Not only asphalt, traffic and hustle and bustle, Milan is also so much more: we are talking about a metropolis that never ceases to amaze and that always has in store continuous surprises for those who are eager to get to know it thoroughly, neighborhood after neighborhood.
That’s why the NEIADE Tour & Events team has come up with some itineraries for you that will take you Discovering the unusual places and special things to see in Milan! From ancient villas to underground passages, from bomb shelters to churches with Gothic charm: let us guide you and Learn about the Lombard capital even in its most secret places!
11 suggested routes to discover the special things to see in Milan
1. On-demand package: 10 meetings to learn about Secret Milan
A tour of 10 virtual encounters, to be reviewed whenever you want, thanks to which you will discover some of the most unpublished and hidden places in Milan. With the support of rare photographic documents, for example, you will get to know two air-raid shelters dating back to the years of World War II: the shelter in Piazza Grandi and the one in the Leopardi School in Viale Bodio 22. There, civilians once found shelter from bombing.
Not only that: you will also immerse yourself in the oldest atmosphere of underground Milan, from the Duomo to the medieval-era crypts of San Sepolcro and San Giovanni in Conca. Other highlights of the package include the beautiful Villa Necchi Campiglio – dating from the 1930s-the Ponticella in the Castello Sforzesco, the Virgin of the Rocks in Via Lanzone, the Vineyard of Leonardo da Vinci in Casa Atellani. So many “secret” treasures of the city of Milan!
2. A virtual meeting about Milan, its unseen places and its most peculiar things
In this virtual meeting, available on demand, you can do a tour – all virtual! – among the most curious and unusual places in Milan ; did you know that there is a copy of the Statue of Liberty on the facade of the Duomo? Or were you aware of the existence of a bar for only three people in Corso di Porta Ticinese? We bet you didn’t know that there is also a place in Milan where houses are shaped like mushrooms: we are talking about the Journalists’ Village in the Maggiolina area! All these curious and unusual places in Milan are waiting for you in this virtual tour!
3. The Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio
Inside the Parco delle Basiliche, in the Porta Ticinese area, the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio-also known as the Basilica of the Three Kings-is truly a treasure chest! A visit to the Portinari Chapel is a must in order to discover the Lombard Renaissance and the frescoes by Vincenzo Foppa, among which the real peculiarity of this building undoubtedly stands out: the false Madonna depicted by the painter with a pair of horns, a representation related to the life of St. Peter Martyr. In addition to this singularity, the basilica is linked to other mysteries rooted in the centuries… For example, the history of the church is intertwined with that of the Magi, whose relics are preserved here today!
4. World War II air raid shelters
In this online meeting, you will learn all about Milan’s historic air raid shelters, which can still be visited in attendance today: we will show you the shelter in Piazza Grandi and the one in Viale Bodio (Antiaircraft Shelter No. 87) to relive together one of the most tragic pages of our history.
5. A visit among the special things in Milan: lhe pastel-colored houses of via Lincoln
Among the curious things to see in Milan, we certainly cannot fail to mention the city’s “rainbow district,” all to be discovered with the dedicated virtual meeting! We are located on Via Lincoln, in what was once the city’s old working-class village. If you then get the curiosity to visit this lively and curious place live, you should also know that its colorful houses in pastel shades – somewhat reminiscent of the streets of Cuba – are the perfect set for truly memorable photo shoots!
6. Virtual meeting dedicated to Santa Maria at San Satiro
A very special and striking place is hidden in Via Torino in Milan: the church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro, which preserves one of the most astonishing examples of optical illusion in the history of art, thanks to the skillful use of perspective employed here by architect Donato Bramante. The apse of the small church, in fact, does not really exist, but is merely painted by the artist. Thanks to the patronage of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and Ludovico il Moro, this church became famous precisely because of Bramante’s particular perspective intervention. Join this on-demand tour to learn more about Santa Maria presso San Satiro and Bramante’s works in Milan!
7. La Vigna di Leonardo on demand
Did you know that a few steps away from the Last Supper-at the Atellani House, restored by Portaluppi-is kept the wonderful Vineyard of Leonardo da Vinci, given to him by Ludovico Il Moro? If you wanted to enter – virtually! – into the halls of the beautiful residence and then into its garden, to find out more about the Vinci Vineyard, all you have to do is connect with us!
8. Guided tour of the Milan Underground
Among the special things to see in Milan, we cannot fail to mention thefascinating underground city. In fact, if the dark doesn’t scare you, go down with Neiade into the Milanese underground and discover the most hidden Milan: from thearchaeological area below the Duomo to the Crypt of San Giovanni in Conca in Piazza Missori, you can step back in time, even reaching back to the time when the city was founded!
9. Among ghosts and skeletons in San Bernardino alle Ossa, among the most peculiar things to see in Milan
If ghost stories and sinister places fascinate you, among the curious things to see in Milan, don’t miss this tour at theOssuary of the Baroque church of San Bernardino alle Ossa: its walls are entirely covered with human bones, probably belonging to the dead from the nearby hospital of San Barnaba in Brolo. It is said that the spirits of all the skeletons present come back to life on the night of November 2! Plus, our guide will take you on a ghost tour from the Duomo to via Broletto, to “meet” the most famous ghosts in Milan.
10. Video lecture on the Ponticella of the Castello Sforzesco
Have you ever heard of the Ponticella of the Castello Sforzesco? It was initially used as a service bridge for the building and later became anelegant residential appendage kept inside the castle. This place later became famous for the fact that Ludovico il Moro used to take refuge here amid his tears after mourning his young consort Beatrice d’Este. If you are curious to hear the full story, you will be told in this virtual meeting!
11. Visit to the House of the Magician
In the heart of Milan’s historic center is a mysterious little brick church, nicknamed the House of the Magician: it is the Basilica of San Vincenzo in Prato, built between the 9th and 11th centuries over the remains of a Roman necropolis and dedicated to the Aragonese martyr Vincenzo. The church over the centuries has served various functions: military warehouse, stable, barracks and place of worship. But that’s not all: in the 19th century the basilica was also used as a chemical factory, with strange fumes escaping from its bell tower, contributing to the fascination of mysterious alchemy that has always enveloped it. On this guided tour you will discover many anecdotes about this place of worship-for example, why it is called the Wizard’s House! – and you will admire the Zavattari decorations and some enigmatic symbols.
