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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Monuments Pavia

Ancient squares, historic houses, statues, religious buildings, museums ... in Pavia and its province

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

Open museums in Lombardy: an ode to female talent

Lombardy’s museums are once again welcoming the public, art lovers, and other visitors with a wealth of exhibitions dedicated to women: artists, works of art, and mythological figures who have inspired exhibitions and shows

Art & Culture

The life in a farm

Come and discover the charm of an ancient farm!

Art & Culture

Museums Pavia

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

Art & Culture

Bergamo Photo Gallery

An area to be discovered and visited

Art & Culture

Lodi, invitation to court

Scenes of court life in the majestic Castle of Sant'Angelo Lodigiano that dominates the plain with an unequaled past

Art & Culture

What does a Brazilian do at La Scala?

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

Art & Culture

Theaters Mantua

Sumptuous rooms and golden stages are the setting for the theatrical seasons of Mantua

Art & Culture

Varese UNESCO

4 siti UNESCO, indissolubilmente legati al paesaggio: Monte San Giorgio, Isolino Virginia, Monastero di Torba, Sacro Monte di Varese.

Art & Culture

Monuments Mantua

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

Art & Culture

Podcast: "Elsewhere in Lombardy"

Boundless beauty

Art & Culture

Santo Stefano Ticino

A village to be discovered near Milan

Art & Culture

The Cloister of Voltorre

The monastic art of the Cloister of Voltorre

Art & Culture

Museums Lodi

The museum reality of Lodi is heterogeneous. It preserves naturalistic and scientific collections, archaeological and art collections

Art & Culture

Monument Varese

Stately homes, religious buildings, fortifications and UNESCO treasures among the beauties of Varese and its surroundings

Art & Culture

Castles in Valtellina

A dive into the past between castles and towers in Valtellina

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

Summer Guided Tours to the Town's Museums

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday till the end of August

Art & Culture

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

Art & Culture