One of the most pleasant characteristics of the area that encompasses the four house-museums is the presence of green spaces, thanks to the plethora of public and private gardens it contains. You can start from the grounds of Villa Necchi Campiglio, which were laid out in the 1930s and feature sports equipment, a swimming pool and a tennis court. Nearby, after crossing Corso Venezia, on the corner with Via Palestro, you reach the welcoming Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens), which constitute the second largest green space in the city after Sempione Park. Other recommended stop-offs on this tour of Milan’s landscaped areas include the Museo di Storia Naturale (Museum of Natural History), the Planetario (Planetarium) and, at the opposite end, the storied Palazzo Dugnani, with its main room featuring frescoes by Tiepolo. A wonderful English-style garden extends behind the Galleria d’Arte Moderna (Gallery of Modern Art) and the adjacent Padiglione di arte contemporanea (Contemporary Art Pavilion). Passing through Piazza Cavour, under the Arches of Porta Nuova, you enter Via Manzoni, which was previously known as “Corsia del Giardino” (Garden Boulevard) due to the presence of green spaces within the private palazzos. There are significant traces of these gardens at Palazzo Borromeo d’Adda, within the Poldi Pezzoli Museum and within the perimeter enclosed by the Galleries of Italy, now in Piazza della Scala. Moreover, a number of the design showrooms here (including Alessi) allow you to discover green areas behind the facades of private houses.
