Holiday apartment in Vigevano: Renaissance, museums and the Ticino

In Vigevano, you will encounter a Renaissance square, museums covering the city’s and region’s history, and a nature-oriented circular trail along the Ticino. If you are planning a stay in a holiday apartment in Vigevano, you can shape your visit around a cultural programme, remarkable buildings and an excursion into the river landscape.

Renaissance and remarkable buildings

Piazza Ducale is a masterpiece of the Renaissance, created in 1492–1494 at the behest of Ludovico il Moro. It is also the main entrance to the Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco. The staircase beneath the tower leads into the castle courtyard. Vigevano Cathedral complements this historic focal point with an elliptical curved Baroque façade designed by Bishop Juan Caramuel y Lobkowitz.

City history, shoes and Leonardo

At the Museo dell’Imprenditoria Vigevanese, the city’s economic development from the late 15th century to the post-war period can be traced through documents, images, objects and video reports. The Museo Internazionale della Calzatura focuses on an unusual subject: it is Italy’s only public museum dedicated to footwear.

Leonardiana presents Leonardo da Vinci’s complete body of work in the halls of the Corte di Ludovico il Moro in the Castello di Vigevano. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale della Lomellina also illustrates the historical development of the Lomellina area from prehistory through late antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. The cultural spectrum therefore extends from individual city histories to the long development of an entire landscape.

Along the Ticino: circular trail and natural landscape

For a change from a city visit to nature, the Anello delle Streghe circular trail is an ideal option. It begins in Buccella, a district of Vigevano, and follows the embankment of the Ticino River to the Ramo delle Streghe. This slow-flowing branch is characterised by aquatic plants and also provides shelter for numerous species of birds, amphibians and reptiles. The trail therefore combines exercise and nature observation, without Vigevano’s cultural character having to be the sole focus of the trip.

Experiences with Leonardo and at the castle

The Ecomuseo della Roggia Mora is located in the Mulino di Mora Bassa, a 15th-century mill with two large working water wheels. The family tour “A spasso con Leonardo e Ludovico” begins at this mill with a guided tour followed by a workshop for children. The Torre del Bramante can be climbed to the first level of battlements via approximately 100 steps. At the Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco, the guided tours offered on Sundays and public holidays also include the interiors.

Getting there and choosing your holiday apartment

Vigevano can be reached from Milan via the Trenord railway connection. Trains run approximately hourly, and the journey takes about 31–35 minutes. Vigevano railway station is about 700 metres, or a 10-minute walk, from Piazza Ducale. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore use your planned daily activities as a guiding question: Should your trip focus primarily on architectural heritage and museums, or would you like to combine your stay with the circular trail along the Ticino and nature observation at the Ramo delle Streghe?

More destinations for planning your trip

More destinations: Santa Maria Della Versa, Ruino, Mortara, Semiana, Rocca De' Giorgi, Ponte Nizza, Varzi, Rosasco.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Pavia.