Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

8 itineraries in Lombardy to discover the genius of the Renaissance.

The itineraries are:

• Around the Naviglio Grande
• Leonardo between Brescia and the Orobie and Brescia valleys
• The lakes of Brianza, the course of the Adda and the Naviglio della Martesana
• Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina
• Leonardo and Isabella d’Este in Mantua and Cremona
• Leonardo in Pavia
• The serial model of the Virgin of the Rocks: embroidery at the Sacro Monte of Varese
• Leonardo in Vigevano

Around the Naviglio Grande — The Naviglio Grande was not only a waterway to carry the goods and marble used to build the Duomo, but also the favourite way for the dukes to comfortably move from the castle in Milan to their other ducal residences. Leonardo would observe, draw, and upgrade this extraordinary waterway system, which was also the subject of many of Leonardo’s drawings. Since the 15th century, villas and country mansions of Milan’s nobility were built along the banks of the Naviglio or closely nearby. Some of these buildings, or the chapels next to them, were decorated with Leonardo's motifs.

Leonardo between Brescia and the valleys of the Orobie Alps and those near Brescia — Around 1497, Francesco Sanson, the Minister General of the Franciscan order, tried, alas unsuccessfully, to convince Leonardo da Vinci to make a painting for the church of San Francesco in Brescia. Leonardo was much attracted by the mountains around Brescia, by their watercourses, as well as by the nearby lake Garda. He would record the distances between the rivers in the province of Bergamo and in Brescia (Mella, Oglio, Cherio, Serio and Brembo) tracking real itineraries in the Brembana valley and the Camonica valley of Lake Iseo, from Palazzolo sull'Oglio to Ponte di Legno. He would also visit the Trompia Valley and Lake Idro. Leonardo’s interests in this area focused on the iron ore mines of Collio and how this precious metal was being worked and employed.

The lakes in Brianza, the river Adda and the naviglio della Martesana — For sure, Leonardo visited Brianza and the stretch of the river Adda between Lecco and Trezzo. He wanted to find a better way to carry goods in that portion of the river where it flows out of lake Como and it is so tortuous that it is impossible to navigate. Leonardo's sketches are real field surveys and the oldest cartographic recording of the Brianza lakes of Annone, Pusiano, Segrino and Alserio.

Leonardo between Lario, Valsassina and Valtellina — A few sheets of the Codex Atlanticus contain brief descriptions of Valsassina, Valtellina, Chiavenna and other places in the Lake Como area, the essence of which Leonardo was able to capture in just a few words. Leonardo correctly described the Grigna – meaning ‘bald’– as the highest mountain in the whole area between the lake Como and Valsassina. He paid particular attention to the rivers, flowing through most spectacular and picturesque parts of this land, with a very modern spirit of observation: the intermittent river Fiumelatte in Varenna; the Troggia waterfall in Introbrio; the falls of the Mera river at Acquafraggia in Valchiavenna; the thermal baths of Bormio.

Leonardo and isabella d’este between Mantua and Cremona — Leonardo da Vinci left Milan, no longer the capital city of the Sforzas, in 1499, and on his way to Venice, he stopped in Mantua. Here the marquise Isabella d’Este wanted Leonardo to make a portrait of hers. She had seen and much admired the portrait of Cecilia Gallerani (the Lady with an Ermine). The former mistress of Ludovico il Moro, Cecilia would often stay at San Giovanni in Croce, in the Cremona province, in the now Villa del Vascello. Isabella’s portrait would never be completed, which probably only increased her desire to own a work by Leonardo, which she insistently kept asking him in the following years: she would have liked either a sweet Madonna or a young Christ.

Leonardo in Pavia — Leonardo was also in Pavia with Francesco di Giorgio Martini in the spring of 1490, called there to work as a consultant for the construction of the new cathedral. The church to be reconstructed was to be as great as the Santa Sofia of Constantinople. On that occasion, Leonardo also studied the plan of the now destroyed church ofSanta Maria in Pertica. Leonardo also seemed to be interested in the architecture of the Visconti’s castle and also benefited from the rich library kept there. Constantly fascinated by water, he studied the hydraulic systems of the large park. He also explored the foundations of the Pavia walls near the river Ticino. The famous Regisole – a Roman equestrian monument, and a model for the horse designed in memory of Francesco Sforza – was also part of Leonardo’s studies in Pavia.

Serial model of the virgin of the rocks: the embroideries of Sacro Monte di Varese — The Virgin of the Rocks wasthe first work we know for sure was commissioned to Leonardo in Milan. His invention on the theme of the Immaculate Virgin portrayed in a cave immediately became viral. In the early 16th century, the image became a sort of ‘souvenir-subject’ to be purchased in Milan’s workshops after a stay in the city. There is an incredibly great number of copies with some variants kept in public and private collections, or in ecclesiastical buildings. The success of the model was such that it was also taken up in embroideries. In Santa Maria del Monte above Varese (Sacro Monte), in the Museo Baroffio, for example, there is a refinedaltar-frontal with in the centre a reproduction of the first version of the Virgin of the Rocks, now kept in the Louvre.

Leonardo in Vigevano — The Ducal residence in Vigevano was the actual seat of the court of Ludovico il Moro (1479-1499).Hence, most probably, Leonardo lived for some time between the castles of this town and the surrounding experimental agricultural estates, such as the pilot estate of the Sforzesca. The Vigevano compound was linked from both a defensive and a residential point of view to a series of buildings such as the castles of Gambolò, Galliate and La Maura in Villanova di Cassolnovo. In his notebooks, Leonardo wrote down various information about the countryside around Vigevano: the system used by farmers to protect the vineyards from frost; a system of water ‘ladders’ used to reclaim marshy lands and to irrigate the watermeadows.

Take me here: Leonardo in Lombardy: 8 itineraries to discover the places of Vinci

Castles in Valtellina

A dive into the past between castles and towers in Valtellina

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Vaprio d adda

Halfway between Bergamo and Milan it is located on the border between the two provinces marked by the river Adda, on the Milanese side

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Diocesan Museum

Pre-view of the exhibited art-works

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Lombardy’s Legends and Traditions

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

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Between ancient memories and majestic landscapes

Cultural itinerary in lower Valtellina

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Lomello and its Christian buildings

Village of strategical importance since ancient times, here you can discover the great Romanesque Lombard architecture

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What to Do in Mantua and surroundings

Discovering the wonders of Mantua and surroundings

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Monuments Milan

Milan is rich in historical and artistic monuments of the highest value that bear witness to the history of the Lombard capital

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A day at the National Museum Leonardo da Vinci

One of the largest science and technology museums in Europe

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Walking through time between Grosio and Grosotto

The most extensive historiated rock in Europe

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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

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Milan and its mysterious places

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

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The window on the river Po

A romantic corner on the Great River

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A Day in Pavia

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

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Bernardino Campi in Pizzighettone

Frescoes in the San Bassiano Church in Pizzighettone

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A day in the life of Leonardo

Art and more: discover a world of intrigue and passions

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Autumn Events 2025

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Museums Milan

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

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Visit Villa Reale di Monza

A real journey through history from the Habsburgs to the Savoy.

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Milan, a novel city

Discovering the writers of the past, between the places and the atmospheres of Milan that have inspired great masterpieces of literature

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