Inzago: Villas, Churches and the Ciclovia della Martesana

Discover Inzago through two distinct themes: historic villas and churches, and the Ciclovia della Martesana along the Naviglio. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Inzago, architectural and art history or the long cycling and walking route may guide your plans. The buildings tell stories spanning different centuries; the Ciclovia passes through several municipalities.

Historic Villas and Churches

Villa Aitelli dates back to the second half of the 16th century and was built on the grounds of an Umiliati monastery. It became the residence of Ludovico Moneta, who was secretary to Carlo Borromeo at the time. The garden facing the Naviglio has dense stands of tall trees, including a banana plant and a large sequoia. Individual plants may change over time.

The Chiesa di San Rocco also has a history of several construction phases: the original building dates to the 15th and 16th centuries, while construction of a new church began around 1600. The town’s residents contributed to its construction. The church contains a 16th-century Last Supper fresco from the Venetian school. Alongside the villas, its construction history and a specific work of art offer distinct aspects of the local cultural heritage.

The garden of Villa Rey offers a different historical perspective on the area around the Naviglio. It extended to the canal and featured flower beds, exotic plants and a pond fed by water from the Roggia Crosina. Together with Villa Aitelli’s garden, which faces the Naviglio, the description of Villa Rey shows how the villas’ gardens were laid out in different ways.

Ciclovia and Landscape

The Ciclovia della Martesana is a 36-kilometre cycling and walking route that follows the same course as the towpath along the Naviglio. It starts at Cassina de’ Pomm, at the corner of via Melchiorre Gioia, and passes through Cologno Monzese, Vimodrone, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Cassina de’ Pecchi, Bussero, Gorgonzola, Gessate, Bellinzago Lombardo, Inzago and Cassano d’Adda. On the canal’s right bank, the route passes through parks and built-up town centres and reaches the historic Monasterolo di Inzago. Its length, course along the canal and passages through towns offer several ways to factor the route into your travel plans.

Inzago is also part of Parco dell’Alto Martesana. One of the park’s aims is to encourage sustainable recreational and sporting use of the area. This adds another perspective on leisure activities to the architectural and art history. The cycling and walking route and the park can be considered as different themes for a stay, without treating them as the same thing.

Visitor Routes and Local Life

The 2020 brochure “Inzago da scoprire” suggests four visitor routes through different streets in the town. The proposed visits include squares, churches and historic villas, as well as places of art, devotion and culture. The range of themes therefore extends beyond individual buildings and helps visitors consider public squares and cultural sites as part of the town’s history.

Another facet of the town is the Mercato Contadino di Inzago. The municipality promotes it in collaboration with Coldiretti to highlight the area’s agricultural character and encourage direct contact between producers and consumers. As the market’s organisation may change, check the latest dates before visiting. This makes the market a distinct activity to consider alongside the historic sites and the Martesana route.

Discover more destinations: San Donato Milanese, Vaprio Dʼadda, Pregnana Milanese, Gorgonzola, Cormano, Desio, Rho, Novegro-Tregarezzo.

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