Easy Day Trip from Milan: A Day in Monza Italy!

As Italian towns go, Monza - a short day trip from Milan - is of no great significance, unless you are a fan of the Italian Grand Prix. The F1 track in Monza is only one draw though for what actually turns out to be a pretty magical town for everyone.

From giant elephant ear veal cutlets to area F1 museums and attractions, gelato, pedestrian strolls, fun shopping and a typical Oreo-cookie layered church, Monza is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

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A Typical Day in Monza

Whether you are going for the F1 attractions in Monza or simply looking to spend a day, here's some first-hand insights to a day in Monza.

Here's a few things you can do:

• Visit the Duomo de Monza in the city center, where the Oreo cookie black and white layering makes for a great backdrop for photos

  
  

• While in this area, pop into shops like Intimissimi for Italian lingerie or other familiar brands like H&M

• Fare una passeggiata, aka "take a stroll" past the clock tower and people watch

• Walk through the gardens and the estate park at Villa Reale de Monza (or enter the villa for a fee)

• Book a tour for the Autodromo race track

• Take a bike ride or enjoy a picnic in the Parco di Monza, a nice green space near the Villa

• Explore the lively historic center, cross bridges, see street performers

Monza for F1 Racing Fans

I've already taken the time to outline some of Monza's Formula 1 offerings on my separate post about car and F1 museums in Italy, so be sure to bookmark that to read later.

For other racing tours in the area, you'll want to consider:

1. Monza's Temple of Speed - the race track, store and behind the scenes look at the Autodromo (details on the link above)

2. Get a car and head to Modena for tours of Enzo Ferrari's home, the Maranello Museum, or the Ferrari Factory

3. Go on an organized tour of the Alfa Romeo museum

4. Drive a Ferrari on a racing track

5. Or, for the die hards with plenty of cash to spend, step inside and drive a formula BMW vehicle - and I'm not talking a simulator! You can read about this tour here.

Monza for Foodies

Now if you are in Monza, chances are you have been staying in nearby Milan (and perhaps are just taking a day trip to Monza), or you are passing through on the way to the lakes region. Either way, Monza is smack in the center of Milanese country, where in my opinion, you must try the classic dish, cotoletta Milanese.

It's a simple flattened (pounded out), breaded veal, pork or chicken, similar in style to a German schnitzel. For me, the best preparation of the cotoletta Milanese is topped with an arugula and tomato salad, and drenched in balsamic vinegar.

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I'm a big fan of vinegar, which is why I will also recommend visiting Modena for balsamic tastings. The Italians, however, may frown on your use of balsamic in favor of a simple lemon squeeze, which is also quite wonderful.

For this dish, served the way I prefer it, I found a quaint restaurant decked out in old style charm in the historic center of Monza called Fantello. A lovely little spot, it served me right and I got the dish I was craving.

With a beautiful courtyard for lazy lunches and house wine by the carafe, it couldn't have been more perfect. Except, I didn't see cotoletta Milanese on the menu. I knew they had it, where was it?

In a ever-so-studious way, I pulled up my Google and found at this restaurant it is actually called "elephant ear", or orecchia d'elefante.

Breaded and prepared the same way, it has a little bone in it resembling an elephant's trunk, I guess. In any case, this is the dish to get in Monza.

Afterwards, seek out a gelateria like Leoni, just outside the primary pedestrian area. It will be busy, but at least less busy than other shops in town.

The options are seemingly endless, and absolutely delicious.

If you have a little more time, consider booking a dinner experience with a local family.

While you are in Monza, consider driving the 30 minutes to nearby Gorgonzola, where, you guessed it, the delicious blue cheese is made.

If you like cheese, be sure to check out my write up on cheese tours and Parma Ham tours in the area to Monza's south.

And lastly, no trip to Northern Italy is complete without the quintessential stop to Florence, where you can experience the ancient hidden wine windows. Add all of these to your list!

Spending the Night in Monza

Overall, a day can easily be spent in Monza, even if you aren't into racing. It's an easy trip from Milan, and accessible to Bergamo's airport, which is why we made it home base for the night.

For a Luxury Stay in Monza

Part of the SLH Small Luxury Hotels of the World group, this Hilton Property called Hotel de la Ville is not only high end, but just minutes from the autodromo track, making for a convenient and opulent stay.

Enjoy negronis and tapas at their Derby Bar or enjoy their upper crust cuisine in the Derby Grill.

Check Hotel Rates for Hotel de la Ville

Mid-Range Monza Hotel

We ended up staying at a nice Best Western property, The Regency. With nostalgic vibes reminding me of 1990's Italian travel, the hotel is decked out in regal yellow and emerald tones and moody wood furniture trappings in the lobby. Enjoy an after lunch cocktail before calling it a day early, if the next day is for travel.

How to Get to Monza from Milan

If you are visiting Monza on a day trip and like to travel luxuriously, consider using the Daytrip app for booking your point A to point B transfer service. They'll handle the driving and even stop at tourist sites of your choosing a long the way!

Learn more about the Daytrip options for your trip to Monza here.

Otherwise, Motorsportstickets.com has outlined a pretty useful guide for getting to Monza from Milan, most notably for the big day - the Italian Grand Prix, which usually happens around the first week of September.

All in all, Monza may not be worth more than a day unless you've got plans to make separate day trips outside the city, but for a day in Monza, it's perfect.

Enjoy your trip!