Villa Litta in Lainate reopens: water games, Renaissance art and new cultural activities

A few kilometers from Milan, Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta reopens to the public, marking the start of the new cultural season. Located in Lainate, the villa is considered one of the most unique artistic and architectural expressions in Lombardy. The complex dates back to the late 16th century and was commissioned by Count Pirro I Visconti Borromeo, designed by architect Martino Bassi. Today it is a landmark for those wishing to explore a place where Renaissance art, Baroque hydraulic engineering and 19th-century landscape architecture come together. The heart of the entire complex remains the Nymphaeum, an artistic and engineering structure unique in Europe. Decorated with mosaics, frescoes, and sculptures, it is most famous for its water features operated by a 16th-century hydraulic system that is still in perfect working order. The often unpredictable jets and gushes surprise visitors while keeping intact the playful and spectacular spirit with which they were intended.

Inside the Nymphaeum, the Cortile delle Piogge (Rain Courtyard), the subject of a recent restoration, has also returned to its former glory. This space had been conceived as a scenic water machine: a choreography of subtle drops descends from the cornices and the central green marble column, recreating the illusion of artificial rain. The restoration involved mosaics, statues and historic plumbing, allowing the original scenic effect to be fully recovered. The work was the result of a collaboration between restorers, art historians and specialized technicians, with the aim of preserving the authenticity of the site while making it usable for contemporary audiences. The Nymphaeum is not the only element of interest in the complex. The aristocratic villa, although restored over the centuries, maintains intact its vocation as a place of representation and hospitality. Inside are decorated rooms that now host exhibitions, concerts, meetings and cultural activities. Each space is designed to take the visitor on a journey through history and the evolution of artistic taste. Surrounding the Villa is a large historic park that alternates between Italian garden elements and romantic views. The park is populated by century-old hornbeams, fountains and 56 historically significant tree species. In the spring and summer months it is also transformed into a space for outdoor events. Maintenance and redevelopment of the greenery is currently underway. One of the main interventions concerns the Nymphaeum gardens, where about 70 linear meters of Buxus Pumila hedge, which was attacked by the boxwood borer, is being replaced with specimens of Ilex Crenata. The new hedge, which is resistant to the pest, will be equipped with a drip-wing irrigation system integrated with the existing system. The soil will also be prepared to ensure optimal growing conditions.

Another distinctive feature of the complex are the recently restored 19th-century Greenhouses. These glass and iron structures house a botanical collection of orchids and cacti, which can be visited every third weekend of the month, excluding August. The curatorship is entrusted to the Associazione Lombarda Amatori Orchidee (ALAO), which provides access to a natural heritage rarely seen in historic settings. The Villa’s new cultural season officially kicks off on Sunday, May 25, with the 13th edition of Ninfeamus and Wunder Mrkt, an event dedicated to landscape and green culture.

The gardens and frescoed halls of the villa will host exhibitors of handmade, vintage, upcycling and independent productions, selected to offer an experience that combines aesthetics, sustainability and craft research. Each edition represents an opportunity to meet artisans, collectors and designers in an out-of-the-ordinary historical setting. Complementing the proposal, the 2025 edition includes an expansion of activities through a collaboration with CIAOMONDO. The program will include sessions in Intuitive Breathwork, Juicy Pilates with Licia Florio, Yoga Flow and Sapiens Movement.

“Protagonist of the city life of Lainate, Ninfeamus offers its contribution in spreading interest and love for the historic green,” says Paola Ferrario, Councillor for Cultural Development, Enhancement and Communication of Villa Litta, Municipality of Lainate. “A fruitful collaboration that allows the public to visit the monumental complex in its entirety, with a playful approach suitable for visitors of all ages. Confirmed the formula that provides free admission to the WUNRDER MRKT, inside the frescoed rooms of Villa Litta, with guided tours of the Nymphaeum and the Greenhouses. A showcase that inaugurates a particularly rich cultural season. An excitement that is renewed for this 13th edition, a truly remarkable achievement.”

The day’s program will also include food trucks, live music and guided tours of the Nymphaeum and the Greenhouses, making the entire experience enjoyable for a wide and diverse audience. Access to the Wunder Mrkt will be free, while tours will be bookable in the usual way. The May 25 event represents only the beginning of a broader season. The following months will see events of various kinds, such as the NotesAround SMG Festival music festival, which will feature jazz concerts with the participation of Italian and international artists, and Short Out Festival, dedicated to short films, scheduled for the first week of July. Additional events will follow, all designed to offer diverse experiences to different audiences.

Villa Litta in Lainate reopens: water games, Renaissance art and new cultural activities

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