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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The magic of Varesotto's castles

A tour of Varesotto's castles: an itinerary to discover a regional area where time seems to stand still.

Art & Culture

Between ancient memories and majestic landscapes

Cultural itinerary in lower Valtellina

Art & Culture

The Lombard seigniories: key figures, history and places

Gonzaga, Visconti, Sforza: a journey through cities steeped in history and culture

Art & Culture

In the footsteps of the Promessi Sposi

An unusual itinerary to relive the places, moods and atmospheres of Manzoni's novel, symbol of national identity

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The life in a farm

Come and discover the charm of an ancient farm!

Art & Culture

Visit Villa Reale di Monza

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

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The Winter Songs

The legend of the coldest days in the year

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Museums Brescia

Brescia: the ideal destination for those who love art. Countless opportunities to visit exhibitions and to attend cultural events

Art & Culture

Bergamo Città Bassa

Glimpses of ancient villages along the main communication routes between the upper city and the territory

Art & Culture

Cremona and its music

Cremona's music is closer than what you think

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Online i modelli di Stradivari dell’MdV

On Google Arts & Culture!

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Insider Mantua

Art & Culture

Museums Lodi

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

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The Ghost of Manigunda

In Varese the legend of the ghost of Manigunda to the monastery

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The paths of Spriana

To visit Spriana is to step into the past, discovering a small farming village

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School trips

Cremona is the ideal destination for your school trip

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Cremona, le Botteghe di liuteria

Maestri del legno e del violino. Botteghe storiche e collezioni. La liuteria a Cremona è patrimonio culturale immateriale Unesco dal 2012

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Franciacorta Itinerary

The ideal destination for those who love cultural tourism

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Monuments Pavia

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

Art & Culture

Rivalta sul Mincio

Art & Culture