Pinacoteca di Brera
Milan, Italy
Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), Milan
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Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free, viewed from outside
- Hours
- Outside: any time; no public access inside
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Inside
- No — private apartments
- Height
- ≈ 111 m and 76 m
- Best view
- From the Biblioteca degli Alberi park and Via de Castillia
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes with the park
- Metro
- Isola (M5) or Garibaldi FS (M2, M5)
Key facts
2014completed to designs by Boeri Studio
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English Wikipedia≈ 900trees on the terraces of the two towers
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English Wikipedia≈ 111 mheight of the taller tower; the other is ≈ 76 m
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English Wikipedia2014International Highrise Award for the best new high-rise
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English WikipediaIsolathe neighbourhood where the towers stand
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English WikipediaA short history
Milanese architect Stefano Boeri (Boeri Studio) designed the towers, completed in 2014 as part of the regeneration of Porta Nuova. The idea was simple and bold: instead of clearing trees for housing, lift the forest up onto the balconies of high-rises, where it shades flats in summer, lets sun through in winter and filters noise and dust.
It quickly became famous: in 2014 Bosco Verticale won the International Highrise Award for the world's best new tall building, and "vertical forests" have since sprung up in other countries. For a city long seen as grey and businesslike, the towers became a new symbol. Porta Nuova itself was wasteland between two railway stations only a few years ago.
How the towers work
The two residential towers stand about 111 m and 76 m tall. Each flat's balcony is staggered from its neighbours and juts out so the plants get space and light. The terraces hold around 900 trees — oaks, maples, beeches, pines, apple trees — plus thousands of shrubs and perennials, chosen for wind and orientation at height.
Residents don't garden themselves: a team of arborist-climbers, the "flying gardeners", abseil from the roof a few times a year to prune, and irrigation is automatic. The façade changes with the seasons — blossom in spring, deep green in summer, gold and red in autumn.
What to see nearby
- Bosco Verticale — the two tree-covered towers.
- Biblioteca degli Alberi — the new park at their feet.
- Piazza Gae Aulenti — a circular plaza with fountains and towers.
- UniCredit Tower — Italy's tallest skyscraper with its spire.
- Isola — cafés, street art and a weekend market.
- Corso Garibaldi — a pedestrian street towards Brera.
How to get there
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- Metro M5 to Isola, 3 minutes on foot.
- Metro M2 or M5 to Garibaldi FS, 7 minutes via Piazza Gae Aulenti.
- From the Pinacoteca di Brera, 20 minutes' walk up Corso Garibaldi.
- From Milan Cathedral, 15 minutes by metro.
Is Bosco Verticale worth it?
Yes, if modern Milan interests you: after the Gothic Duomo and Renaissance churches, Porta Nuova shows a different city of glass, gardens and new squares. The visit is free and short, and pairs well with Brera and Corso Garibaldi. If you only love old architecture, you can glimpse the towers from the train at Garibaldi station.
It works with children too: the park is big, with lawns and play areas, and in summer kids splash in the fountains on Piazza Gae Aulenti. In the evening the area fills with bars and terraces.
Before you go
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Views in Milan: compare and choose
Viewpoints in Milan rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Milan Cathedral | 63 | 1 h 30 min | Paid | 42 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosco Verticaleyou are here | 51 | 30 min | Free | — |
| Lake Como | 44 | 8 h | Free | 37.1 km |
| Parco Sempione | 42 | 1 h | Free | 31 min walk |
Modern and historic Milan
The Pinacoteca di Brera, a walk to Bosco Verticale and Piazza Gae Aulenti, then an evening on the Navigli.
- Pinacoteca di Brera2 h · Paid
- 27 min walk from the previous stopBosco Verticaleyou are here30 min · Free
- 67 min walk from the previous stopNavigli1 h 30 min · Free
3 places · about 5 h 34 min with walks · 94 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- No entry — view from outside.
- Best seen from the park below.
- Golden trees in autumn.
- Isola metro is closest.
Questions
Can you go inside Bosco Verticale?
No, they're private apartments; you view them from outside, free and at any time.
Where is Bosco Verticale?
In the Isola neighbourhood by Porta Nuova, next to Isola metro station (M5).
How many trees are on Bosco Verticale?
Around 900 trees, plus thousands of shrubs and plants.
Who designed Bosco Verticale?
Architect Stefano Boeri (Boeri Studio); the towers were completed in 2014.
Where's the best view of Bosco Verticale?
From the Biblioteca degli Alberi park at the base and from Via de Castillia.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia, Bosco Verticale
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