Holiday apartment in Cesate: Discover nature and church art

Cesate combines two themes that define the area: the natural landscapes of the Pineta di Cesate and Parco delle Groane, as well as several religious buildings featuring different artistic and architectural details. These religious buildings include the Chiesa parrocchiale di San Francesco, the Chiesa Parrocchiale dei Santi Alessandro e Martino, and the Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie (detta del Latte).

Pineta di Cesate and the landscape of Parco delle Groane

The Pineta di Cesate covers 181 hectares and is recognised under the European Union Habitats Directive as a Site of Community Importance (SCI).

The landscape of Parco delle Groane is characterised largely by clay soils. Pine and birch forests give way to tall oak and hornbeam forests in the north. Typical natural environments also include agricultural areas, wetlands inhabited by amphibians, and heathlands. When observing nature in Cesate, nature enthusiasts can focus separately on forest types, open heathlands, and wetlands.

Walking and cycling trails in Parco delle Groane

Parco delle Groane has an extensive network of walking and cycling trails. This leaves you with a choice between walking and cycling when planning your day. Those travelling on foot follow a different rhythm of movement from those cycling. When planning a route, therefore, you can choose not only your means of transport but also the landscape you would most like to focus on. The trail network is extensive and is not limited to a single route.

Churches, altars and a sanctuary

The parish church Chiesa parrocchiale di San Francesco was designed by Ignazio Gardella and completed in 1958. It houses a wooden Stations of the Cross by Alessandro Nastasio. Visitors interested in culture can view the design and the Stations of the Cross at San Francesco as two specific details of the same religious building.

The Chiesa Parrocchiale dei Santi Alessandro e Martino dates from 1619 and was extended in the 19th and 20th centuries. It contains a high altar made of polychrome marble with an 18th-century ciborium. The church is accessible to people with disabilities; a path on its left-hand side leads to a ramp for people with reduced mobility.

The Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie (detta del Latte) was probably built in the 17th century and has a square floor plan with a dome. The late-Baroque altarpiece from the late 18th century depicts the allegory of the Madonna del Latte. When viewing the sanctuary, form and subject can be perceived separately: the square floor plan with a dome on the one hand, and the allegory of the Madonna del Latte on the other. The dome complements the square floor plan as an additional architectural element.

For more ideas of places to visit, you can also explore Cassina de’ Pecchi, Vaprio Dʼadda, Magenta, Vimodrone, Millepini, Nerviano, Lissone and Cusago.

For the broader travel overview: Milan.