At 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 12, while Milan is still asleep, the lights will come on in Villa Arconati’s monumental garden for a sunrise concert featuring Pacifico.
Following this, a guided walk through the park and breakfast in the villa’s historic Corte Nobile will round out what is likely the most unique experience on the entire program of the Villa Arconati Festival, which returns for its 38th edition from July 2 to 15, 2026, in Castellazzo di Bollate.
The setting, it must be said, is already half the experience. Villa Arconati is the so-called “Little Versailles of Lombardy”: a Baroque mansion surrounded by statues, fountains, and centuries-old tree-lined avenues, just a few kilometers from Milan’s northern border.
When is the Villa Arconati Festival taking place, and what’s on the program?
The festival opens on Thursday, July 2, with the flamenco rock of the Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo.
The following day, Friday, July 3, it’s Giovanni Allevi’s turn: the pianist from the Marche region returns to the stage at Villa Arconati twenty years after his debut, with a solo piano concert as part of his new European tour.
Tuesday, July 7, is Arisa’s night. Fresh off her podium finish at the latest Sanremo Festival, she will perform live tracks from her new album “Foto Mosse” alongside the hits that made her a star.
The program continues on Wednesday, July 8, with “Heroes,”a tribute to David Bowie by Paolo Fresu and John De Leo, and on Friday, July 10, with “La forza del simbolo,” Stefano Massini’s new monologue.
Following the dawn concert on Sunday, July 12, Monday, July 13 will feature the documentary film “Pino Daniele. Nero a Metà, ” screened in collaboration with Club Tenco.
The grand finale on Wednesday, July 15, will feature the Brazilian rhythms of Gilsons and Selton, in an evening designed as a communal celebration in front of the villa.
How much do tickets cost for the 2026 edition?
Tickets for the 2026 Villa Arconati Festival start at €15 for the dawn concert, the most affordable option on the entire lineup. Prices rise to €20 for the evening dedicated to Pino Daniele, €25 for the Brazilian closing night, between €30 and €37 for the Gipsy Kings and the tribute to Bowie, and up to €42–45 for the two special evenings featuring Giovanni Allevi and Arisa (prices do not include advance-sale fees).
Tickets are available in advance on Ticketmaster and on the festival’s official website, as well as at the box office on the evening of the performance (opening at 7:30 p.m., or 5:15 a.m. for the dawn concert), if any of the approximately 1,100 seats in the monumental garden remain available.
How to get to Villa Arconati
Villa Arconati is located at Via Fametta 1, in Castellazzo di Bollate, along the Strada Statale Varesina.
🚗 By car, take the A8/A52 ( Fiera Milano or Bollate exit), about 2 kilometers from the villa.
🚃 For those who prefer public transportation, the train remains the most convenient option: the Trenord S1 and S3 lines on the Milan–Saronno route stop at Bollate Nord or Garbagnate Groane, both about 2 kilometers from the villa, which can be reached on foot or with a short ride by bus or taxi. In previous years, on performance nights, a free shuttle bus was available , departing from Milano Lampugnano (the M1 terminus).
🚲 Villa Arconati is also part of the network of cycling routes connecting northern Milan to the Parco delle Groane, with a bike rental service available at the Bollate Nord Velostation.
