rulers of the Duchy of Milan. Located within the park are the Triennale Design Museum, Arena Civica, the Torre

Branca, designed by Gio Ponti, and the Aquarium.

Indro Montanelli Gardens

Named after Indro Montanelli in 2002, it was Milan’s first public park, created between 1782 and 1786 and designed by architect Giuseppe Piermarini (who also designed La Scala Theatre). In the mid-19th century, architect Giuseppe Balzaretto extended the layout of the gardens as far as Palazzo Dugnani. In addition to the latter, highlights of the park are the Natural History Museum and the Ulrico Hoepli Planetarium.

Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte Garden

Across Via Palestro is the magnificent Villa Reale, also known as Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, the home of GAM (Milan Modern Art Gallery), overlooking a beautiful garden, one of the first examples of an English-style garden in Milan. 24,000 enchanting square metres, with bridges and a romantic pavilion surrounded an arti-

Concierge Tips

Maurizio Busani

EXCELSIOR HOTEL GALLIA

PiazzaDucad’Aosta,9-Milano ph.+39 02 67851 marriott.com

Two additional tips:

- The Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), two residential towers in the Porta Nuova district, housing a total of 800 trees and plants. A new place which redesign the landscape of the city.

- The Leonardo’s horse, huge bronze statue made to a design by Leonardo da Vinci. It can be seen every day (free of charge, from 9.30 am to 6.30 pm) in the green, peaceful surroundings of Milan’s racecorse, in the San Siro district.

BreraBotanicalGardens(ph.GiulioBoem)

Above:Belgiojosopark

Below:ParcoBibliotecadegliAlberi (ph.GiulioBoem)

ParcoBibliotecadegliAlberi (ph.NiccolòRastrelli)