You now take for granted that the moon is a satellite, that the Earth is round and spins around the sun and that stars look so small because they are so far… But it took almost 300 years of study to know that! Nowadays satellites film and see everything for us, but some time ago things were different and one could just formulate hypothesises… And sometimes considered to be a fool! Galileo de Galilei, for example, dared to state that the Earth revolved around the sun: he was obliged to deny everything, he was imprisoned and then condemned to stay alone in his house far away from his friends and family!Just think that thanks to him today we can say… How this world keeps spinning around!
If you are quite curious, we advise you to have a look at the museum and try to understand how much the human kind wanted to go beyond the starry sky you can see in the clear spring evenings! Maybe your little siblings will get a bit bored, but since you can read and observe you will certainly be satisfied… In the central corridor you can see 300 years old maps… Besides them terrestrial and celestial globes, microscopes, clocks, telescopes of every kind… And if you go on, you will find yourselves on the roofs of the building, but you will have to stop… To visit the dome – from where Schiapparelli studied the planets – you will need a guide… Maybe next time, maybe your school will decide to plan a trip here!
Now you know everything about stars, you can have your feet on the ground back and visit the botanical garden… Even here – behind the scenes – scholars studied and keep studying to know more and more about nature and its changes because all the discoveries regarding the plants world are as important as the astronomic ones!
Otherwise, if you prefer to take a stroll in one of the most characteristic areas of Milan, well, this is the best occasion… Quite all the streets are pedestrian areas so that your parents can enjoy their walk too. Look around because this is an historical area where you can notice some old shop signs… “Wines and liquors” on the signs while actually clothes are sold. If you left the botanical garden in via Fiori Oscuri and you go right towards via Borgo Nuovo, for example, try to stick your face to the window of Antica Farmacia di Brera (Brera Ancient Chemist’s)… Look, it’s more than 100 years old, with its wooden counters and showcases… A notice outside says that this chemist’s belonged to Carlo Erba, famous pharmacist that founded the first Italian drug industry. It is open on weekdays and Saturday mornings only!
If it is lunch time and you are right here, in via Borgo Nuovo, 26, we suggest you Borgonuovo 26, a bar where you can have a sandwich or a salad with an excellent price/quality ratio!
On the opposite corner – towards via Brera – you can see an ancient paint factory, Ditta Crespi, with its old golden sign! Close by there is a very famous bar, Jamaica-bar: a meeting place for writers, painters and people from the show business… Take a look if your parents decide to stop by and have a coffee!
We inform you that you are right next to the Accademia di Brera if you were interested in going in just even to have a look at the courtyard… It is a wonderful building! If you head straight from via Fiori Oscuri, and cross (don’t worry, there will be no cars) via Brera, head on to via Fiori Chiari.
This is a peculiar area that has now become quite touristic… Small restaurants, with tables outside in the summer- and wintertime, food pictures and menus translated in different languages… It is better not to stop here to eat, you may have some unpleasant surprises as for the prices! On your left go to via Madonnina, a beautiful street taking you to Piazza del Carmine, right in front of this beautiful church having the same name… Do you know that here you can express a wish to Sant’Espedito? It is said he really cares about schoolboys and students wishes… So if you are worried for a test, an interrogation or for your report cards… Well, go in and express your wish!
If you want to eat a good pizza for lunch without wasting much time, we advise you to stop at Pizzeria Sibilla in Via Mercato, a very simple place serving an excellent pizza, you will not be disappointed. If you want to continue your walk after having lunch, from via Pontevetro turn left in via dell’Orso and a little far on the left, not in Via Ciovasso yet in via Ciovassino (what weird names!), there is a very pleasant and silent small street… Turn right and you will find to be in via Melone and at the end of the street you will be in via Brera. You can decide whether go back from where you came by turning left. Otherwise, if you turn right, go to via dei Giardini, two beautiful streets, that will take you to some gardens known to the few… Giardini Perego (Perego Gardens): an oasis of peace and tranquillity where your little siblings will have fun thanks to the wooden games in the playground!
If you have gone back to the beginning of via Brera, towards the botanical garden, and you still want to discover many beautiful things around here, you can go to via Solferino and turn left in via dei Chiostri until you reach the beautiful Basilica di San Simpliciano (San Simpliciano Basilica)… Inside you can find some beautiful cloisters that, alas, are almost always closed (except for the open courts days)… Yet since you are close by you can try and go in, you will be astonished!
Alternatively, you can end your walk taking a stroll in Corso Garibaldi (pedestrian area), a lively street and teeming with shops! When you find via Palermo, turn right and after reaching Largo Treves, you can say you know this area inside out!
Do you manage to walk for another 7 minutes?? From Largo Treves go to via Statuto and go on and keep walking – after crossing the widening – up to via Volta, 5… Here you can find a very peculiar and colourful small shop, Latteria Volta, where Sara – the owner – prepares homemade desserts: cakes, biscuits, panettoni and ice creams. Shelves and counters are filled with delicacies, from sweets to bonbons, to cheese… Incredible! It is surely worth your last effort!
USEFUL INFORMATION
telephone: 02.50314680 or 02.50314686
Opening times:
Open from Monday to Friday (closed on holidays) from 9am till 4.30pm
Closing times:
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays
price: Free entrance!
How to get there:
tram line 2-4-12-14 Buonaparte Lanza
tram line 1 Manzoni Pisoni
tube line M2 Lanza Piccolo Teatro/ M3 Montenapoleone
Schiapparelli’s dome:: ONLY GUIDED TOURS
Museum halls:: Second floor – NO LIFTn
