Parco di Monza
At 720 hectares, Parco di Monza is the largest walled park in Europe — a fact that only really lands when you're an hour into walking and the city has completely disappeared. Thirteen kilometres of wall contain meadowland, dense forest, the Lambro river, 26 working farmsteads, three mills, and around 110,000 trees. The Autodromo sits to the north; the neoclassical bulk of Villa Reale anchors the south. Between them stretches the kind of landscape that makes a full day feel reasonable.
The park opens at 7 am, cars are not permitted inside, and entry is free. That combination does something to the atmosphere — by mid-morning on a weekday you'll share the long avenues mainly with cyclists and the occasional horse-drawn carriage.
💛 What travellers fall for
Regulars tend to arrive by bike and head straight up the Mirabello avenue toward the Rondò della Stella, which connects the park's three zones. The Niso Fumagalli Rose Garden is worth the detour in late spring, when more than 4,000 varieties are in bloom. Bikes rent for €3 an hour at Cascina Bastia, near the Porta Monza entrance.
The story behind Parco di Monza
The park was commissioned in 1805 by Eugène de Beauharnais, Napoleon's stepson and Viceroy of Italy, as an extension of the royal estate. Architect Luigi Canonica — a pupil of Giuseppe Piermarini, who had designed Villa Reale itself between 1777 and 1780 — laid out its overall order, completing the work by 1808. The grounds were private until 1841, when the Austrian governor Ranieri opened them to the public on Sundays.
After Italian unification the Savoy family took possession. King Umberto I used the villa regularly until his assassination outside its gates in 1900. His son Vittorio Emanuele III sold the park in 1920 to a consortium including the municipalities of Milan and Monza, and in 1922 the Autodromo Nazionale was built within its northern reaches.
Good to know
Reach the park by train to Monza station, then bus Z221 or a 30-minute walk. Pedestrian hours run 7 am–9:30 pm in summer, 7 am–7 pm in winter. Budget 3–4 hours for the grounds alone; add the Villa Reale interior (around €12) if you have a full day.
Monza sits in the Po plain at the foot of the Alps, which means hot, humid summers and cold, occasionally foggy winters. Late April through June and September are the most comfortable months for long walks; August can be sultry, and January mornings arrive with a chill that the open meadows do nothing to soften.
Where is Parco di Monza?
More tickets & tours for Parco di Monza
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Parco di Monza
One of my favourite parks that ive been to period, a magical feel being here even if you aren't heading for a race like in my case. I visited on a Sunday with my brother and we rode through the park on bolt bikes exploring and making our way to the iconic racetrack which was really cool to ride around while empty. We also took the opportunity to head to the old track which you can visit at anytime as its connected to the public park. The old curva parabolica for me is the highlight of the park, having watched top gear as a kid and seeing various videos it was an honour to see it in person, MUCH steeper in person too. Shocked me even though i knew. There were plenty of people running, cycling, dog walking and socialising the whole time i was there. Will come back when i can a must see if you're staying in Milan even for a few days.
I visited with my wife and we lay down on the grass surrounded by beautiful purple flowers. We even took a nice nap while listening to the crows in the background. The park is very nice and peaceful. There is also a giant wooden structure and lots of big bees flying around. A lovely place to relax for a while (˶˘ ³˘(´͈ ᵕ `͈˶)
Beautiful park with a relaxing atmosphere. Perfect for a walk, picnic or just enjoying nature in here
I went for a run in the morning here. It was amazing to be able to run on the famous old banked curve of the race track. The park in general is well maintained and great for doing some sports.
Huge park, great for cycling waking etc. It's so big it has the monza F1 track, a farm, a golf course and loads and loads of space to spare.
More of Monza
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Monza →More attractions in Monza
All of Monza →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.