Vigevano Car Hire

Guide of Vigevano

Geography

Vigevano is located on the right bank of the Ticino River, around 35 km southwest of Milan in Northern Italy. It is situated in the province of Pavia, Lomellina, an agricultural area known for its rice paddies.

Climate in Vigevano

The climate in Vigevano is warm and temperate. Summer kicks off in June and ends in September. The hottest month to visit Vigevano is July, when temperatures average 24.7°C. January is a cold month, with average temperatures of 2.6°C. For those looking to escape the rain, July has the least precipitation with an average of 58mm across the month.

Culture

Humans have lived in Vigevano since ancient times, though no evidence of this remains. The Sforza family built a hunting villa here during the mid-15th century, adding the Piazza Ducale and the Castello Visconti at the end of the century. It became an important manufacturer of silk and cotton and, later, shoes. The town was declared Italy’s ‘Capital of Shoes’ in the 1950s and is still recognised as the shoe-manufacturing centre of Italy.

Things To Do in Vigevano

Discover Italy’s ‘model piazza’

The Piazza Ducale is widely considered to be one of the finest squares in Italy, and in a country stuffed full of them, that’s saying a lot. Donato Bramante designed the square between 1492 and 1494 to serve as an impressive entrance to the Sforza Castle. The 134-metre-long piazza quickly became a model for town squares throughout Europe. Take a seat or clamber up to the top of the Bramante Tower for a birdseye view.

Explore one of the largest fortified castles in Europe

Sforzesco Castle is more of a small town than a castle. At over 70,000 thousand square metres, it is one of the largest fortified castles in Europe – twice the size of Buckingham Palace. There has been a castle here since the 6th century, but it was Ludovico Il Moro who transferred it into a spectacular Renaissance palace. Today, it houses the Civic Picture Gallery, the Lomellina National Archaeology Museum and the International Museum of Footwear.

See some of Leonardo da Vinci’s works

By the time Leonardo da Vinci arrived in Lombardy in 1482, the 30-year-old artist had already shown remarkable engineering, artistic and technical genius. Ludovico II Moro invited him to the court, where he spent his time carrying out studies of architecture, medicine, hydraulics, and more. Those drawings, notebooks and reproductions are now housed in the Leonardiana, a new permanent exhibition in the city.

Buy some shoes – then learn all about them

No trip to Vigevano would be complete without some retail therapy and there are dozens of studios and shops primed for perusing. Once you’ve emptied your pockets, head to The International Museum of Footwear, the only shoe museum in the country. It features a huge collection of shoes from all eras donated by footwear entrepreneur, Bertolini.

Stroll the Ticino Nature Park

Ticino Nature Park is one of the largest river parks in Europe. Recognised by the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, the 91,410-hectare park is home to 4,932 species of flora, fauna and mushrooms. It encompasses a variety of environments too, including watercourses, moorlands, wetlands and conifer, making it a haven for nature lovers and sports enthusiasts. Visitors can cycle, horseback ride, take guided walks and even hop on a hot air balloon.

Eating Out in Vigevano

When it comes to local cuisine, rice takes centre stage on most menus in Vigevano. The surrounding countryside is packed with paddy fields and many of the town’s most beloved dishes are based on peasant recipes from Lomellina. Think creamy risottos, pork and goose dishes, and fresh river fish, like eels and trout. For dessert, don’t miss Dolveriso del Moro, a cake made with rice and rose water, invented for the Sforza court in the 15th century.

There are plenty of excellent restaurants, osteria, bars and cafes dotted around the town, but for an extra special meal out try I Castagni. The Michelin-starred restaurant is located just outside the town in a rustic country house and serves up creative dishes that showcase the culinary traditions of the region. Historic restaurants like Locanda il Castello and Caffe Commercio are real crowd-pleasers too.

Transport

Airport

The nearest airport to Vigevano is Milano-Malpensa Airport (MXP), the largest international airport in Italy. Most major airlines serve the airport from cities all across Europe and the United States. The airport is around 42 km from the city, a 45-minute drive away. Alternatively, you could take the T1 train to Milano Centrale Railway Station, then pick up a direct train to Vigevano. From Milan City Centre, the journey takes around an hour.

Milano-Linate Airport, located on the outskirts of Milian, is the second-closest airport. Orio al Serio Airport, Milan’s third-largest airport, is around 85 km from Vigevano, close to Bergamo.

Getting around Vigevano

Vigevano is a walkable city and you can easily stroll to most of the town’s most famous sights. There is also a train station, located around half a kilometre southeast of Piazza Ducale, which operates trains to Milan and neighbouring cities like Vercelli, Novara and Pavia. However, if you’re planning on exploring surrounding sights like Certosa di Pavia and smaller towns on the outskirts, we recommend hiring a car. Buses can operate infrequently and you will need to time your trip rigorously to ensure you make all of the connections. Hiring a car will give you more flexibility and the chance to get off the beaten track.