Sempione Park in Milan – what to see and what to know before your visit

Sempione Park (Parco Sempione) is a large, free park right in the center of Milan. It covers 47 hectares, is open daily from 6:30 AM, and stretches just behind Sforza Castle.

Sempione Park is one of the most important green spaces in central Milan and one of those places visited not only by tourists, but by locals too. In the morning it can be quiet here: around the laghetto, the small pond in the middle of the park, you can spot runners, ducks sitting on the dock, and Torre Branca reflected in the water. A few hours later, the park looks completely different – louder, more urban, and much more crowded.

The park lies between Castello Sforzesco and Arco della Pace and covers 47 hectares. Inside, there are walking paths, a pond, a lookout tower, cultural institutions, and places where you can simply sit on the grass or rest after sightseeing in the center. In the rest of this guide, you will find specific information on what is worth seeing here, how much Torre Branca costs, how to get here, and when it is best to come.

Co zobaczyć w Parku Sempione? Top Attractions

Around Sempione Park you will find Torre Branca, Castello Sforzesco, Acquario Civico, Arco della Pace, and Triennale di Milano. All of these attractions can be seen during one walk.

Sempione Park is not just grass, trees, and walking paths. Near it, you will find Torre Branca, Castello Sforzesco, Acquario Civico, Arco della Pace, and Triennale di Milano – places that can easily be combined into a single walk.

This is one of those parts of Milan where, in a short amount of time, you can see places from different eras and with completely different character: a steel tower from the 1930s, an Art Nouveau aquarium from 1906, a Renaissance castle, and a neoclassical triumphal arch.

Torre Branca

Torre Branca is 108.6 meters tall, and you can ride the elevator to the observation deck in less than a minute. A ticket costs about 6 euros, which makes it one of the cheapest viewpoints in Milan.
Gio Ponti designed this steel tower in 1933 for the 5th Triennale di Milano. It was originally called Torre Littoria, but after the war, because of its clear association with the Fascist period, it was renamed Torre del Parco. It has had its current name, Torre Branca, since 2002, after a major renovation financed by the Branca family.

Compared with the Duomo terraces, going up Torre Branca costs much less, and the view is still impressive. On a clear day, you can see the whole city, the Alps, and the layout of Parco Sempione from above. Only 5-6 people can fit on the viewing platform at one time, which is why lines happen even with advance online booking. It is best to arrive a few minutes before your selected time slot.

More on the history and practical details: Torre Branca in Milan.

Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco)

Castello Sforzesco is a 14th-century fortress with museums, Leonardo da Vinci’s Sala delle Asse, and free access to the courtyard and castle grounds.

The castle stands at the southern edge of Sempione Park, so it is very easy to combine a walk in the park with a visit to the castle. Entry to the courtyard and the castle grounds is free, while museum tickets cost about 5 euros, though it is best to check current prices before your visit. It is especially worth stopping by Sala delle Asse, the room with a ceiling decorated by Leonardo da Vinci, and the space where Michelangelo’s Pietà Rondanini is displayed, one of his final works.

More details: Sforza Castle in Milan.

Acquario Civico – one of the oldest aquariums in Europe

Acquario Civico has been operating since 1906 and is one of the oldest aquariums in Europe. It sits inside the park, right along its eastern edge, and its Art Nouveau building is worth noticing in its own right.

The aquarium building was created for the Esposizione Internazionale del Sempione in 1906 and immediately stands out for its facade decorated with ceramic fish and octopuses. Inside, there are dozens of tanks with freshwater and marine species, including the flora and fauna of the Adriatic Sea.

The aquarium is open Tuesday through Sunday, usually from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, although it is worth checking current hours on acquariodimilano.it before your visit. Admission is free for holders of the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia card.

Full article: Acquario Civico in Milan.

Arco della Pace – the Arch of Peace

Arco della Pace, built between 1807 and 1838, stands at the northwestern entrance to Sempione Park and is one of the best-preserved triumphal arches in Europe.

Construction of the arch began to celebrate Napoleon’s victories, but it was completed only after his fall. The Austrians then gave it a new meaning connected with peace after the Congress of Vienna. That is why figures of victory and peace appear at the top, rather than symbols tied directly to Napoleon. The arch looks especially good lit up at dusk.

More on this: Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace) and Porta Sempione in Milan

Triennale di Milano and Palazzo dell’Arte

Triennale di Milano is one of the most important museums in the world dedicated to design, architecture, and applied arts – it is housed in a 1933 building along the western edge of the park.

Triennale di Milano is one of the most important Milanese places connected with design, architecture, and applied arts. It is housed inside Palazzo dell’Arte from 1933, along the western edge of Sempione Park.

The exhibitions change regularly, so it is best to check the current program on triennale.org before your visit. Admission is covered by the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia card.

Exhibitions change regularly, so it is worth checking the schedule on triennale.org before your visit. Admission is covered by the Abbonamento Musei Lombardia card.

Full article: Triennale di Milano.

Arena Civica

Arena Civica is a neoclassical amphitheater from 1807, built on Napoleon’s orders. To this day, sports competitions, matches, and summer outdoor events are still held here.

Napoleon planned to create a space here for spectacles inspired by antiquity, including naumachiae, staged naval battles performed on water. Today, the venue hosts races, soccer matches, and occasional outdoor events. The stands cannot be visited outside event dates, so Arena Civica is mostly seen from the outside.

Ponte delle Sirenette and outdoor sculptures

Ponte delle Sirenette is a cast-iron footbridge from 1842, moved to Sempione Park in 1930 from the Navigli canals. You can also come across modern sculptures placed among the greenery in the park.

The bridge takes its name from the four bronze mermaids placed at its ends. It originally stood over the Naviglio di San Damiano canal, and after the canal was filled in, it was moved to Sempione Park. Today, along with the laghetto, it is one of the favorite photo spots in the park.

Among the outdoor sculptures, some are worth stopping at.

Sculptures and monuments

Parco Sempione is also a true gallery of outdoor sculpture. Among the many works of art, the most noteworthy are:

What to do in Sempione Park?

Sempione Park is not just a place for a walk. There are paths for running and biking, playgrounds, large lawns where you can sit or have a picnic, and in summer cultural events are held here too.

It is one of those parks where you can simply walk in and head wherever you like. But if you prefer knowing what to expect, there are a few things worth keeping in mind.

Opening hours of Sempione Park

Sempione Park is open every day all year from 6:00 AM. Since 2025, after Comune di Milano extended the hours, it can stay open until midnight in summer.

Admission is free. Just remember that before the official closing time, the gates are gradually prepared for closing and staff ask visitors to leave the park.

Since 2025, extended opening hours have been in effect. Compared with previous years, the park stays open later in the evening, and the exact closing time depends on the season. Before your visit, it is best to check current information on comune.milano.it, especially during Italian holidays and major city events.

Torre Branca follows its own opening hours, independent of the park. It is usually open only on selected days of the week – most often Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In summer, hours may be extended and the tower may stay open until midnight, while in winter it operates for fewer hours. Before your visit, it is best to check the current schedule on the operator’s website, FPS Eventi or Vivaticket, because the hours change by season. In strong wind or heavy rain, the tower is sometimes closed, even at the last minute.

How to get to Sempione Park?

The easiest way to get here is by metro. Good options are Lanza (M2), Cadorna (M1 and M2), and Cairoli (M1) – depending on which side of the park you want to enter from. From each of them, the walk takes just a few minutes.

The park has eight entrances and can be reached easily from different parts of the city center. If you plan to arrive by car, remember that central Milan is covered by a ZTL zone with electronic access control.

More about public transportation in Milan: public transportation in Milan.

How much does it cost to enter Sempione Park and its attractions?

Admission to Parco Sempione is free. You only pay for selected attractions, mainly Torre Branca (about 6 euros) and the museums inside Castello Sforzesco (about 5 euros). The other places can be seen without a ticket or as part of discount cards.

It is one of the more pleasant parts of central Milan because simply walking through the park costs nothing.

If you are planning to visit several Milan museums, it is worth checking discount cards in Milan – Abbonamento Musei Lombardia includes, among others, Acquario Civico and Triennale.

How to plan a visit to Sempione Park?

For just a walk through the park, 1.5-2 hours is enough. If you also want to go up Torre Branca and stop by Sforza Castle, it is better to set aside about 3-4 hours.

If you have one afternoon available, it is best to enter from the Castello Sforzesco side, then walk to Torre Branca – it is worth buying the ticket online in advance – and from there continue toward the laghetto and Ponte delle Sirenette. After that, you can walk to Acquario Civico on the eastern side of the park, and if you still have some time left, end the walk at Arco della Pace.

A few things worth knowing before your visit:

If you prefer exploring with a guide, there are also tours that combine a walk through Sempione Park with a visit to Sforza Castle.

Sempione Park throughout the year – what changes with the seasons?

Parco Sempione looks different in winter, different in spring, and different again in summer. Sometimes it is quiet and almost empty, other times it is full of people sitting on the grass, outdoor events, and evening activity.

A short history of Parco Sempione

Parco Sempione has existed as a public park since 1894, but the history of this area goes much further back – to the time of the Viscontis and the Sforzas.

In the 14th century, the Viscontis established a private hunting ground here called Barcho. In the 15th century, the Sforzas greatly expanded it – to more than 3 million square meters – enclosed it with walls, and turned it into a closed space meant for the court. After the fall of the dynasty, the area gradually declined, and under Spanish and Austrian rule it became Piazza d’Armi, a military drill ground for soldiers connected with Castello Sforzesco.

Napoleon planned to create a monumental Foro Buonaparte here around the castle, but Giovanni Antonio Antolini’s project was never carried out. Still, two important traces remained from the French period: Arena Civica from 1807 and Arco della Pace, whose construction began in that same year and was only completed in 1838.

The real change came after the unification of Italy. Milan was growing quickly and needed new green spaces, so the Beruto Plan included turning the former Piazza d’Armi into a public park. Work began in 1888 under the direction of Emilio Alemagna, and the park was designed in the English landscape garden style. It was opened to residents in 1894.

Two later events shaped the park as it looks today. After the Esposizione Internazionale del Sempione in 1906, Acquario Civico remained, and the 5th Triennale in 1933 brought Gio Ponti’s Torre Branca and Giovanni Muzio’s Palazzo dell’Arte, today the home of Triennale di Milano.

Legend of the Lady in Black

The legend of the Lady in Black is one of the best-known urban stories connected with Parco Sempione. According to local accounts, the ghost was said to appear here on foggy winter evenings, and the story was so popular that even in the 19th century it drew residents curious about nighttime trips through the park.

The Lady in Black was described as a woman in mourning clothes, smelling of violets. She was said to appear in the fog and lure in lonely men, leading them to a villa that did not exist. There she invited them to dance, and when they finally uncovered her face, instead of a woman they saw a skull. According to the legend, those who met her were doomed to keep returning to the park for the rest of their lives in search of her.

The story comes from the late 19th century, when the park was new, more poorly lit, and much more mysterious than it is today. The tale was so alive that Milanese newspapers described nighttime expeditions by residents who wanted to find out whether the ghost really existed.

Today, the main paths in the park are well lit after dark and the area stays fairly calm in the early evening hours. Even so, later at night it is better to avoid the more distant, dimly lit paths.

FAQ – the frequently asked questions about Sempione Park

Sempione Park is best visited in the morning, when it is quieter, or in the late afternoon, when it becomes more urban and full of people. Both times of day have their own appeal. If you want to go up Torre Branca, it is best to start there – tickets can be bought online almost until the last minute, but spots are limited, so it is better not to leave it too late.

If you are planning a longer walk in the area, you can reach Sforza Castle, Acquario Civico, and Triennale di Milano within 10 minutes from the central paths of the park.

Useful Links