Vimercate: Discover Culture, Gardens and History

Culture between the MUST and historic buildings

Vimercate brings together museum, religious and architectural themes. The MUST collections include archaeological finds, historical and art-historical works, videos and oral traditions. The MUST was officially opened to the public on 12 November 2010. This gives you a varied way to experience the culture of the area, complemented by buildings from different periods.

The Chiesa Plebana di Santo Stefano was founded in the 5th century. The current building of the Collegiata di Santo Stefano dates from the 10th century, while the church has been documented since the 8th century. The Santuario della Beata Vergine del Rosario is a Baroque building and was rebuilt in the 17th century. The Oratorio di Sant'Antonio dates from the Visconti period. The Ponte di San Rocco is a Roman bridge with medieval fortifications.

Secular buildings also shape Vimercate. The Casino di Caccia Borromeo was built in the 14th century and preserves in Oreno, Vimercate, a 15th-century fresco cycle in the International Gothic style, featuring hunting scenes and scenes of courtly love. The Villa Gallarati Scotti complex dates from 1685 and was designed by Simone Cantoni. Its park contains the Ninfeo del Nettuno, a Baroque garden feature. Palazzo Trotti was built in the Barocchetto style between the 17th and 18th centuries and has been the seat of the municipal administration since 1862.

The former San Francesco monastery was founded in the 13th century and has a cloister renovated in the 16th century. Villa Sottocasa is Neoclassical. Its Giardino all'inglese was redesigned in the 19th century in the Romantic style of the English garden. The garden contains valuable botanical species from different parts of the world and provides a habitat for birds and wild animals. An artificial grotto was built from large blocks of clastic rock.

Gardens, waterways and trails

Vimercate is part of the Parco Locale di interesse sovracomunale del Molgora. The park extends along the Molgora and Molgoretta waterways through remaining woodland and the surrounding agricultural areas. In the Parco di Oreno, the network of paths includes a route for bicycles and roller skates. The Coffee House was intended as a pavilion for resting and refreshments during walks. These different landscape and garden features give you scope to plan for culture, nature observation and exercise.

Local festivals throughout the year

The events calendar has its own highlights. The Sagra di Sant'Antonio, held in January, offers traditional tortelli and ends with a large bonfire. The Sagra della Patata, held in September, includes food stalls and historical reenactments. If you plan your trip around such dates, local cuisine, community traditions and historical themes come together in a specific annual rhythm.

Getting around and connections

Local buses connect the districts of Oreno, Ruginello and Velasca with Vimercate town centre, as well as with local schools and attractions. NET bus routes Z322 and Z323 connect Vimercate with Cologno Nord station on Milan Metro line MM2. When choosing accommodation, you can compare these connections with your planned sightseeing itinerary. Infopoint Vimercate offers guided tours and sightseeing walks for individuals and groups.

Other places in the same area

Novate Milanese, Rodano, Boffalora Sopra Ticino, Novegro-Tregarezzo, Varedo, Casorezzo, Magnago, Pozzo D'adda

To the higher-level travel overview: Milan.