There’s no activity more spring-like than going to the park on a beautiful sunny day. About 20 km from Milan, there’s a rather unique one, perfect for romantic picnics or family outings with even young children. The park, which spans over 200,000 square meters, is home to an extraordinarily diverse array of flora and fauna. Here you can admire wild animals that have settled here over time and are now protected by the Amici del Parco association. Among them are deer, goats, peacocks, emus, and swans, as well as numerous other creatures that graze peacefully in protected areas.
Sports, books, and animals
The park is entirely accessible on foot or by bicycle thanks to dirt and paved trails, along which you’ll also find comfortable benches for resting, picnic tables, and drinking fountains to quench your thirst on hot days. There is no shortage of useful amenities, such asbike repair tools in case your chain decides to give out right in the middle of your ride, and—staying on the sports theme—spaces for outdoor exercise, asoccer field, and a skating rink. Of course, there’s also a café!
For those who love reading outdoors and are always on the lookout for new stories to lose themselves in, there is also a book exchange inside the park, where you can leave the novel you’ve just finished and pick up another one to discover. The park’s landscape is divided into two main areas: the forest, which surrounds the springs of Laghetto and Barona, and the vast meadow that covers most of the territory.
Particularly striking is the Laghetto spring, whose constant-temperature waters create a favorable microclimate and host a rich biodiversity, offering food and shelter to fish, birds, and reptiles from both the Po Valley and distant regions. The animals are certainly the stars of Arcadia Park in Bareggio. Although free to graze on the park’s grass, to ensure the safety of both visitors and animals, the latter can be observed from behind a wide metal fence that allows you to enjoy their presence in complete peace.
How to get there?
It takes about 40 minutes by car to reach Arcadia Park in Bareggio from Milan. The main entrance is located on Via Giacomo Matteotti, where you can park in the nearby lots. Alternatively, the park is also accessible by public transportation: take the M1 subway line to Molino Dorino and thenthe Z620 bus toward Magenta – Novara/Pellico. The bus, however, does not stop directly in front of the park, so you should also factor in a walk of about 20 minutes.