Five Art Refuges in the City

We can reveal some of the finest, most beautiful spaces that perhaps you did not know about

Every city has its hidden spots, where the dynamic nature and the hustle of daily living makes way for tranquillity and artistic contemplation.

Everything changes in the city, continuously evolving and transforming. We don’t often find the time to stop and look at everything around us; we don’t always give art the opportunity to guide us through moments of peace and contemplation.

Lombardy has plenty of places to showcase art, culture and history; spaces where you can rediscover the pleasure of beautiful things, immersing yourselves in the historic atmospheres of ancient palazzos and the prestige of cultural institutions that have preserved their elegance over time.

In the province's five capitals we can reveal some of the finest, most beautiful spaces that perhaps you did not know about, and where you can spend some time reading, walking through loggias or enjoying a coffee in a frescoed room.

Discover some of the region’s hidden cultural treasures.

Rotonda della Besana, Milan — To the north east of Milan the Rotonda della Besana stands out in its urban setting. This is a singular late-baroque building, where art and religious tourism come together. This fascinating, charming monument takes its name from the church - now deconsecrated - inside the brick portico. There was once a chapel in the centre of the burial area used for the dead from the Ospedale Maggiore, later converted to a church in 1695 and surrounded by a portico.

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Biblioteca Teresiana, Mantua — Mantua's cultural treasures include the Biblioteca Teresiana, a library and an enchanting surprise amidst the city’s precious historic and literary heritage. It is just a stone’s throw from Piazza Dante, in the heart of the city and was founded in 1780 at the wishes of Maria Theresa of Austria, to whom the two sumptuous rooms of the library are dedicated. The first floor is home to the Palazzo degli Studi, a former Jesuit College, converted as part of the programme of cultural secularisation and reform of institutions by the Austrian empress.

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Teatro Grande, Brescia — An artistic and cultural institution of great prestige, the Teatro Grande is a traditional opera treasure, with charming rooms and surprises to reveal. It stands on the very site where, in 1664, Brescia’s first public theatre was built, with the modern-day auditorium, built in 1810, from designs by architect Luigi Canonica and decorated by Girolamo Magnani in 1862. The stage still has part of its 19th-century structure and the boards have been trodden by some of the greatest artists in Italian opera.

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Palazzo Bottigella Gandini, Pavia — Hidden among Pavia’s historic buildings is Palazzo Bottigella-Gandini, restored and now a space for contemporary art exhibitions. Pavia is a city just waiting to be explored, where you can lose yourselves in its cobbled streets and breathe in the atmosphere of its historic buildings. Very close to the Piazza del Municipio, a stone’s throw from the sumptuous structures that house the City Council we come to a large gateway looking onto the splendid Renaissance courtyard.

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Chiostro di Sant'Agostino, Bergamo — The recently restored Chiostro Minore, the smaller cloister of the former Monastery of Sant’Agostino provides a space for dialogue and meeting in an artistic and spiritual setting. Visiting Upper Bergamo is always a good idea when you want to experience an atmosphere suspended in time. The numerous places consecrated to culture include the former Monastery of Sant’Agostino is a space to discover, with plenty to fascinate and enchant the visitor.

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Brescia, a Theatre City

From the Teatro Grande to the Brescia Opera Festival, to the Vittoriale degli Italiani in Gardone. Discover a stage city

Art & Culture

Castles Bergamo

Bergamo saw in the past the proliferation of fortifications. Many, today, castles to visit

Art & Culture

Arlecchino and Brighella

Famous masks of the Italian Carnival tradition

Art & Culture

House Museums of Lombardy: step inside the homes of renowned historical figures

Discover the history and culture of the Region of Lombardy through its historic house museums, from the homes of famous people and art collectors to artists' studios.

Art & Culture

Seven art works to discover in Milan

An artistic itinerary through the streets of Milan, discovering works that transform the city into an open-air gallery.

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Cremona, le Botteghe di liuteria

Maestri del legno e del violino. Botteghe storiche e collezioni. La liuteria a Cremona è patrimonio culturale immateriale Unesco dal 2012

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The Winter Songs

The legend of the coldest days in the year

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What does a Brazilian do at La Scala?

The affairs of Brazil's greatest composer and his connection with La Scala Theater in Milan

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THE ISLAND OF THE MONASTERIES

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Come to discover Cremona!

A new guide for children and families

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Milan, following Leonardo’s footsteps

Pictorial suggestions and drawings. Machines and impressive hydraulic engineering works. In Milan, a journey in the wake of Leonardo

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Monuments Mantua

The Gonzagas have made Mantua a jewel of the Italian Renaissance visible in its palaces, monuments, churches, culture and traditions

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10 good reasons visit Pavia

Art & Culture

The festival of Saint Bassianus in Lodi

Head to the centre of Lodi to celebrate the city's patron saint and discover a variety of traditions and handicrafts

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A journey in Bassa Valtellina among vineyards, districts and historic buildings

The Valtellina you don't expect surprises with its history, crops and food and wine events

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5 medieval monuments in Lodi

A journey of discovery through the Middle Ages, from Borghetto Lodigiano to Lodi.

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The magic of Varesotto's castles

A tour of Varesotto's castles: an itinerary to discover a regional area where time seems to stand still.

Art & Culture

Castles Brescia

From Sirmione to Breno, from Desenzano to Padernello, a journey through the fortified manors to the discovery of local history

Art & Culture

Milan, a fun with the children

Ancient castles, amusement parks and interactive museums. Discover what Lombardy offers for children. First stop, Milan.

Art & Culture

Seven castles in Lombardy

From Lake Garda to Valtellina by way of Milan. Among crenellated walls, towers and porticoed loggias

Art & Culture