Milan has always been a magnet for visitors flocking for
fashion and design, gourmet restaurants and lively bars and nightlife, but if
you are a serious culture vulture it is also well worth sticking around for the
galleries and museums that are perhaps not nearly as well known as those of Rome,
Venice and Florence….
Top of the charts is this collection of old masters ranging
from Titian and Tintoretto to Bellini and Caravaggio. Make sure you also see
Mantegna’s masterpiece – “Cristo morto nel sepolcro e tre Dolenti” (Lamentation
over the Dead Christ) and also wander through the art school to the magnificent
ancient library which is free to visitors. The surrounding neighbourhood of
Brera is one of charming cobbled streets and cafes perfect for lingering over
lunch.
Milan’s first Museum of Modern Art, this gallery has
wonderful views of the Duomo from its floor-to-ceiling windows, and also houses
a stunning collection of Italian art ranging from Boccioni and De Chirico to
Morandi and Fontana as well as the work of Italy’s most significant twentieth
century sculptor Arturo Martini. A temporary exhibition of Andy Warhol’s
silkscreen prints further enhanced the visit, plus the in-house restaurant
Giacomo Arengario on the top floor also comes highly recommended.
Located in one of Milan’s few green spaces Parco Sempione,
the Triennale is a permanent museum paying homage to Italian design. It is a
funky, cool space filled with intriguing temporary exhibitions ranging from the
design of safety equipment to masters such as Ponti, Alessi etc and
photographic work. It has a great, buzzy café with the cheapest cup of tea
found anywhere in Milan at 1.50 – a perfect place to take a breather. Nearby
and also worth visiting is Castello Sforzesco which also houses a whole range
of specialized museums.
This is a private art collection once home to the wealthy,
aristocratic Giacomo family and it displays a vast collection of old masters
with the star attraction being an exquisite Botticelli “Madonna and Child”. The
works are displayed in a series of historically themed rooms such as the Black
Room and the Dante Study.
A little off the beaten track, this 1930s villa restored and
run by the Foundation FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) is a real gem and well
worth visiting. Designed by architect Piero Portaluppi between 1932 and 1935,
it was built for industrial magnate Angelo Campliglio, his wife Gigina Necchi
and sister-in-law Nedda. Foundation volunteers conduct highly informative
guided tours around this art deco jewel with its 1930s décor, design and
additional art collections, notably the Claudia Gian Ferrari Collection of 20th-century
Italian artworks.
After visiting all these galleries you will be in need of
urgent refreshment, so my advice is head straight down to the canal area of
Milan (Naviglio Grande – Metro Porta Genova) where a long row of waterside
bars, cafes and restaurants await you. The atmosphere is lively and fun and you
can partake of that delightful Italian tradition between 6pm and 9pm – Happy
Hour Aperitivo whereby 10 Euros secures you a drink and unlimited access to a
tasty buffet. If you are lucky enough to be in town the last Sunday of the
month, head here during the day for the city’s largest antique and flea market
(Mercatore Di Navigli – www.naviglilive.it)
