Parks, gardens and nature in Milan in summer: this is the time to breathe deeply by taking a tour of the city’s green spaces. We are talking here about public, private or hidden areas. In this season we advise you to go outside and enjoy all the open spaces that Milan has to offer. Though not particularly widespread, its green spaces are ever-present and can be found in all of the city’s districts whether upmarket, bourgeois or community-oriented. The appellation of urban park does not really apply to Milan since the real ones are located on the outskirts, surrounding the city.
Several parks in the city, like Parco Sempione, are adorned with works of art, while others, like the Botanical Garden of Brera and the Indro Montanelli Gardens of Porta Venezia, still show visible traces of a glorious past. The latter boasts the remains of a zoo and the spring waters that fed its small lake. Small spaces that have literally been taken over by the people living in the area.
One of the city’s most enduring and significant parks was built from the rubble of World War II bombings: it is the Monte Stella park, for the Milanese “la Montagnetta di San Siro”, a destination to visit to see the city from above amidst the trees and to discover the Garden of the Righteous of the World. In recent years, however, a number of brand new parks have also sprung up, and include the CityLife Park, the Portello Park and the Porta Nuova district with the BAM Biblioteca degli Alberi. The Biblioteca degli Alberi covers an area of 90,000 square metres and has been designed to offer an extensive network of footpaths and to create a true botanical library. It is home to more than 450 trees and 90,000 plants of different species, as well as sports facilities, themed circular forests, vegetable gardens, educational paths, pedestrian and bicycle paths. In the warm season, the park also becomes a venue for concerts and open-air themed events. The green Bosco Verticale complex which overlooks the green space, is famous for its hanging gardens designed by architect Stefano Boeri and is definitely worth a visit.
Then again, shops, galleries and hotels boast dream-like gardens or historical residences open to the public with or without a ticket. A day spent browsing gardens and parks should definitely include an aperitivo at the Bulgari Hotel situated just a short distance from either the Orto di Brera or the Sheraton Diana Majestic, located just a stone’s throw from Villa Necchi Campiglio, a private residence and a real gem of 1930s architecture open for public viewing. Not too far from this stunning residence is the Via Lincoln district, a true marvel that deserves a small detour. Even former industrial spaces have left signs that have been delightfully re-interpreted. One such example is Spazio Rossana Orlandi, a former tie factory and now an international cult destination for the latest design trends.