Parco Sempione and the Arco della Pace

Parco Sempione is Milan's main central park, a 38-hectare stretch of lawns, trees and ponds running from the back of the Castello Sforzesco to the Arco della Pace. It was laid out between 1888 and 1894 by Emilio Alemagna on the former parade grounds of the castle, in the English landscape style, with winding paths rather than formal avenues. On a sunny day it is where Milanese come to read, jog, picnic and walk the dog, and it makes a welcome break from the stone streets of the centre.

The obvious walk runs straight through the park from the castle to the Arco della Pace, a neoclassical triumphal arch begun in the early 19th century for Napoleon and later completed under Austrian rule. It stands at the start of Corso Sempione, the old road to the Simplon Pass and Paris, and the square around it is ringed with cafés and bars that are busy at aperitivo time.

Inside the park, look for the Ponte delle Sirenette, a small 19th-century iron bridge decorated with four cast-iron mermaids, which was moved here in 1930 from a canal that has since been covered over. The Torre Branca, a slender steel tower designed by Gio Ponti and built in 1933, has a lift to a viewing platform when it is open, giving views over the park and the city. Next to it, the Palazzo dell'Arte houses the Triennale di Milano, with its design museum, exhibitions and a café. On the eastern edge are the Arena Civica, a 19th-century stadium, and the Liberty-style building of the Civic Aquarium.

The park suits everyone and is especially good with children, who have space to run and playgrounds to use. Entry is free. It is open during the day and closes at night, with gates at several points around its edges. Allow an hour for a walk from end to end with a few stops, or longer if you add the Triennale or the aquarium. Avoid the more isolated corners after dark.

The castle end is next to Cairoli and Lanza metro stops on lines M1 and M2, and the Cadorna station is a short walk from the southern side. Combine the park with the castle museums or with an evening in the bars around the Arco della Pace.