Milan in 360°: Parks and Gardens of the City Center

Milan is famous for its often frenetic activity: services, business, industry, finance. But inside, even in the historical City Center, there are real and actual green areas. Obviously other much more extensive oases can be found in the outer areas of Milan, but these gardens still offer a pleasant break to residents and tourists.
Some of the gardens and parks in the center of Milan, maybe the most famous and loved:

The historic Guastalla Park and Basilicas Park “Parco delle Basiliche”

• The Royal Villa Garden, “Giardino di Villa Reale”
• The large and popular Sempione Park, with Sforza Castle, “Castello Sforzesco”
  
• The Porta Venezia Gardens

Placed within a city crowded with buildings and with a difficult city plan, these  gardens include interesting museums but most of all they boast century old trees, ponds and waterways, and grass lawns to sit on and enjoy the sunshine. The 360° Images that follow give a view, though incomplete, of these restorative green areas.

Guastalla Gardens and Parco delle Basiliche : two charming gardens to discover

The small Guastalla Gardens, “Giardini della Guastalla”, are the oldest public gardens in Milan. A few steps away from the State University designed by Bramante, they are wedged between period and modern buildings and show interesting architectural features such as the 17th century fish pond. In its turn the Basilicas Park is a wide green walkway that connects the two oldest Cathedrals of Milan: Sant’Eustorgio and San Lorenzo, whose apse is visible in the 360° Photograph.

The charming Guastalla Gardens, “Giardini Guastalla” with fish pond

The Basilicas Park, “Parco delle Basiliche” with the back of St Lawrence Church

Villa Belgioioso-Bonaparte Garden, the Royal Villa of Milan

The garden is placed behind the impressive neoclassic late 18th century villa, today home to the Modern Art Gallery, Galleria d’Arte Moderna” of Milan. The area is well tended and has an interesting rule: adults may enter only in the company of  children!

The 18th century Royal Villa of Milan, “Villa Reale” with flowering garden

A simple, little temple hidden between the trees in the Royal Villa garden

The great Sempione Park, “Parco Sempione”

Well-known to tourists, to whom it offers rest and an interesting view, Sempione Park, “Parco Sempione” is the largest green area in Milan, with rich flora and ample spaces. Connected to the Duomo via the popular via Dante, it was created as the ducal park of the Sforza Castle, “Castello Sforzesco” in 1400 and was then brought to its present state in the 1800’s. The park holds many points of interest including the
Branca Tower, “Torre Branca”, a narrow metallic structure 108 meters tall, from where you can see the entire city. And then the Civic Aquarium of Milan, “Acquario Civico di Milano” placed in a liberty building, and the Palazzo dell’Arte, “Palace of Art” which hosts the triennale, Milanese Institute famous for its cultural and art exhibits.

View of a wintery Milan from the Branca Tower with the growing skyline

The Mermaids’ Bridge, “Ponte delle Sirenette” in Sempione Park

Pond inside Sempione Park: view of the Castle and the Peace Arch, “Arco della Pace”

Entrance to the Civic Aquarium of Milan with the characteristic gold fish pool

The Porta Venezia Public Gardens

The great green area, dedicated to the well-known Italian journalist Indro Montanelli, has been open for two centuries and has numerous species of trees. The many hidden and almost secret corners make you forget that you are a few steps away from Milan’s crowded historical center. Inside these gardens you can find the Museum of Natural History, “Museo di Storia Naturale” and the Planetarium, “il Planetario”.

A quiet hidden corner in the Gardens of Porta Venezia

Entrance to the Museum of Natural History within the Porta Venezia Gardens

To see other 360° Images of Milan >>> MILAN 360°