Milano: The city of green development and impressive architecture
Must haves:
Parco Sempione
This beautiful park was created in 1888 as a response to pressure from the public – locals were opposed to the fast urbanization of the city and wanted the area to remain primarily for recreational purposes. The park runs from the Castello Sforzesco to the Arco della Pace, two of the main landmarks of Milan. Today the park, built in English style, offers jogging tracks, expansive green laws and coffee stands, making it a perfect spot to relax and soak up the sun.
Guastalla Gardens
Often overlooked, the Giardini della Guastalla is a hidden gem of Milan. Decorated with countless statues and sculptures, they are one of the oldest public gardens in Milan, dating all the way back to the 16th century. In addition to the Baroque fountain, the gardens offer a variety of plants. The most interesting of those being a cigar tree, black walnut and a row of ancient beeches.
Bosco Verticale
Bosco Verticale or Vertical Forest is a pair of residential towers in the Porta Nuova district, with amazing green facades populated with gardens and luscious greenery. The towers are home to more than 900 trees and were designed as a first part of a larger renovation project, the goal of which is to repopulate Milan’s flora and fauna and to control and reduce urban expansion.
Brera Botanical Garden
Located in the trendy district of Brera, within the Palazzo di Brera, the botanical garden is a hidden oasis amongst the chaos of central Milan. Although small in size, spanning only over 5000 square metres, it hosts over 300 species of plants, including two of the oldest maidenhair trees in Europe. In 2005 the botanical garden and the adjacent observatory became a museum complex managed by the University of Milan.
Brughiera Briantea Park
Located about an hour’s drive from central Milan, Brughiera Park is one of the largest wooden areas in Lombardy and the first one you encounter on the ride towards the north. What makes it special is that it’s located between extremely urbanised areas, making it the only remaining refuge for plant and animal life tied to forest environments. The forests, grassland areas and wetlands make it a very biodiverse and are home to a variety of species.
MILAN GREEN FACTS:
- Milan is the first major city to enforce a city-wide food waste policy encompassing public agencies, food banks, charities, NGOs, universities and private businesses. The city has three Food Waste Hubs, each recovering about 130 tonnes of food per year or 350 kg per day, an estimated 260,000 meals equivalent.
- For its sustainability and conservation efforts Milan was among the first to be awarded one million pounds as a part of a newly established environmental prize presided over by Prince William and Kate Middleton.
- There are plans to plant 3 million trees in Milan by 2030. Such an increase in the trees’ presence over the city’s soil, about a 30% expansion, could absorb 5 million tons of carbon dioxide every year while reducing PM10 small particles by 3,000 tons in the next ten years.
- According to Italian media, the city’s authorities are planning to create 20 new urban parks, to extend the already existing ones and to make the most out of discarded areas like an abandoned freight railway network which will be turned into seven parks.