Milan is passionate about sport. The sports itinerary can only begin with a visit to the Meazza Stadium in San Siro, known as “soccer’s La Scala”, a theater of legendary head-to-heads and epic contests that have gone down in history. The Milan-Inter Museum is especially worth visiting, with its collection of jerseys, souvenirs and memorabilia which once belonged to former champions of Milan’s two teams. Nearby is the Hippodrome, where spectators can enjoy horse racing in a relaxing park-like atmosphere. Towards the center of the city is the Gianni Brera Civic Arena, an elegant sports facility designed by the Neoclassical architect Luigi Canonica. The building is shaped like an amphitheater, and a wide variety of events have been held there, some of them truly incredible: horse races, chariot races, naval battles, rowing races, bicycle races, soccer matches, boxing and American football. Today it hosts track and field competitions and other events, and not only sports. Another prestigious monument to sports in Milan is the Maspes Vigorelli Cycle Track, which during the post-war period was the stage for exciting contests between cycling champions, specialists of the track.
Stages list
Morning
Meazza Stadium, San Siro
Via dei Piccolomini, 5
The stadium named after Giuseppe Meazza can seat over 80,000 spectators, making it one of the largest in Europe. Visitors should not miss the opportunity to trace the history of Milan’s two teams at the Milan-Inter Museum.
San Siro Hippodrome
Piazzale dello Sport, 6
A relaxing break, at least for anyone who is not an avid gambler: the Hippodrome is for fans of both harness and flat racing.
Afternoon
Gianni Brera Civic Arena
Viale Repubblica Cisalpina
The arena named after the famous sports journalist can be admired juust from the outside, while fans can soak up the electric atmosphere inside when track and field meets are under way. Napoleon had it built, and it was inaugurated on August 18th, 1807. By using the Martesana it could be flooded to stage competitions and shows on water.
Velodromo Maspes Vigorelli
Via Arona, 19
Maspes Vigorelli Velodrome - This “monument” to Milanese sports history was designed by German Clemens Schurmann and defined as the best velodrome in Europe. It was opened on 30th May 1935 and, on that occasion, Giuseppe Olmo set the world cycling record. On the 7th November 1942, while the war was still raging, Fausto Coppi beat the hour record, covering 45.798 km. Jacques Anquetil bettered this record in 1956.
