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

Visiting the Castle in the night

Art & Culture

The life in a farm

Come and discover the charm of an ancient farm!

Art & Culture

Cammino del Vescovado: vineyards and villages

A route in three stages to discover the Terre del Vescovado, amidst picturesque villages, charming hills and famous vineyards

Art & Culture

School trips

Cremona is the ideal destination for your school trip

Art & Culture

Museums Cremona

The museums, a meeting with the culture and with the history of Cremona

Art & Culture

Castles in Lombardy

The charm of Lombardy through its castles

Art & Culture

Monuments Bergamo

Bergamo and its province offer monuments of rare beauty. Discover the main monuments to visit

Art & Culture

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

16th Olympic Games of Violin-making

Art & Culture

Nose up in the streets of Milan

We wander around the city observing plaques and inscriptions

Art & Culture

The window on the river Po

A romantic corner on the Great River

Art & Culture

Between ancient memories and majestic landscapes

Cultural itinerary in lower Valtellina

Art & Culture

Castles and fortifications around Lake Como

Several testimonies of a past rich in history, all to discover

Art & Culture

11 addresses for villas and parks

Relive the charm of the past between villas, parks and castles in Lombardy

Art & Culture

Brebbia and the pipe factory

In the province of Varese, wet from Lake Maggiore, well protected by a hilly setting hidden from the wind and sudden storms

Art & Culture

Wonder and Pleasure between Milan and Varese

Villas, gardens and water features: a journey to homes built to surprise with their art, nature and wonders.

Art & Culture

Milan and Lake Como

Milan, city of a thousand histories. Plus, a trip to Lake Como

Art & Culture

A Day in Pavia

When organizing your trip to Lombardy do not forget to visit Pavia

Art & Culture

Museums Milan

A list of museums that we recommend to visit, from paintings to statues, from technology to nature

Art & Culture

Monuments in Lombardy

Cultural tourism and monuments in Lombardy

Art & Culture