• Lifestyle
    • Art & Culture

Insider Milan

From the Montagnetta di San Siro to Porta Romana. Seven suggestions for a Milan to be explored from a new point of view.

from IN-LOMBARDIA.IT
  1. Experiences in Lombardy
  2. Trends in Lombardy
  3. Insider Milan

The city of courtyards. A stroll to Monte Stella. The great cinema sets. Or the Belvedere in Palazzo Lombardia. Seven tips to discover Milan from a different perspective.

 

Massimiliano Donghi, 35, is our Insider in Milan. He has long lived and worked in the city, where he worked in communication and marketing before becoming a freelance photographer. And as a photographer he has immortalised every corner of the city. From the places that are symbols of a metropolis in a race with the future to the most hidden corners like the house of a poet who has enthralled use all: Alda Merini. Here are his seven tips to explore Milan from another point of view.

To discover other destinations outside the usual routes follow #INSIDERinLombardia on the social networks. With us, apart from Massimiliano, there is a large team of “photo ambassadors” invited to tell you about cities, mountains, lakes, villages, first-hand experiences.

PS: If you live in Lombardy, you love photography and also want to become an #INSIDERinLombardia, send us your application!

Here are Massimiliano’s tips (on Instagram for those who are curious at @milanstagramcom).

Monte Stella, Hampstead Heath of Milan
"Here in Milan we call it the Montagnetta di San Siro. Did you know that the first “Garden of the Righteous” in Italy was inaugurated in 2003 on this artificial hill created with the rubble of World War II bombings? Not to be missed: the beautiful view of the city skyline”.
The view from the Belvedere of Palazzo Lombardia
“The skyscrapers in the city are growing fast but only a few offer the opportunity to go to the top and admire Milan from above. So take advantage of the Sunday openings of the Belvedere’s 39th floor of Palazzo Lombardia. Throughout 2019, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo’s death, you will be able to admire the reproduction of his famous glider, created in collaboration with the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica of Milan. Also in the Belvedere, there are exhibition panels and decals on the work and life of Leonardo to help visitors find the main Leonardo sites in Lombardy.”
Looking up at Casa Rossi
“At 12 Corso Magenta there is one of the most special places in Milan: Casa Rossi, with its octagonal-shaped courtyard. The building, designed by Giuseppe Pestagalli and built in 1860 for the Rossi brothers, is one of the symbols of the “hidden Milan” behind an elegant facade in Neo-Renaissance style. The door? In this case it is always open."
Milan on the big screen
“Milan’s symbol needs no introduction. For "Rocco and his brothers" Luchino Visconti gave us one of the most unforgettable shots in the history of the great terraces of the Cathedral. But the Duomo is not the only Milanese set. For "Happy Family”, Oscar winner Gabriele Salvatores chose the old case di ringhiera (‘guardrail houses’) of Via Sarpi. Luca Guadagnino, with “I am love”, opted for the beautiful Villa Necchi Campiglio. While Ermanno Olmi, with Milan '83, produced a documentary without narrative that tells of the whole city, over two virtual days. Which is your favorite set?”
The megastars at Milanofiori
“Not just City Life. Where Milan begins to thin out towards the countryside, the houses are lower and lower and the green of the lawns takes over from cement, until you arrive at a group of buildings of great visual impact designed by the Dutchman Erick van Egeraat, by the Italians Cino Zucchi, 5 + 1AA, and Park Associati... If you love architecture, don't miss a trip to Milanofiori.”
The beauty and silence of the Monumental Cemetery
“Foscolo, Cavour, Montale, Strehler, Fontana, Boccioni, de Chirico: these are just some of the names mentioned in the Famedio, the Temple of fame, at the Monumental Cemetery. It is an open-air museum that in its imperturbable silence houses works by architects and artists of the highest level such as Ulisse Stacchini (the designer of the Central Station), Piero Portaluppi, Medardo Rosso and Adolfo Wildt, author of the bronze group in the chapel of the Korner family.”
The Palace of the Electoral Office at Porta Romana
“One of the many hidden buildings in Milan is the Electoral Office building in Corso Porta Romana 8/10, in the Missori area. Built in the second half of the nineteenth century, the most beautiful part is the inner courtyard, which can only rarely be visited. The large windows, five on each side, create a unique visual effect. Which is your secret couryard?”

On the same topic

Show all

10 Good Reasons to Visit Cremona

  • Lifestyle
10 Good Reasons to Visit Cremona

Travelling on historic trains

Vintage trains offer unprecedented views of Lombardy's landscapes, for a priceless experience that combines history and beauty.
  • Lifestyle
In viaggio sui treni storici

Lecco in a weekend

Discover Lecco in 48 hours, starting from the traces of a timeless novel, “The Betrothed”. A story within the story
  • Lifestyle
Lecco in a weekend

Como, streets of silk

The Capital of silk built on the mastery of the weaving mills, printers and silk producers of the Lario valley
  • Lifestyle
Como Vie della Seta

Towards the Upper Oltrepò

An itinerary travelling through ancient villages, mountain landscapes and gourmandise
  • Lifestyle
Monte Lesima

Made in Brianza

Furnishings, design, textiles, gastronomy. Brianza is - and always has been - synonymous with “know-how”.
  • Lifestyle
Molteni Museum

6 Things to do with children in Monza and Brianza

  • Lifestyle
Centrale elettrica Bertini

The Wine Valleys

A guide to the most picturesque valleys and villages in italy and their fine wines
  • Lifestyle
The Wine Valleys

Insider Milan

From the Montagnetta di San Siro to Porta Romana. Seven suggestions for a Milan to be explored from a new point of view.
  • Lifestyle
MilanoFiori

What to see in Lombardy

A remarkable artistic heritage, a variety of landscapes, rich cultural traditions... all waiting to be discovered!
  • Lifestyle
What to see in Lombardy

IT’S CARNIVAL!

Cremona, the ideal background for the craziest days of the year.
  • Lifestyle
IT’S CARNIVAL!

Christmas Holidays SONDRIO E VALMALENCO

Mercatini, eventi, musica, spettacoli, brindisi, mostre, attività per grandi e piccini in occasione delle feste natalizie.
  • Lifestyle
Christmas Holidays SONDRIO E VALMALENCO

Varese itinerary

Take a walk in the "Garden City" and climb slowly up to the sacred mountain that is Unesco heritage
  • Lifestyle
Varese and Sacro Monte day trip

Pavia in a weekend

On the trail of the Longobardi or among the cloisters of the University, without forgetting flavors and traditions
  • Lifestyle
Pavia in a weekend

Brera market sunday antiques in milan

Where once there were fields, today there is a lively district of art and antiquity
  • Lifestyle
Brera market: sunday antiques in Milan

Mantua and Sabbioneta itinerary

Relax and take some time to stroll through the streets and buildings of the World Heritage cities
  • Lifestyle
3 days in Mantua and Sabbioneta

Theatre and music: online events

Spettacoli da seguire dal divano di casa
  • Lifestyle
Teatro sociale di Como - @aslico.org

Summertime in Lecco

When the days get warm, refresh yourself going to the lake or to the mountains: Lecco offers a lot of outdoor activities
  • Lifestyle
Have you tried cycling downhill?

Milan: six trend-setting neighbourhoods

Art and architecture. But also sports and good food. Discover six neighbourhoods with us where Milan sets the trend.
  • Lifestyle
Milan: six trend-setting neighbourhoods

Paolo sarpi a little bit of china in milan

Oriental atmospheres, Asian deliciousness in this suggestive corner of China in Milan
  • Lifestyle
Paolo Sarpi: a little bit of China in Milan