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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

Brescia in a weekend

From the Roman Brixia to the Opera Festival. Discover Brescia in 48 hours. A journey through time, between culture, passion and nightlife

Art & Culture

Legend of the Seven Brothers

An evocative tale of eight brothers, linked to each other, who lived in the Lecco area

Art & Culture

Discovering the Churches of Pavia

A Journey through Art, History, and Spirituality

Art & Culture

Milan and its mysterious places

Witches, demons, symbols and legends make Milan a city full of mystery

Art & Culture

Lombardy’s Legends and Traditions

An invitation to take a journey into Lombardy’s folklore, rediscovering seven ancient legends and traditions

Art & Culture

The sound of Stradivari

Live performances with the instruments of the collections of the Violin’s Museum.

Art & Culture

6 Interactive museums for children

Explore Lombardy with your children! Experiential and interactive museums to stimulate curiosity and creativity.

Art & Culture

Online i modelli di Stradivari dell’MdV

On Google Arts & Culture!

Art & Culture

Museums Mantua

Indelible traces of a past full of history and emblematic characters. Museums tell us about the rich biography of the territory

Art & Culture

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

The Lombard seigniories: key figures, history and places

Gonzaga, Visconti, Sforza: a journey through cities steeped in history and culture

Art & Culture

Seriate, and its charming historic villas

Art & Culture

On the trail of traditional trades

Six destinations to explore crafts and tradition, on the trail of traditional trades in the timeless landscapes of Lombardy.

Art & Culture

Following Leonardo's footsteps in Milan

Art & Culture

Theaters Brescia

Brescia will surprise you with the vitality of its theaters, where are staged prose, ballets and concerts

Art & Culture

Museums Pavia

Masterpieces of art, treasures and centuries-old traditions in the museums of Pavia and surroundings

Art & Culture

The Rainbow Quarter

Art & Culture

Amaryllis Fleming Cello

A new masterpiece at the Violin's Museum

Art & Culture

Varese pursuing new horizons

Art & Culture

Spring in Varese

Varese: walks, picnics, secret beaches. In the spring, spend a day outdoors in the land of the lakes.

Art & Culture