Guided tour of the Pinacoteca di Brera and its neighbourhood

Within walking distance of the Duomo and La Scala Theatre is the Brera district, well known for its bohemian spirit within the capital city of Milan. During this 2-hour guided tour you will stroll through the wonderful narrow streets of the neighbourhood and will remain speechless in front of the most important collection of paintings preserved inside the famous Pinacoteca.

The Brera district, located in the heart of Milan, takes its name from the term “braida” or “uncultivated land area”.

Today it features narrow cobblestone alleys, unique boutiques, historic stores and magnificent courtyards.

By participating in our guided experience, you will have the opportunity to visit one of the city’s most famous neighbourhoods, the most bohemian district in Milan.

When visiting this neighbourhood, you can’t miss its art gallery, the famous Pinacoteca di Brera. The visit will start right here. After a short walk to explore the neighbourhood, you will head inside the museum, where you will discover the grand collection of artwork containing some of the greatest masterpieces in the history of world art.

A fascinating and not-to-be-missed tour of about 2 hours, with special insight into the details and curiosities hidden behind the masterpieces of great masters such as Raphael, Caravaggio, Hayez and many others.

We owe this museum to the ambition and extraordinary vision of two great “foreign” historical figures: Maria Theresa, archduchess of Austria, and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who in the 18th century promoted the foundation of this cultural jewel, that was erected on the ruins of a religious building.

In their view, this was the ideal place to nurture the new Italian art and to host some of the city’s most advanced educational and scientific research institutions that still exist today: the Astronomical Observatory, the great Braidense National Library, the Botanical Garden and the famous Brera Academy of Fine Arts.

It was only thanks to Napoleon that the Pinacoteca was later added. Once he had been crowned king of Italy, he wished to enrich Milan, as the capital of the new kingdom, with a modern museum, hosting unique masterpieces of a universal prestige.

Walking through the corridors of the Pinacoteca di Brera you will witness the solemnity of this place and admire its frescoes, paintings, and sculptures. Considered by many as the “Louvre of Milan,” it will not disappoint your expectations.

Did you know that there are tactile and olfactory panels in this museum? In fact, the curators’ aim was to engage the visitors in a multisensory tour: some of the works are flanked by reproductions of the fabrics depicted in the paintings, thus providing a “hands-on” experience and scent diffusers for a true immersive visit.

To conclude, you will have free time to stroll through Brera’s elegant streets, enjoying the magical atmosphere that arises from the typical boutiques, art shops and perfumeries.

Join us on an exciting journey to discover one of Milan’s most typical neighbourhoods!

What to expect:

Lamentation of Christ by Mantegna

A long and narrow, deep blue room, the most popular in the Pinacoteca di Brera, welcomes the visitors. Here you will find the most iconic treasure of the Museum: the Lamentation of Christ by Mantegna. An image that captures the visitor with the boldness of its perspective that brings the viewer directly into the scene, standing before the figure of the lifeless man.
The artist chooses to show the scene from an unusual perspective, depicting the lifeless body of Jesus from above, with his feet in the foreground, a unique case in the history of 15th-century painting.
When the painter died, the work was still in the artist’s studio; it was probably a painting for private use.

The Marriage of the Virgin by Raphael

Continuing the visit you will find the Marriage of the Virgin, which was painted by Raffello Sanzio when he was only 21 years old. The dynamism of the figures, the full colours, and the warm afternoon light are almost an invitation to enter a realm dominated by harmony. This canvas expresses Raphael’s main belief about the artist’s role that should “make things not as nature makes them but as it should make them.”

The Kiss by Hayez

The iconic masterpiece of the Pinacoteca di Brera is the Kiss by Francesco Hayez. An image that strikes the viewer for the passion between the two lovers, for its medioeval flavour, and the romantic taste of the time. But those who saw it in the 19th century perceived different meanings from those we see today, for example the colours used as a code. Are you curious to know more about the true meaning of the work?

The Brera District

The historic boutiques and well-known venues from Milan’s past and recent history are the beating heart of the Brera district. Some of them, such as the century-old Antica Farmacia di Brera, one of the most popular places where artists, intellectuals and politicians met, represent the true nature of this district of Milan.

You will stroll through the elegant streets of Brera with their magical atmosphere of elegant palazzi, boutiques, cafés and bistros. You will experience a journey through the art, history and beauty of the charming Old Milan, described by artists, writers and intellectuals who were inspired by this city. You will discover that every corner, every building, and every alley reveals its past, rich of historical events and bizarre stories.

Via Fiori Chiari and Via Fiori Scuri

Do you know the innermost secrets hidden in Brera? And do you know why its best-known streets have been named Via dei fiori chiari e Via dei fiori scuri (Light coloured and Dark coloured Flower Street)?

According to the metaphorical theory, the names would reflect the diametrically opposed past of the two streets: Via Fiori Chiari was the site of a girls’ boarding school, thus a place of purity and innocence, symbolized precisely by the metaphor of “light flowers”; Via Fiori Oscuri, named so because it is said to have been a “red light” district, very renowned in Milan.

During the tour, a guides will also tell you other versions of this story. Do you want to find out?

Warning:

According to the new procedures for entering the Pinacoteca, the following information is required:

• Name and surname of all participants
• Date of birth of all participants
• Bring identification with you to the tour (you will be asked to show your ID upon entry)