MONZA – DAY 3 – PART 2

Not far from the Portineria di Vedano is the site of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which is where the Italian Grand Prix takes place every year.  This has been going on since 1950, and apparently, when the track is open, the city is full of tourists.  I was not there on a race day, so I didn’t have to deal with any of the crowds, but I can imagine that a track like this would attract large groups of people.DSCN0873DSCN0879DSCN0882Crossing over to the eastern side of the park, I passed the Ex Fagianaia Reale, which was a building built for the purpose of breeding pheasants for the Royal Court’s hunting pleasure.  Now, it functions as the high-end Restaurant Saint Georges Premier.DSCN0886DSCN0885I found a lovely little café for lunch, which was salad and a glass of wine, and then continued on my way, exploring some more of this incredible park.DSCN0894DSCN0893DSCN0898DSCN0905My next discovery in the park was Cascina Mulini Asciutti.  This is now a private home, but luckily for me, no one seemed to be home, and I was able to walk around a little.  On the property, there are locks built over the small river, and I found the whole place to be quite beautiful.DSCN0907DSCN0908DSCN0917DSCN0919DSCN0923DSCN0924DSCN0928At this point I decided to head back towards the city of Monza.  On the way, I stopped to see one of the park’s main attractions: Villa Mirabello.  This is a lovely villa built on the ruins of an ancient castle that belonged to the De Leyva Family, one of whom gave birth to Virginia Maria de Leyva, known historically as the Nun of Monza, due to the controversial life that she led (being involved sexually with someone, tied to various murders in and outside of the convent, etc).  Today, this villa is home to temporary exhibitions, the park’s library, and also arts organizations.DSCN0938DSCN0940DSCN0946DSCN0954DSCN0956DSCN0960DSCN0969As is usually the case in cities, the homes surrounding major parks are lovely, and in Monza, this is absolutely the case!DSCN0980DSCN0985DSCN0982I finished my day with a trip down towards the train station, exploring that area a bit, and then, I had a nice dinner at Osteria del Cavolo, a quaint little restaurant on Vicolo dei Molini.  The tasting menu was a bargain at €43.00, and while there was nothing extraordinary about any single plate, it was a lovely meal, and I was quite content when I left.DSCN1010DSCN1014DSCN1017DSCN1025DSCN1021DSCN1030DSCN1020

Next up: Milano!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations which may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Monza, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!

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