A wood planted by volunteers
Thousands of trees planted since 1974 on abandoned farmland.
Goldmund100 — CC BY 3.0 · Goldmund100 — CC BY 3.0 · Mizardellorsa — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mizardellorsa — CC BY-SA 3.0
An urban forest west of Milan, the first woodland deliberately planted inside an Italian city. The project began in 1974 on abandoned farmland: thousands of trees were planted by volunteers, lakes and channels were dug, and the space was left to grow as a real wood rather than a landscaped park. Today it covers around a hundred and twenty hectares. The difference from a public park is plain when you enter: dirt paths between dense trees, water, fields, and birdsong instead of city noise. No flower beds and no statues. It also holds community gardens worked by people from the district, walking, running and cycling paths, and a teaching farm. This is a place people in Milan use and visitors barely know. That is why it stays quiet even at weekends compared with the parks in the centre. Free and open. It lies west of the city and needs a metro then a bus, about half an hour from the centre.
Thousands of trees planted since 1974 on abandoned farmland.
Left to grow as a real wood rather than a landscaped park — the difference is plain.
Quiet even at weekends compared with the parks in the centre.
West Milan, the Figino district
If you are in Milan for several days and want air and quiet away from stone and crowds, yes, and it is free. On a short visit the Duomo, the Last Supper, the Sforza castle and Brera fill two days easily, and Parco Sempione behind the castle is far closer and enough for a break.
Parco Sempione behind the Sforza castle is the nearest and best known, and the Porta Venezia public gardens east of the centre are larger and hold a natural history museum and a planetarium. Both are free and minutes from the centre, unlike this one at half an hour.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.