The term “villa” implies something that is a sine qua non: that the house be surrounded by greenery. This is certainly the case of the house-museum in question, which has a delightful garden, complete with a swimming pool and a tennis court. In this instance, the green space surrounding the house was the result of the conversion, early in the last century, of extensive private grounds into an area zoned for the construction of high-quality residences; indeed, around Villa Necchi there are various important 20th-century buildings. Immediately opposite is Palazzo Sola Busca, famed for its ear-shaped intercom; in the immediate vicinity there is Palazzo Berri Meregalli, one of the masterpieces of Milanese Art Nouveau. Nearby, Palazzo Fidia offers unusual ‘30s solutions. Corso Venezia, very much a touchstone for the whole district, plays host to numerous historic palazzos, starting from the lavish Palazzo Serbelloni, which occupies an enormous corner plot and features a noble Neoclassical facade. You will then see, on the same side of the street, Palazzo Rocca Saporiti and the great arch of Palazzo società Buonarroti-Carpaccio-Giotto. The route comes to an end with the 19th century gateway of Porta Venezia, next to which it develops, under Piazza Oberdan, Albergo Diurno Venezia (Venezia Daytime Hotel), temporarily closed to the public, which was designed by Piero Portaluppi, the same architect as Villa Necchi. At the two opposite sides of the square, there are two significant 20th-century buildings the Rasini Tower-House and, at the entrance to Corso Buenos Aires, Palazzo Luraschi.
