Parco Sempione, the park behind the Castello Sforzesco
From the castle to the park
You exit the courtyards on the side opposite Piazza Castello, between the dry moat and the brick walls, and you’re already in the park. I grew up in the Sempione area and have always taken this route: the castle seen from behind, with the square towers on the park side, the Torre Falconiera to the north and the Torre Castellana to the west, is more beautiful than when seen from the square because Beltrami’s reconstruction isn’t in the way. The visit in order, up to the exit into the park.
What’s inside
The central avenue leads to the Arch of Peace at the far end, aligned with the castle’s axis. On the left, coming from the castle, is the Civic Arena, the Napoleonic stadium that once held thirty thousand people. Further on is the Civic Aquarium, a Liberty-style building remaining from the 1906 Exposition. Then the Ponte delle Sirenette and, near the end, De Chirico’s Bagni Misteriosi. With children, this is the part of the afternoon that saves the visit. The castle with children.
The park is the place for lunch. There’s no bar inside the museums, and Piazza d’Armi has no shade. Benches and lawns are just beyond the moat.
The park in the tours
None of the six online options sell the park, and for good reason: it’s free and open. The small-group 1.5-hour tour ends in the courtyards by the Torre del Filarete; the skip-the-line private tour, in its longer versions, heads instead toward Sant’Ambrogio and the center, on the opposite side. The park remains your free time afterward. How to fit it into a day in Milan.
The park and the castle, together
From the park, the castle is best appreciated—not from the square: the brick walls, the dry moat below, the two square towers at the corners, the Corte Ducale facing this side because the dukes watched the hunt, not the city. Ludovico il Moro’s little bridge, attributed to Bramante, once crossed the moat right here, from the ducal apartments. If you’ve already seen the courtyards, a walk around the outside along the moat before entering the park completes the picture. The castle’s history, in dates.
The right time
From April to June and from September to October, the park is the reason to extend your visit; in August, the sun in Piazza d’Armi drives everyone under the trees; in December, you cross it quickly toward the lights of the center. The best month for Milan.
Before the park, the courtyards with a guide
A 1.5-hour small-group tour, from the Pietà Rondanini to the Corte Ducale, the Rocchetta and the tower; then the park is yours.
Frequently asked questions
Is Parco Sempione free?
Yes, like the castle courtyards you enter from. Other free things in Milan.
What to see in Parco Sempione?
The Arch of Peace, the Arena Civica, the 1906 Civic Aquarium, the Ponte delle Sirenette and De Chirico’s Bagni Misteriosi.
Can you eat in the castle?
Not in the museums; the park is the right place right after. How the day goes.