ENTERTAINMENT

Poolside Happy Hour

If you want to cool down and escape the Milanese heat, you should head to this beautifullyrestored former 1930s lido where you can swim, sunbathe or relax on the lawn.

BY CHIARA ZACCARELLI

‘Bagni Misteriosi’ (The Mysterious Baths), is an evocatively named complex that is a part of the artistic and historic heritage of the city of Milan, located in the city’s vibrant Porta Romana district. Its structure is that of the former Centro Balneare Caimi, which dates back to the 1930s, and has been painstakingly restored, with the two large pools and surrounding spaces returned to their original splendour. This complex was originally conceived as a multi-purpose space with sports facilities, including rooms for boxing and fencing, a doctor’s office, a library and even a printing works, and was part of the current headquarters of the adjacent Teatro Franco Parenti. In addition to the two original pools, which have been completely restructured, the complex boasts a tennis court, and a large terrace, plus a bar and restaurant, surrounded by greenery, thanks to the paths shaded by flowers and creepers planted along both its borders. Excluding summer, its changing rooms are used to host workshops, exhibitions and events. The Bagni Misteriosi complex, named after the famous work by Giorgio de Chirico on display at the Museo del Novecento, is a peaceful haven in the heart of Milan. You can cool off in its two large pools from June to the end of September, all day and in the evenings

on Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 11pm.

There is a pool for adults, with a depth ranging from 1.25 to 1.70m, with several lanes for freestyle swimming, and one for children, with a depth ranging from 60 to 90cm). You can also indulge in the quintessential, strictly barefoot aperitivo ritual from 7pm to 11pm.

>> www.teatrofrancoparenti.it Via Carlo Botta, 18 T: 02 89731800. Map G6

A few steps from Milan...

Milan is a mixture of art, culture, shopping and lifestyle and its outlying areas are equally attractive. Discover our pick of these fabulous destinations for an unmissable outof-town trip. By Simona P.K. Daviddi

Our tour begins on the outskirts of Milan at the 17th-century Villa Arconati 1 (www.villaarconati-far.it). Known also as ‘the small Versailles of Lombardy’, it is set within the vast green spaces of the Groane Park in Bollate. This is a splendid example of Lombardy Baroque architecture and visitors are welcomed in its frescoed rooms, while summer evenings are jazzed up with a series of concerts and events in its magnificent gardens. We recommend a visit to the Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta 2 (www. villalittalainate.it) which is just a short distance away in Lainate. This neo-classical jewel of architecture is surrounded by a lovely park that earned the title of the ‘Most Beautiful Historical Park in Italy’ in 2016. The Villa is renowned for its Nyphaeum and spectacular water features. A mixture of sacred and profane – the Metropolitan City area is interspersed with numerous abbeys. In fact, there are so many that there is even a Road of Abbeys (www.stradadelleabbazie.it). Our route starts from the Abbey of Chiaravalle 3 , dominated by an imposing, richly frescoed 14th-century bell tower, and continues onwards to the Abbey of Viboldone 4 , one the most beautiful medieval complexes in Lombardy, until we reach Mirasole 5 , a 13th-century monastery which, with its numerous moats, resembles a fortress. After travelling for a few more kilometers, in a southwesterly direction, we come to the Abbey of Morimondo 6 , a former Cistercian monastery renovated in Gothic style.

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EN PLEIN AIR The area housing the abbeys is also the heart of the large Parco Agricolo Sud Milano (www. parcoagricolosudmilano. it). The Park boasts a rich historic 6 and agricultural heritage and comprises old farmsteads, waterways and important residential complexes, including Gaggiano 7 , which, with its small, pastel-coloured houses nestling on both banks of the Naviglio Grande, is well worth a visit. This charming hamlet can be accessed from the city via a scenic bicycle track skirting the canal. The Martesana Canal also offers views of rare beauty as it flows towards the Adda river. Rural centres are interspersed with expanses of greenery (an absolute must is a visit to the Adda Park which can also be crossed by bike or on horseback) and charming urban centres, including Crespi d’Adda 8 , a late 19th-century workers’ village built up around a textiles factory and a UNESCO world heritage site (www.villaggiocrespi.it). However, Milan is not only renowned for its canals. Lying on the outskirts of the city, just behind the airport of Linate, we find the Idroscalo 9 , a large artificial lake set within green surroundings (www. idroscalo.info). The area offers all types of facilities including jogging, horseback riding and bicycle paths, boat, canoe and pedalò hire, recreational fishing and even rugby pitches.

A DAY DEVOTED TO CULTURE If the weather’s gloomy, don’t despair! This is a great opportunity to visit a museum! Perhaps a historic one like the Alfa Romeo Museum 10 (www.museoalfaromeo.com) in Arese, formerly home to the prestigious factory. This museum has six floors of models that have made motoring history, as well as prototypes and memorabilia. Another must-visit option is the MA*GA Museum 11 (www.museomaga.it) in Gallarate, halfway between Malpensa Airport and Milan, one of the most important contemporary art museum in Italy. It houses a collection of more than six

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thousand works of art hosted in its 5,000 sq.m. For lovers of the history of aviation and of the industries that turned the dream of flight into reality, the Volandia Park and Museum 12 (www.volandia.it) narrates the epic tale of aeronautics in all its forms, from the pioneering flights of the beginning of the 20th century, up to the futuristic convertiplane, from hot-air balloons to the conquest of space along over 2 km of exhibition. Discover its flight simulators, planetarium, aircraft models, Ogliari section, library, movies, bar, restaurant and a rich Volandia Store.

WHAT’S NEW As with every ‘city on the move’, Milan is constantly enriched with new attractions. Two in particular deserve a special mention. The first is found in the area that hosted Expo in 2015 and which has now become MIND Milano (Milano Innovation District) 13 (www. mindmilano. it), a four thousand square metre park where visitors can attend performances, concerts and sporting events. The second innovation is Milan’s latest attraction dedicated to skydiving. Aero-Gravity 14, the biggest freefall simulator in the world, has opened in Pero. This is a sophisticated contraption, designed to overcome the force of gravity and support flight, offering visitors (children from 4 years) the thrill of experiencing what it feels like to jump from an airplane at an altitude of 4,500 metres (www.aerogravity.it).