One day trip from Milan: the best places to visit in less than 24hours

Sirmione is a city that rises on the peninsula bathed by Lake Garda, one of the three large lakes that can be reached from the city of Milan. Reachable in an hour and a half by car or in two hours by train, just 140 kilometers from the Milanese city, Sirmione is a small historic centre, a lakeside resort of clearly Roman origins, able to exalt itself for its wonders and its architecture.

A medieval trading village which houses the Grotte di Catullo, an ancient Roman villa built overlooking the lake. Leaning over the northernmost point of the city, among other things, it is possible to observe Lake Garda both on your left and on your right, feeling embraced by the water.

Inside the caves it is possible to visit the archaeological museum, one of the most popular in Italy: in addition to hosting a model that reproduces the original style of the Roman villa, the three sections inside will offer a view of the remains of the pile dwellings found on the banks of the lake, finds from the Grotte di Catullo and the funerary objects of the church of San Pietro in Mavino in Sirmione.

The villa takes its name from the poem 31 of the poet Catullo, in which his return to his beloved home in Sirmione was described: an excellent reason to try and relive the sensations of the Latin author by entering what has been defined as the his cave.

Little tips: a wonderful way to visit Sirmione in an exciting way and in a short time is by observing it from the lake.

If you are passionate about music, you cannot miss Cremona, the city of craftsmen. Guarnieri del Gesù, Amati and Stradivari made this city, about an hour from Milan, the true cradle of world violin making. The city has been able to enhance this characteristic and has made sure that not only does this competence become known to all, but that it is also tangible to anyone.

The Violin Museum will allow you to discover the history and art behind the production of one of the most used and most famous stringed instruments, giving guests the opportunity to take a leap into the history of the Lady Blunt, the violin built by Antonio Stradivari in 1721. Niccolò Paganini and Giovanni Battista Viotti entrusted the Cremonese luthier, who until his death at the age of 93 continued to work to make the most famous instruments in the world, reaching a figure equal to 960 violins built.

Cremona, in addition to music, also offers a vast production of desserts, with the numerous shops scattered throughout the historic center ready to welcome all your palates. The nougat will necessarily have to marry your taste buds, so as to also discover the reason for its name, inspired by the shape of the bell tower of the Duomo. Typically Christmas, in the city of Cremona it will be possible to taste it at any time of the year, so as to also discover the differences between the Italian one and the Valencian one, which is much softer and stuffed with almonds.

Until 2004 it was part of the province of Milan, then Monza became a separate province, representing the whole of Brianza and bringing prestige and honor back to what was the summer residence, during the Lombard reign, of Teodolinda and Agilulfo. A few kilometers from Milan, reachable in less than half an hour by car and also by train, Monza is famous both for the history of its monuments and for its racetrack. The latter is the third oldest permanent in the world after Indianapolis and Brooklands, as well as having hosted the Italian Grand Prix 87 times out of 92 world championships held.

Being able to watch a race from the stands is a unique experience, above all because the Monza circuit has been the fastest of the world championships since 1991: Lewis Hamilton, with his Mercedes, reached the record speed of 264.362 kilometers per hour in 2020, during the qualifications of the Italian Grand Prix.

Inside the Cathedral Museum it will be possible to see the famous Iron Crown, the legendary relic which rested on Napoleon's head and which was obtained by melting one of the nails of the Cross. Returned to Monza in 1866, it is currently kept in a niche of the Cathedral which can only be accessed during a guided tour, keeping at a safe distance, but being able to observe the frescoes that surround it, recalling the history that the Crown itself lived.

If you want to have a complete Monza experience in one day, check out the button below.