| Alto Milanese | |
 | |
| State | Italy |
|---|---|
| Region | Lombardy |
| Inhabitants | 700.000 |
| Institutional website | |
Alto Milanese (or Altomilanese) is a sub-region belonging to the Lombardy.
To know
Geographical notes
The Alto Milanese is an area located, as the name suggests, to the north west of the city of Milan, between the Ticino river and the Lura stream, which flows along the A9 motorway. The Olona River vertically cuts the Upper Milanese into two parts. It partially occupies the territories of the provinces of Milan and Varese and, to a lesser extent, that of Como and includes the municipalities of Arconate, Arsago Seprio, Buscate, Busto Arsizio, Bust Garolfo, Cairate, Canegrate, Cardano al Campo, Caronno Pertusella, Casorate Sempione, Cassano Magnago, First Brown, Castellanza, Castelseprio, Cerro Maggiore, Cislago, Cuggiono, Dairago, Fagnano Olona, Ferno, Gallarate, Gerenzano, Gorla Maggiore, Gorla Minore, Legnano, Lonate Pozzolo, Magnago, Marnate, Nerviano, Nosate, Olgiate Olona, Origgio, Parabiago, Rescaldina, Robecchetto with Induno, Samarate, San Giorgio su Legnano, San Vittore Olona, Saronno, Solbiate Olona, Lombard sum, Turbigo, Uboldo, Vanzaghello, Villa Cortese is Vizzola Ticino. There is also the international airport of Milan-Malpensa.
It largely corresponds to one of the Italian provinces planned in the past: the province of Seprio. The Alto Milanese area can be geographically divided into two areas. The central-northern area is hilly, with some valleys, such as the Olona Valley and the Arno Valley. In the southern area, on the other hand, the high Po Valley extends. The highest heights are around 430 m a.s.l., while the lowest ones are around 150 m a.s.l.
When to go
Being an area rich in inhabited centers, the most suitable periods to visit the Upper Milanese are many. The best times to visit Busto Arsizio are between June and July, when the initiatives "Thursday evening in the square" and "Corte Cultura" are active (see the Events and parties section), and in December, when the city center is filled with stalls and entertainment activities for the Christmas period, with music that enlivens shopping in the streets of the historic center.
The best time to travel to Legnano it is the month of May, when the commemorations of the battle of Legnano are taking place. In this period a series of events is organized that culminate with a horse race in which the eight historical districts of the city participate. This series of manifestations is known as Palio of Legnano. Another favorable period to visit Legnano is the one between June and September. In fact, in recent months the initiative to open the shops in the city center on Wednesday evening is active. In mid-September the Bernocchi cup, a men's road cycling race. It is part of the UCI Europe Tour calendar, class 1.1. Together with the "Tre Valli Varesine" and the "Coppa Agostoni", it completes the "Trittico Lombardo" (until 2013 it was organized in mid-August). In December, stalls are set up in the historic center and entertainment activities are organized for the Christmas period.
The best time to visit Gallarate it is instead at the end of October, when the Gallarate Jazz Festival is organized. At the beginning of November the Palio della "Rama di Pomm" is instead organized. This historical, religious and folkloristic event is organized in the Madonna in Campagna district.
The best time to travel to Saronno It is at the beginning of May when the Sunday demonstration "Saronno una volta" is organized by the associations of the city. Over one hundred associations present themselves with stalls and stands in the pedestrian center. On the occasion there is also an exhibition of costumes, vehicles and instruments from the early twentieth century. In summer, the "white night" is organized instead. As far as religious events are concerned, the feast of the Transport of the Holy Crucifix is noteworthy, which takes place from 1734 to the fourth Sunday in October with a solemn procession. At the end of March, since 1577, the feast of the Vow to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli takes place which provides for the offering of wax by the Mayor as fulfillment of the ancient Marian vow.
The Upper Milanese has a continental climate with cold winters with many days of frost. The fog is widespread above all on agricultural and wooded areas. Summers are hot, humid and moderately rainy.
Background
The territory, which sees the presence of waterways and a temperate climate, was the protagonist of the development of settlements since ancient times. In fact, remains of pile-dwelling settlements dating back to about 10,000 years ago have been found. Furthermore, the abundance of game and timber destined the area to be a land of conquest for centuries, which brought a notable cultural heritage to this territory.
The development of the Canegrate culture first (starting from the 13th century BC) and of the Culture of Golasecca then (between the 9th and 4th centuries BC), from the respective localities where vast necropolises came to light.
Historical sources date the first invasions to the year 1000 BC, carried out by Indo-European peoples. In particular, the passage of the Celts made a strong contribution to agriculture and craftsmanship, also thanks to the invention of the plow. This people also had the merit of having built the main road that crosses the territory, what Napoleon will call Sempione. After the Celts came the Etruscans and later the Gauls, who greatly influenced the language and culture. Then came Hannibal and finally the Romans, who conquered Milan in 191 BC. If on the one hand the Romans tried to erase the traces of previous cultures, on the other hand they took care of improving the territory: in fact we owe the paving of the road, started by the Celts, which connects Milan with the Alps; work that was completed in 196 A.D. by the emperor Septimius Severus. The castrum of Castelseprio was also their work, and was built between the 4th and 5th centuries AD. After the Romans it was the turn of the Goths and Lombards and finally of the Franks, who under the leadership of Charlemagne put an end to the Lombard dominion with the battles of Pavia and Verona in 774. From the 10th century the area was the scene of raids, especially from part of the Hungarians.
Until 1155, when Frederick I, known as "il Barbarossa" became king of Italy and subsequently emperor in Rome, within the Kingdom the municipalities had a considerable autonomy, which had allowed them a considerable development both economically and socially and cultural. The Kingdom of Italy included the Po Valley and Tuscany, and was one of the richest regions in Europe. However, there were differences between the various inhabited centers, which were cleverly exploited by Barbarossa to take power and impose large taxes. The king fomented the conflicts between the municipalities to the point of causing, in 1162, the destruction of Milan, the most powerful Lombard city. It was at this point that the Po Valley people realized the need to unite to counter the common enemy: alliances were thus formed between municipalities, which took the name of "leagues": the Veronese League dates back to 1164. Subsequently, on 7 April 1167 at the abbey of Pontida, thanks to the work of the archbishop of Milan Oberto da Pirovano, the representatives of Milan, Cremona, Mantua, Bergamo and Brescia swore to form a federative pact: the Lombard League. The federation is joined by other cities in Veneto, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia and Romagna. So it was that on May 29, 1176, near Legnano, the army of the League defeats the imperial one. The victory was also due to the heroic behavior of the Company of Death, a legion of knights led by Alberto da Giussano whose task was to defend the Carroccio. This was the very famous battle of Legnano, which the city remembers with the Carroccio Festival, held every year in May.
The road traced by the Celts, starting from the middle of the 13th century, is the protagonist of more and more frequent movements along the Simplon route. The area becomes more and more developed and attracts an increasing number of traders, especially interested in the purchase of cottons and wools. Proof of this is the birth of the first credit institutions and the proliferation of transport companies, which sold manufacturing production throughout the Mediterranean. In 1450 the Sforza family succeeded the Visconti in the current Lombard capital, and this resulted in a period of considerable artistic and cultural interest. The cultivation of the first silkworms was also encouraged, while in 1520 looms were imported from France. In 1529 the plague epidemic caused a strong slowdown in the activities of the territory. Finally, the death of the last descendant of the Sforza, which took place in 1535, destined Milan to pass into the hands of Charles V.
With the dominion of the Spaniards, northern Italy entered a period of decline, which culminated in the Plague of 1630, brought by the Lanzichenecchi, which was so violent as to cause the death of almost 90% of the population. The Iberian domination ends in 1706, when during the war of the Spanish succession the territory was occupied by the Austrians, who found a plain exhausted both economically and administratively.
The beginning of the nineteenth century marks a sort of economic rebirth for Busto Arsizio and Legnano: the availability of capital and labor allowed the opening, in 1870, of the cotton mills Milani & Nipoti, Giovanni Milani in Busto Arsizio, between 1871 and 1879 , of the Krumm and Borgomaneri spinning mills in Legnano; the Fratelli Dell'Acqua, A. Bernocchi, De Angeli and Cotonificio Cantoni factories; by Cotonificio Bustese in 1887, by Dell'Acqua-Lissoni-Castiglioni (1888), by Crespi, by Venzaghi (1892), by Pomini mechanics, by the renowned Calzaturificio Borri (1892), by the Marcora foundry (1908), by Molini Marzoli Massari (1906) and several smaller companies, all of Busto Arsizio.
In the same period we also see the birth of credit institutions such as the Banca di Legnano (1887), the Credito Legnanese (1923) and the Banca Alto Milanese (1922) of Busto Arsizio.
Even the means of transport saw the Gallarate-Busto Arsizio-Legnano conurbation as the protagonist: with the activation of the Milan-Gallarate railway in 1860 and the Milan-Gallarate tramway, dated 1880, the movements towards the capital intensified considerably.
The development of industry went hand in hand in the other centers: in Castellanza the Cantoni Cotton Mill (1845), the Tosi Manufacture (1888), the Ignazio Siles chemistry (1900, then Montecatini), the Pomini mechanics (1886), the Tintoria Cerini (1906) and a power station (1904); in Gallarate the Borgomaneri and Maino factories, the Bellora and Cesare Macchi cotton mills, the Cantoni-Introini weaving mill, the Cesare and Carlo Forni & Bonicalzi mechanical looms industry, the F.lli Orlandi knitwear factory and many other secondary firms; in Tradate numerous furnaces, the Frera motorcycle company (1905), the Officine Meccaniche Saporiti, the Lonati & Castiglioni silk factory, the Martegani shoe factory; almost all the secondary municipalities, especially those aligned along the Olona or the Lura, had one or more important factories.
In the twenties and thirties many other industries arose, while the crisis that began in the sixties led by the early nineties to the closure of almost all the large factories, leaving an enormous heritage of industrial archeology as a peculiarity of the Upper Milanese area.
Spoken languages
In addition to the Italian language, the western Lombard dialect is widespread, especially among older people, in particular in the variants of the Bustocco and Legnanese dialects.
Territories and tourist destinations
Alto Milanese: full screen map.The main reference points of the Upper Milanese area is the primary communication network, which consists of the Lakes Highway (A8 Milan-Varese and A9 Lainate-Como-Chiasso), the Strada Statale 33 del Sempione, the Strada Statale 233 Varesina , from the state road 527 Bustese and from the railway lines Milan-Domodossola, Novara-Seregno, Saronno-Laveno, Saronno-Milan.
Urban centers
- 1 Busto Arsizio - The industrial fortune of the city, which with Legnano is Castellanza it forms one of the largest conurbations in Lombardy, it has its roots in the distant fourteenth century, when the main activity was already the tanning of skins and the processing of linen. Its historic center preserves art monuments.
- 2 Gallarate - Its territory has given prehistoric finds of the Golasecca culture. It is now an industrial center; it was among the first cities to experience strong economic development in the first half of the nineteenth century.
- 3 Legnano - The story celebrates Legnano for the victory achieved in 1176 by the Lombard municipalities in its territory against Federico Barbarossa. Current events see it as one of the most solid industrial centers in the conurbation with Castellanza and Busto Arsizio. Its city center includes many historic buildings.
- 4 Parabiago
- 5 Saronno - Agricultural and commercial center already in the Middle Ages, these characteristics have been preserved up to the present day, in which the city is a mechanical and confectionery industrial center with a notable development of the tertiary sector. It is a center of faith with its well-known Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli.
How to get
By plane
In the Upper Milanese there is the Milan-Malpensa airport, which is the second Italian hub after Rome Fiumicino.
By car
State roads
- There
state road 33 of the Simplon, which connects the Switzerland with Milan. - There
state road 341 Gallaratese, which connects Varese with Novara. - There
state road 527 Bustese, which connects Monza with Oleggio.
state road 33 of the Simplon, which connects the 
state road 341 Gallaratese, which connects 
state road 527 Bustese, which connects Highways
Milan-Varese motorway (various exits).
Genoa-Gravellona Toce motorway, exit for the A8 motorway.
Lainate-Como-Chiasso motorway, exit Saronno - State road 527 Bustese.
Turin-Trieste motorway, exit Marcallo-Mesero.
Milan-Varese motorway (various exits).
Genoa-Gravellona Toce motorway, exit for the A8 motorway.
Lainate-Como-Chiasso motorway, exit 
Turin-Trieste motorway, exit It is not possible to reach the Alto Milanese through waterways.
On the train
The Alto Milanese is crossed by several railway lines. The Malpensa Express connects Malpensa airport with Milan, while other railways that have stations or railway stops in the Alto Milanese area are the Domodossola-Milan railway, the Luino-Gallarate railway, the Gallarate-Varese railway, the Milan-Saronno railway. Varese-Laveno and the Milan-Saronno-Novara railway.
By bus
The public transport service that connects the Upper Milanese with the other areas is managed by the company MOVIBUS. These lines are:
- Z601: Legnano - Milan MM Dorino via Sempione
- Z602: Legnano - Milan P.za Cadorna via the A8 motorway
- Z603: San Vittore Olona - Cerro Maggiore - Nerviano - Milan P.za Cadorna via the A8 motorway
- Z605: San Giorgio su Legnano - Canegrate - Parabiago - Milan MM Dorino
- Z606: Cerro Maggiore - Rho - Milan MM Dorino
- Z607: Villanova - Garbatola - Barbaiana - Milan MM Dorino
- Z608: Stab. Nerviano - MM Dorino
- Z609: Legnano - Rho Fiera - takes place only in certain periods
- Z611: Legnano - Canegrate - Parabiago
- Z612: Legnano - Cerro Maggiore- Lainate
- Z616: Pregnana Milanese - Rho
- Z617: Origgio - Lainate - Milan MM Lampugnano
- Z618: Vanzago - Pogliano Milanese - Rho
- Z621: Cuggiono - Inveruno - Ossona - Milan MM Dorino via the A4 motorway
- Z622: Cuggiono - Inveruno - Ossona - Arluno Vittuone - Cornaredo
- Z627: Chestnut Primo - Cuggiono - Buscate - Arconate - Bust Garolfo - Villa Cortese - Legnano
- Z636: Nosate - Castano Primo - Vanzaghello - Legnano
- Z641: Chestnut Primo - Nosate - Turbigo - Cuggiono - Boffalora Ticino - Magenta
- Z642: Magenta - Corbetta - Santo Stefano Ticino - Arluno - Busto Garolfo - Legnano
- Z643: Vittuone - Arluno - Ossona - Casorezzo - Parabiago
- Z644: Arconate - Villa Cortese - Bust Garolfo - Parabiago
- Z646: Magenta - Marcallo with Casone - Cuggiono - Castano Primo
- Z647: Cornaredo - Arluno - Bust Garolfo - Arconate - Castano Primo
- Z648: Castano Primo - Buscate - Busto Garolfo - Arluno - Milan MM Dorino via the A4 motorway
- Z649: Chestnut Primo - Bust Garolfo - Arluno - Cornaredo - Vighignolo - Milan MM Dorino
How to get around
By public transport
The public transport system that serves the Upper Milanese is managed by various companies. On the site altomilaneseinrete.it you can find the timetables of public transport that serve this area.
What see
- 1 Marliani-Cicogna Palace, piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, Busto Arsizio. Building of sixteenth-century origin, rebuilt between 1624 and 1653 and modified in the first half of the eighteenth century which today houses the civic art collections.
- 2 Bustese cotton mill, via Alessandro Volta 6/8, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 390242, 39 0331 390348, @[email protected].
Tue-Sat 15: 00-19: 00; Sun 10: 00-12: 00 and 16: 00-19: 00; Closed Mon. Work of the architect Camillo Crespi Balbi, the building, which once housed the Bustese cotton building, now houses the Museum of Textiles and Industrial Tradition of Busto Arsizio. - 3 Basilica of San Giovanni Battista, piazza San Giovanni, Busto Arsizio. It is the main Catholic place of worship in Busto Arsizio, dedicated to the patron saint of the city. It stands on the remains of a Lombard chapel about eight meters wide. In 1948 the church was elevated to a minor Roman basilica.
Tue-Sat 15: 00-19: 00; Sun 10: 00-12: 00 and 16: 00-19: 00; Closed Mon. Work of the architect Camillo Crespi Balbi, the building, which once housed the Bustese cotton building, now houses the Museum of Textiles and Industrial Tradition of Busto Arsizio.- The square-based bell tower, in exposed brickwork, dates back to the period between 1400 and 1418; it constitutes the oldest part of the current building.
- 4 Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Piazza, piazza Santa Maria, Busto Arsizio. It is located in the historic center of Busto Arsizio where there was a previous church dedicated to the Madonna, which in turn had replaced a chapel dating back to the time of Christianization. This splendid sanctuary was built quickly between 1515 and 1522.
- The Liberty of Busto Arsizio, Busto Arsizio. The city of Busto Arsizio is full of buildings in Liberty style (Art Nouveau). Among these, the main ones are Villa Ottolini-Tosi, Villa Ottolini-Tovaglieri, Palazzo Frangi, Casa Piantanida, Casa Sant'Elia, Villa Leone-Della Bella, Villa Dircea Gambini, Casa Pellegatta, Villa Ferrario, the Molini Marzoli Massari and the Park. degli Alpini, where the Bossi-Gabardi villa once stood and which today houses some parts of the demolished Rena house, grouped together to create a monument to Liberty. Many of these buildings are the work of the architect Silvio Gambini, born in Teramo, but adopted by Bustese. Many aedicules and chapels inside the Monumental Cemetery are also built in this style.
- 5 Basilica of San Magno, piazza San Magno, Legnano. It is the main church of Legnano and was built in the first decades of the 16th century. The architectural style is Lombard Renaissance of the Bramante school.
- 6 Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, Corso Magenta, 148, Legnano. It was built from 1910 to 1650. It was dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie for a miracle that occurred to two deaf and dumb boys in the 17th century.
- 7 Visconteo Castle, viale Toselli, 1, Legnano. It has been known as the castle of San Giorgio since the 13th century and stands on an island in the Olona river. This fortification was built on a convent of Augustinian Regulars and includes a small church dedicated to San Giorgio, whose presence has been documented since 1231.
- 8 [link previously not working]Sutermeister Civic Museum, Corso Garibaldi, 225, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 543005. Tue-Sat 9: 00-12: 30 and 14: 30-17: 00; Sun 9: 30-12: 00; Closed Mon. In particular, it preserves archaeological material from the city and the surrounding area. It was set up thanks to the assiduous research conducted by Guido Sutermeister between 1925 and 1964. The collections were then enriched with the material coming from some excavations that were carried out by the Archaeological Superintendence of Lombardy. The exhibits also come from some donations made by private individuals. The material in the museum testifies to the existence of a civilization in the Olona valley since the Bronze Age.
- 9 [link previously not working]Alfa Romeo "Fratelli Cozzi" Museum, viale Pietro Toselli, 46, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 427923. On reservation. It houses an important collection of cars made by the Italian company Alfa Romeo and numerous documents and related objects. In particular, it proposes a path that reconstructs 65 years of automotive and design history; his collection consists of one example for each model produced by Alfa Romeo since 1950 and numerous objects related to the world of the automobile. The Museum is also part of the Lombard Circuit of Design Museums and MuseImpresa.
- 10 Monument to Alberto da Giussano, piazza Monumento, Legnano. It is dedicated to the legendary Lombard leader. It stands in Piazza Monumento, near the city's train station. It was inaugurated in 1900 and is the work of the sculptor Enrico Butti.
- 11 Villa Parravicini, via Gerli, San Giorgio su Legnano. The building retains intact the character of a rustic villa of the late eighteenth century. It has an English park which is bound by the Superintendence of Environmental and Architectural Heritage together with the house. The exact year of construction is unknown, and the oldest document in which this building is mentioned is dated 1584.
- 12 Basilica of Santa Maria, piazza Libertà, Gallarate. It was built on the site of two ancient churches, both dedicated to Santa Maria. One is mentioned in a parchment from 974. The second was built between the 14th and 15th centuries. Today's basilica was built between 1856 and 1861. The facade was completed in 1870. The church building has a single nave 89 meters long and 17.30 meters wide. The dome is 18 meters in diameter and 27 in height.
- 13 Church of San Pietro, piazza Libertà, Gallarate. It was built between the eleventh century and the thirteenth century by the masters of Como, its architectural style is Romanesque with Gothic elements, its interior has a single nave. Over the centuries it has undergone several changes such as the construction of a bell tower, the construction of side apses, the enlargement of the central one, the opening of baroque windows, the transposition of the entrance door. In the fifteenth century it was transformed into a fortress and was subsequently used for other uses as a meeting place, room for carpenters and butchers. In 1844 it was declared a national monument, from 1897 to 1911 restoration work was carried out which consisted in the demolition of the bell tower and the houses leaning against the church, in the reconstruction of the ancient wooden roof and the original apse and in the decoration of the internal walls. On 28 October 1911 it was again consecrated.
- 14 Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, Gallarate. Little is known about the origins of this church which was probably built on the remains of a previous one. However, it is known with certainty that already in the fifteenth century there was an oratory in this place called the oratory of Sant'Antonio. In the second half of the eighteenth century the church was completely rebuilt, until it assumed the current architectural lines, inspired by a measured and harmonious Baroque.
- 15 Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli, piazza Santuario, 1, Saronno. The sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli, more correctly defined as minor Roman basilica of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli, was erected in 1498 by the people of Saronno to give worthy hospitality to the simulacrum of the Madonna del miracolo (a statue of the second half of the fourteenth century, in a chapel on the Varesina road) believed to be the dispenser of miraculous healings. The Lombard territory was thus enriched with a new Marian sanctuary which soon became an important destination for devotion and which was enriched over time with many art treasures.
- 16 Church of San Francesco, via San Francesco, Saronno. Originally it was known as the parish church of San Pietro. The current building was rebuilt in 1297 with an adjoining convent. The creation of this church is probably due to Saint Anthony of Padua, while he visited Saronno on the road to Varese for the establishment of a monastery of conventuals, dated 1230 and suppressed in 1797 by Napoleon. It has been a national monument since 1931.
- 17 Villa Gianetti, via Roma, 22, Saronno. It was built between 1919 and 1920 on a project by the Milanese architect Domenico Verga. The villa is of Renaissance style and retains decorations, some paintings of artistic value, a colonnade and a patio. The complex has a garden which is surrounded by the Parco del Lura. At the entrance to the portico, there is a reproduction of the Madonna del Lippi painted by the Lombard painters Bonatti and Chiesa. The Villa was purchased by the Municipality of Saronno from the Giannetti family in 1923 to be used as a Town Hall. The function of seat of the municipal offices ended in 1985.
- 18 Museum of industries and labor of the Saronnese area (MILS), via Don Griffanti, 6, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9607459.
Free admission. Thu 21: 00-23: 00, Sat 15: 00-18: 00, Sun 9: 00-12: 00 and 15: 00-19: 00 (from 1 October to 31 March until 18:00). The museum highlights the importance of industries and work in the Saronnese area. The museum consists of an open exhibition space of 1400 square meters. and an internal space of 800 square meters. It is located in the areas adjacent to the railway station and occupies some old warehouses of the FERROVIENORD, where steam locomotives were overhauled at the time. The open spaces are entirely dedicated to the exhibition of historic railway vehicles, all belonging to the railway fleet of the FERROVIENORD. The objects that can be admired, all coming from local companies or from private collections, are machinery, products and documents relating to a period ranging from the late nineteenth century to the economic boom of the sixties. - 19 Pagani Museum of Modern Art, via Gerenzano, Castellanza, @[email protected]. It is named after the artist Enzo Pagani, who wanted its creation. Founded in 1957 and inaugurated in 1965, it was the first museum park in Italy. It is located in a vast green area of about 40,000 m² and houses sculptures and mosaics by various artists belonging to different currents of modern and contemporary art. It is owned by the Pagani family.
- 20 Lombardy Natural Park of the Ticino Valley, @[email protected]. Established on January 9, 1974, it is the oldest regional park in Italy. It is located entirely in Lombardy and affects the provinces of Milan, forming a green belt around the city, Pavia and Varese, in an area of 91,410 hectares between Lake Maggiore and the Po. The park borders the Valle del Valle Natural Park. Ticino in Piedmont, created in 1978.
- 21 Park of the Pineta of Appiano Gentile and Tradate, @[email protected]. It is a Regional and Natural Park that extends over a vast area of over 48 km² between the Province of Varese and the Province of Como. Its territory touches 15 municipalities. Most of the park's territory is privately owned. Inside the park there is the site of community interest "Pineta piedmont di Appiano Gentile" managed by the Park Authority.
Free admission. Events and parties
- Giöbia. According to the centenary tradition of Busto Arsizio, on the last Thursday of January the Giöbia, a straw puppet dressed in rags, is burned to exorcise the winter. The traditional dish of the festival is the "risotto con la luganiga", a symbol of fertility due to the portion of meat that recalls the entrails of the animal that sacrificed itself to the gods.
- 1 Festival of the Angel (Festival of the Madonna in Veroncora), via Vespri Siciliani corner via Corbetta, Busto Arsizio. Festival held every Easter Monday (the day after Easter) at the church of Madonna in Veroncora, in dialect Madòna in Verònca, that is in ves ai ronchi, that is towards the woods. The festival (which lasts one week) has the patronage of the municipality of Busto Arsizio and since 2007 has been organized by the "Amici della Madonna in Veroncora" association. During the festival, which includes stalls, food stands and the traditional parade of tractors, the necessary funds are collected for the restoration and maintenance of the church of the Madonna in Veroncora and the oratory behind it.
- 2 [link not working]Palio of the districts of Beata Giuliana, viale Stelvio corner via Filippo Meda, Busto Arsizio. Every year, since 1958, during the first week of September, the parish of Beata Giuliana organizes an event that involves the four districts of the district of the same name, called la luna, stra gallarà, a mob and cascina dei poor and symbolized respectively by the colors red, yellow , green and blue. Competitions are held in tug of war, log cutting, darts, bowls, trump tournaments, aces broom and forty scale. The program of activities is completed by band and musical performances, theatrical performances, car blessings as well as a fireworks display. During the event it is possible to taste the typical dishes of the Milanese area, including the traditional risotto and luganiga, and of other regions of Italy.
- Folk bust. In September the City of Busto Arsizio has hosted since 2001 the festival of international scope promoted by the Academy of Irish Dances - Gens d'Ys which aims to rediscover and revive music, dance, history and traditional Irish, Breton and Scottish handicrafts.
- 3 Palio of Legnano. It is a folkloric event that takes place annually in Legnano to commemorate the battle of the same name fought on 29 May 1176 between the troops of the Lombard League and the imperial army of Frederick I "Barbarossa". Until 2005 the Palio di Legnano was called "Sagra del Carroccio". The territory of Legnano is divided into eight historical districts that compete, on the last Sunday of May, in a horse race that closes the event. Before the horse race, in the streets of the city, a historical parade is held which is made up of more than 1,200 figures in medieval costume whose clothes, shields, weapons, etc., scrupulously reflect those of the twelfth century. The eight districts participate in the parade, each of which parades following a specific theme.
- Five Mills, San Vittore Olona. It is a cross-country race organized in San Vittore Olona by the local sports association (Unione Sportiva San Vittore Olona). The name derives from the fact that the route winds through the rural areas around the Olona, touching the mills still present along the river. Organized for the first time in 1933 as a village competition, in 1953 it became an international competition.
- 4 Campaccio, Angelo Alberti municipal sports center, via del Campaccio, 10, San Giorgio su Legnano. It is an annual cross-country race organized by the Sangiorgese Sports Union at the beginning of January. The event is attended by internationally renowned athletes, including Olympic and world champions. È uno degli eventi più importanti del suo genere in Italia, ed è incluso nel circuito internazionale Permit dell'Associazione europea di atletica leggera. Il nome della corsa deriva da campasc, che in dialetto legnanese significa "campo incolto". Infatti, nelle prime edizioni il percorso della gara si snodava tra le strade vicinali della zona agricola del Comune. Oggi si disputa su un'area che è adibita a parco pubblico.
What to do
- 1 Seguire le partite della squadra di calcio Aurora Pro Patria 1919, stadio Carlo Speroni, via Ca' Bianca, 42, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 630766, fax: 39 0331 673304, @[email protected]. La Pro Patria vanta ben 14 stagioni nella massima divisione nazionale (comprese le due annate immediatamente antecedenti la riforma che ha dato il via all'attuale Serie A nel 1929-1930), abbandonata l'ultima volta al termine del campionato 1955-1956. L'ultima delle 19 stagioni complessive in Serie B risale al 1965-1966. Attualmente (stagione 2013/2014) milita in Prima Divisione
- 2 Seguire le partite della squadra di pallavolo Futura Volley (PalaYamamay, viale Biagio Gabardi, 43, Busto Arsizio), ☎ 39 0331 342598, fax: 39 0331 354449. La Futura Volley Busto Arsizio è stata fondata nel 1998: grazie all'acquisto del titolo sportivo della vicina squadra dell'Unione Sportiva Cistellum Volley, ha disputato il suo primo campionato, nella stagione 1998-99, in Serie A2, ottenendo, grazie al secondo posto finale in classifica, la promozione in Serie A1. Il suo palmarès conta 1 scudetto, 1 Coppa Italia, 1 Supercoppaitaliana e 2 Coppe delle Coppe. Milita attualmente in serie A1.
- Assistere agli spettacoli presso il Teatro Sociale di Busto Arsizio, piazza Plebiscito, 1, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 679000, @[email protected].
- 3 [link not working]Assistere agli spettacoli presso il Cinema Teatro Galleria di Legnano, Galleria INA - Piazza San Magno - Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 547865, @[email protected].
- 4 Seguire le partite della squadra sportiva Sangiorgese Basket, Palabertelli, via del Campaccio, San Giorgio su Legnano. La società nella stagione 2013-2014 milita in Divisione Nazionale B.
Shopping
Le vie del centro storico delle città principali dell'Alto Milanese ospitano numerosi negozi e diversi bar.
How to have fun
Night clubs
- 1 The Millennium Pub, via San Michele, 4, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 623106, @[email protected]. Lun-Dom 19:00-4:00.
- 2 L'Antica Scuderia (Il Cortiletto), via Cavour, 4a, Busto Arsizio. Dom-Gio 17:30-2:00; Ven-Sab 17:30-3:00.
- 3 Mìa Beach, piazza fratelli Rosselli, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 347 5250144, @[email protected]. Mar-Mer 19:15-0:00; Gio-Sab 19:15-1:00; Dom 19:15-0:00.
- 4 B Bar (BustoBar), piazza Trento e Trieste, 11, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 340 6021227, @[email protected].
- 5 il Maccia, via Giuseppe Mazzini, 12, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 630753. Mar-Dom 7:00-23:00.
- 6 The Mode, via Giuseppe Verdi, 10, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 546507, @[email protected]. Dom-Mer 17:30-02:00, Gio-Sab 17:30-03:00. Cocktail e wine bar. Sede estiva all'interno del parco di via Diaz a Legnano.
- 7 Birrificio di Legnano, corso Garibaldi, 130, ☎ 39 344 2072860, @[email protected]. Birrificio artigianale e brew pub. Si trova all'interno degli ex stabilimenti del cotonificio Bernocchi
- 8 La Luna nel Pozzo, via padre Secchi, 45, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 545569, @[email protected]. Mar-Gio 21:00-01:00, Ven-Sab 21:00-02:00, Dom 16:00-01:00 (aperitivo a buffet 18:00-20:00). Cocktail, piadine, cioccolateria, gelateria, birreria e caffetteria.
- 9 [link not working]Il Triciclo, via XXV aprile, 15, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 452850, @[email protected]. Lun-Ven 12:00-15:00, Mar-Gio e Dom 18:30-01:00, Ven-Sab 18:30-03:00. Drink e DJ set. Dal lunedì al venerdì pranzo con menù a prezzo fisso.
- 10 Yucca Cafè, via Pietro Micca, 4, Legnano, ☎ 39 333 9587702. Mer-Ven 11:30-15:00, Mer-Dom 18:00-02:00. Lounge bar, caffetteria, tavola calda, cocktail e discobar.
- 11 Marilyn's Whiteout, via Podgora, 45, Legnano (all'angolo con la SP12), ☎ 39 0331 402115, @[email protected]. Lun-Dom 17:00-03:00. Cocktail bar e ristobar, è aperto solo da giugno a settembre. È la sede estiva del locale Marilyn's, che si trova a Canegrate in via Guglielmo Marconi, 15.
- 12 Marilyn's Bar, via Guglielmo Marconi, 15, Canegrate, ☎ 39 0331 402115, @[email protected]. Lun-Dom 17:00-02:00. Cocktail Bar, Ristobar.
- 13 Mulino Beer-Banti, via Mulino Galletto, 8, Canegrate, ☎ 39 366 5833629. Lun-Dom 12:00-14:30, Mar-Dom 19:30-03:00. Birra tedesca, pizzeria e piatti bavaresi.
- 14 S-mash Drink Laboratory, via Cadore 10, Gallarate. Lun-Sab 08:00-15:30, Lun-Dom 18:00-02:00. Cocktail bar.
- 15 Maffy'S, via Felice Bassetti 2/a, Gallarate. Lun-Dom 18:00-02:00. Pub.
- 16 La Stiva Pub, via Leonardo da Vinci 20, Saronno. Pub.
- 17 La Fabbrica della Birra, via Padre Reginaldo Giuliani 38, Saronno. Lun-Dom 19:00-02:00. Pub.
Where to eat
Moderate prices
- 1 [link not working]McDonald's, piazza Garibaldi, angolo via Galileo Galilei, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 899 330335. Dom-Gio 11:00-0:00; Ven 11:00-1:00; Sab 11:00-2:00.
- 2 [link not working]McDonald's, viale Cadorna, 48, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 592838.
- 3 [link not working]McDonald's, via Milano, 58, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 776086.
- 4 [link not working]McDonald's, via Varese, 33, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96280314.
- 5 Viadante, via Dante Alighieri, 9, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 545432. Piadineria e dolceria artigianale
Average prices
- 6 Ristorante pizzeria il Ciclope, corso Italia, 63, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 632737. Aperto a pranzo e cena dal martedì alla domenica.
- 7 Ristorante pizzeria Mimmo, via padre Reginaldo Giuliani, 13, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 630308, @[email protected]. Aperto tutti i giorni a pranzo e cena. Chiuso il mercoledì.
- 8 Ristorante pizzeria Regina, via Antonio Pozzi, 15, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 331 8185069. Lun-Dom 19:00-22:30.
- 9 [link not working]Fabbrica pizza, via cardinale Eugenio Tosi, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 670715, @[email protected].
- 10 [link not working]Montecristo Caffe, via Silvio Pellico, 9, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 670475. Mer 20:30-1:00; Gio-Sab 20:30-3:00; Dom 18:30-1:00.
- 11 [link not working]Ristorante agriturismo Cascina del Lupo, via Romagnosi, 5, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 382965, @[email protected]. Mer-Lun 12:00-14:00 e 19:45-22:00.
- 12 [link not working]Ristorante bar pizzeria la Conchiglia, via Cesare Battisti, 52, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 440200.
- 13 Trattoria pizzeria Santuario, corso Magenta, 157, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 1554385.
- 14 Ristorante pizzeria griglieria L'altra botte, via Mauro Venegoni, 84, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 592217.
- 15 Ristorante pizzeria Taranga, via Milano, 6, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 546831.
- 16 Ristorante Al Borgo Antico, via Ponzella, 38, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 459458.
- 17 Ristorante La vecchia Legnano, via XXV Aprile, 18, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 545322.
- 18 [link not working]Ristorante pizzeria Daisy, via Colli di Sant'Erasmo, 23, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 442442.
- 19 La Corte Del Re, via Alessandro Manzoni, 1, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 770026.
- 20 Ilario Vinciguerra Restaurant, via Roma, 1, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 791597.
- 21 Compagnia delle Cozze, piazza Risorgimento, 8, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 776933.
- 22 L'Osteria dei Mercanti, via Giacomo Matteotti, 32, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 770412.
- 23 La Brasserie Ristorante Enoteca, via Monti L. Padre, 47, Saronno, ☎ 39 333 810 8394.
- 24 Ristorante Pizzeria Gatsby, via Larga, 29, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9624513.
- 25 Ristorante Boeucc, via Giuseppe Mazzini, 17, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9623227.
- 26 Il Passerotto, via Roma, 23, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9602673.
- 27 [link not working]Ristorante Ticino Blu, via Molinetto, 65, Cuggiono, ☎ 39 02 974450.
- Soul Restaurant, Via Goito 9, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 1528524, @[email protected]. Ristorante raffinato.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Albergo Ristorante Mazzini, piazza Alessandro Manzoni, 1, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 631715, fax: 39 0331 635163, @[email protected]. Due stelle
- 2 Albergo Roma, via Roma, 86, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 546091, @[email protected]. Una stella
- 3 [link not working]Hotel Diamante, via Calini, 2, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 597040, fax: 39 0331 892732, @[email protected]. Una stella
- 4 Albergo Cristallo, via Sant'Ambrogio, 6/10, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 548694, fax: 39 0331 458042. Due stelle
- 5 City Motel, via Giovanni XXIII, 1, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 547861. Due stelle
- 6 Interno 49 Bed & Breakfast, via Barbara Melzi 49, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 543868, @[email protected]. Situato nei pressi del centro città
- 7 Corte dei Fratus Bed & Breakfast, via San Gaetano, 3, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 404142, @[email protected]. Nei pressi del parco Castello ed a circa 1km dal centro città
- 8 [link not working] Bed & Breakfast Tapparelle Rosse, via Pasubio, 17, San Giorgio su Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 1967787, @[email protected]. 50/70 € una camera doppia.
- 9 [link not working] Bed & Breakfast Al secondo sentiero, via Olona, 48A, Gallarate, ☎ 39 329 3569260, @[email protected].
- 10 Bed & Breakfast Villa Sogno, via Enrico De Nicola, 3, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9600735, @[email protected].
Average prices
- 11 Hotel Hortensia, via Adua, 15, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 626299, fax: 39 0331 625860, @[email protected]. Camera singola standard: min. 50€; max. 100€. Three stars
- 12 Hotel Al Corso, corso Magenta, 137, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 453666, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 13 2 C Hotel, via Colli di Sant'Erasmo, 51, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 440159, fax: 39 0331 440090, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 14 Pagoda Hotel, via Edison, 11, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 548131, fax: 39 0331 541112, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 15 [link not working]Hotel Astoria, piazza Risorgimento, 9, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 791043, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 16 Hotel La Nuova Rotaia, via Cesare Beccaria, 6, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 796180, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 17 Principe Hotel Saronno, via Caduti della Liberazione, 18, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96701073, @[email protected]. Three stars
- 18 Hotel Firenze, via Lev Tolstoi, 23, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96702984, @[email protected]. Three stars
High prices
- 19 Hotel Pineta, corso Sempione, 150; Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 381220, fax: 39 0331 365069, @[email protected]. Check in: 14:00-24:00, check-out: 6:00-11:00. Four stars
- 20 Welcome Hotel, via Grigna, 14, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 540001, @[email protected]. Four stars
- 21 Palace Hotel, via Per Castellanza, 41, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 540702, fax: 39 0331 543899, @[email protected]. Four stars
- 22 Hotel Elitis, piazza Frua, 1, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 593186, fax: 39 0331 593187, @[email protected]. Four stars
- 23 Hotel della Rotonda, via Novara, 53, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 967669, @[email protected]. Four stars
Safety
- Carabinieri, piazza XXV aprile, 10, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 396100.
- Carabinieri, via Guerciotti, 16, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 544444.
- Carabinieri, largo Verrotti di Pianella, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 759100.
- Carabinieri, viale 5 Giornate, Caronno Pertusella, ☎ 39 02 9650777.
- Guardia di Finanza, via Palestro, 2, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 632088.
- Guardia di Finanza, viale Toselli, 42/a, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 544124.
- Guardia di Finanza, via A. Pegoraro, 10, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 792229.
- Guardia di Finanza, via Amerigo Vespucci, 3, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 9602475.
- Polizia di Stato, via Candiani, 9, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 327911.
- Polizia di Stato, via Gilardelli, 1, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 472411.
- Polizia di Stato, piazza Giovanni XXIII, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 793226.
- Municipal police, via Molino, 2, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 634000.
- Municipal police, corso Magenta, 171, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 488611.
- Municipal police, via Galileo Ferraris, 9, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 285911.
- Municipal police, piazza Della Repubblica, 7, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96710200.
- Vigili del Fuoco, corso Sempione, 245, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 680222.
- Vigili del Fuoco, via Leopardi, 2, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 547724.
- Vigili del Fuoco, corso Sempione, 255, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 792222.
- Vigili del Fuoco, via Stra' Madonna, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96700115.
- Pronto soccorso, via Arnaldo da Brescia, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 699111. Il pronto soccorso, presso l'ospedale di Busto Arsizio, ha ingresso su via Arnaldo da Brescia (strada a senso unico, ma provvista di corsia riservata ai mezzi di soccorso).
- Pronto soccorso, via Candiani, 2, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 449391.
- Pronto soccorso, via Pastori, 4, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 751111.
- Red Cross, via Castelfidardo, 17, Busto Arsizio, ☎ 39 0331 685050.
- Red Cross, via Pontida, 5, Legnano, ☎ 39 0331 441511.
- Red Cross, viale XXIV Maggio, 24, Gallarate, ☎ 39 0331 1832920.
- Red Cross, via Guglielmo Marconi, 5, Saronno, ☎ 39 02 96704434.
Su www.turnifarmacie.it si possono visualizzare i giorni e gli orari di apertura delle farmacie dell'Alto Milanese.
How to keep in touch
Post office
In ogni Comune dell'Alto Milanese è presente almeno un ufficio postale.
Around
Parco archeologico di Castelseprio (sito istituzionale[link not working]). Situato a Castelseprio, è costituito dai ruderi dell'omonimo insediamento fortificato e del suo borgo, nonché dalla poco distante chiesa di Santa Maria foris portas. Dello stesso unicum archeologico è il Monastero di Torba, che è però gestito del FAI. Dichiarato il 26 giugno 2011 Patrimonio dell'Umanità dall'Unesco, il parco è stato istituito successivamente alla riscoperta del sito da parte di Gian Piero Bognetti negli anni cinquanta.
Itineraries
There ferrovia della Valmorea. È stata una strada ferrata che un tempo collegava Castellanza, in provincia di Varese, a Mendrisio, nel Canton Ticino. Nel 2008 è stato riattivato il percorso più settentrionale per fini turistici. From Olgiate Olona to Castiglione Olona è presente una pista ciclabile che costeggia il fiume Olona e che passa accanto a diversi siti di interesse come vecchi stabilimenti industriali in disuso e zone golenali. La ferrovia passa attraverso il Parco del Medio Olona.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Alto Milanese
