Montevecchia: Scenic heart of Lombardy
By Mariella Radaelli
Only 20 miles from Milan and yet a world apart, the solid heart of Lombardy beats to its own timeless rhythm in the pretty hilltop village of Montevecchia, a place where old traditions live on unabashed in a breathtaking setting where cheese meets wine at the center of the Brianza lecchese.
There are no global brands in sight, no cybercafes or fast food joints, instead trattorias and chic rustic restaurants that offer revisited regional cuisine.
Rich in rural buildings, courtyards, churches and votive chapels, the Montevecchia area has for centuries been a favored holiday destination for the Milanese, particularly those in need of weekend countryside escape.
As many visual artists and musicians today flee the city for more serene locales, a number choose to live atop the village surrounded by Curone National Park because it is only half an hour’s drive from Milan yet offers a window onto a different Lombardy.
Ancient pathways connecting houses make Montevecchia an excellent starting point for stunning scenic walks in the national park. You can join an organized trek or download an itinerary from the national park website at www.parcocurone.it. The lovely setting offers shady walks and a welcoming rifugio — hiking hut — named Ca’ Soldato that provides a rustic respite you won’t want to leave. Ca’ Soldato was built by a Napolean soldier who fell in love with this place.
Curone National Park covers nearly 7,000 acres and embraces 10 other municipalities besides Montevecchia: Merate, Cernusco Lombardone, Lomagna, Missaglia, Olgiate Molgora, Osnago, Perego, Rovagnate, Sirtori, Viganò. The whole area nurtures an amazing range of plant and animal life. Visit in spring and more 100 species of wildflowers will enchant you while squirrels, bats, amphibians and crayfish will be your companions as you walk in an exceptionally peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Visit in late summer or early autumn to enjoy the abundance of wild almonds, walnuts, chestnuts and figs.
We took the train from Milan and got off in Cernusco Lombardone. Starting at Cernusco railway station and following red arrows we took a path that led us to the more modern part of the village below. We stopped off at a cafeteria for a cappuccino and a cornetto con crema, then climbed the steep steps in the old town to the haunting Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmelo — dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel — for spectacular views of the Po Valley and distant Milan.
The rest of this story published on May 12 in the print and online editions of the national L'Italo-Americano newspaper based in Monrovia, California is available here (pdf).
Only 20 miles from Milan and yet a world apart, the solid heart of Lombardy beats to its own timeless rhythm in the pretty hilltop village of Montevecchia, a place where old traditions live on unabashed in a breathtaking setting where cheese meets wine at the center of the Brianza lecchese.
There are no global brands in sight, no cybercafes or fast food joints, instead trattorias and chic rustic restaurants that offer revisited regional cuisine.
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Ancient pathway amid vineyards leads to a rustic trattoria.
Photo: Fabrizio Radaelli
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As many visual artists and musicians today flee the city for more serene locales, a number choose to live atop the village surrounded by Curone National Park because it is only half an hour’s drive from Milan yet offers a window onto a different Lombardy.
Ancient pathways connecting houses make Montevecchia an excellent starting point for stunning scenic walks in the national park. You can join an organized trek or download an itinerary from the national park website at www.parcocurone.it. The lovely setting offers shady walks and a welcoming rifugio — hiking hut — named Ca’ Soldato that provides a rustic respite you won’t want to leave. Ca’ Soldato was built by a Napolean soldier who fell in love with this place.
Curone National Park covers nearly 7,000 acres and embraces 10 other municipalities besides Montevecchia: Merate, Cernusco Lombardone, Lomagna, Missaglia, Olgiate Molgora, Osnago, Perego, Rovagnate, Sirtori, Viganò. The whole area nurtures an amazing range of plant and animal life. Visit in spring and more 100 species of wildflowers will enchant you while squirrels, bats, amphibians and crayfish will be your companions as you walk in an exceptionally peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Visit in late summer or early autumn to enjoy the abundance of wild almonds, walnuts, chestnuts and figs.
We took the train from Milan and got off in Cernusco Lombardone. Starting at Cernusco railway station and following red arrows we took a path that led us to the more modern part of the village below. We stopped off at a cafeteria for a cappuccino and a cornetto con crema, then climbed the steep steps in the old town to the haunting Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmelo — dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel — for spectacular views of the Po Valley and distant Milan.
The rest of this story published on May 12 in the print and online editions of the national L'Italo-Americano newspaper based in Monrovia, California is available here (pdf).
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