From Milan I go to Monza. Here are the must-see places

Have you probably heard of the town of Monza? Mostly because of the Italian Grand Prix – Formula 1, which takes place on the first weekend in September near the Villa Reale Park. Yes, Monza is home to Italy’s largest racetrack, where Formula 1 races are held every year.

What to see if you go to Monza?

Since you keep mentioning the Royal Villa, where the F1 races start, why don’t we start our tour of Monza from here too.

This villa has been recently renovated, but is a gem of Monza – with a history dating back to 1777.

The Royal Villa was built at the request of Maria Theresa of Austria, who wanted her son to have a holiday home not too far from Milan and on the old Milan-Vienna axis. The royal family used to spend their daily life in the Villa in the centre of Milano, then moved north when it started to get too hot in the city. If you look at both villas, you’ll find a lot of correspondences in the architectures, bearing the signature of  Giuseppe Piermarrini.

The Villa Manor in Monza dates back to the 18th century and is characterized by a U-shaped structure: you will be introduced to different apartments and discover the history of the first kings of Italy. Something very interesting you should know is that here you will find products made one hundred percent in Italy, because the queen, wanted to provide the premises with Italian masterpieces: porcelain, tiles, etc.

After visiting the Villa, you can enjoy a walk in the park, one of the largest parks in Europe – crossed by the river Lambro and many lanes with stables, farms, small temples. Here you can ride horses or rent a bike to get to the city centre if you can’t walk and it’s on foot.

Walk through Monza. What to do in the city of Monza?

There are lots of places to visit in the city of Monza, so I recommend walking around and exploring the city. Do you like shopping? You should know that there are plenty of gorgeous shops in Monza where you could go shopping. You will definitely be delighted by all the shops on Via Italia and Via Vittorio Emanuele II.

Visiting Via Vittorio Emanuele, you will find the courtyard on the left a courtyard and you will walk on the Lions Bridge crossing the Lambro river. Turning along the river, you will reach the Gothic square, where you can admire the Gothic style and visit the Theodolda Chapel and the Serpero Museum. A place where most of the treasures are kept, such as the iron crown, which bears precious stones. According to tradition, it was made with a nail from the Cross of Jesu.

Monza has become one of the provinces of Lombardy, a good starting point for visiting the Brianza area, an area characterized by workers and furniture manufacturers. The lords left the city and restored here on holiday, it is a place full of noble residences, sanctuaries and many green places, other beauties that are harder to find in the centre of Milan … but not so far away!

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