| Although
there are many choices for excursions from Milan,
the most popular half day excursion is to the Certosa di Pavia. This living
museum contains prized artworks and is run by monks who alternately produce
the finest Chartreuse liqueur. It is located just 87 miles south of Milan
in a beautifully idyllic setting, and can be reached by bus or train. There
are buses that leave each hour from the Piazza Castello, and the monastery
is simply a 15 minute walk from the bust stop. In return for donations,
the monks conduct tours of the beautiful frescoes and the ornate marble
façade, which is famous throughout Italy. The monastery is open
each day except for Monday.
For a
whole day’s excursion, you can visit Bergamo, which is only 27 miles from
Milan. Bergamo offers a day of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque
architecture. The Donizetti is held in Bergamo in September, and offers
Baroque concerts presented throughout its churches. Other festivals include
the Feast of Sant` Antonio Abate in January, and Bergamo’s summer festival
from June through September. Trains run daily from Milan to Bergamo.
Another choice for an all day excursion from Milan
is Bellagio. This beautiful mountain and lake picturesque town sits just
31 miles north of Milan. Here you will find the Rockefeller Foundations’
Villa Serbelloni and the neo-classical Villa Melzi, where Franz Liszt and
Stendhal stayed at one time. The villas offer beautiful gardens and landscaping.
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