The romantic face of the province of Milan: a weekend in Nerviano

A work commitment in the Milan area during a winter weekend: it may not sound like the best of proposals, but with a little imagination we managed to turn it into a short but pleasant holiday out of town. Instead of plunging into the smog of the metropolis, we chose to stay at a historic inn in one of the towns in the province, at Nerviano. Milan was less than half an hour away by car, so we could devote the rest of the time to some lovely walks. We settled into the elegant rooms of the Antica Locanda del Villoresi, and went out to discover this little town of Roman origins, as also testified by the suffix of its name.

One of our friends, who had done some research before setting off, told us that the bench that inspired the comedians Ale & Franz might be somewhere in Nerviano or in the surrounding parks, since Ale, whose real name is Alessandro Besentini, has lived right here since childhood. Among Nerviano's attractions there are in fact two large parks: the Parco del Roccolo, which takes its name from a structure once used by bird-catchers, and the Parco dei Mulini, along the banks of the Olona river, which is a natural extension of the Parco Castello in Legnano and crosses several towns in the area. Walking through the centre you discover the town's great artistic and architectural wealth, thanks to the presence of several ancient religious monuments. One of these is the Santuario Abbazia della Colorina, rebuilt from 1656 onwards, on the ruins of the old church of 1398.

The name Colorina is said to recall the times when cholera patients prayed here, seeking relief and healing also thanks to an underground stream, now dried up, that crossed the church and in which the sick were immersed. Inside the Sanctuary there is also a 1795 organ, built by the famous family of organ builders, the Prestinari of Corbetta. The Madonna venerated in this Sanctuary is considered the protectress of engaged couples, and there are still numerous couples who choose to celebrate their weddings before her effigy. The religious history of Nerviano has another important witness in the Monastery of the Olivetans, built in 1468 at the wish of Count Ugolino Crivelli. The monastery was closed in 1798 by Napoleon and today the building, around which we admired the cloister, houses the Town Hall.

Wandering through the streets of Nerviano we also visited the buildings of the Lazzaretto and the Rotondina, an ancient country chapel. Returning to our accommodation, we discovered that the Antica Locanda del Villoresi is also a mine of historical curiosities: “This is an ancient 19th-century building in stone and brick that, until about a century ago, was a staging post, that is, a place where the carriages of Milanese nobles stopped during their journey to the tourist resorts on the lakes. Later, for a period, a brothel even operated here,” Mr Carmine Albero, the owner, tells us. “What you see today is the result of a long and careful renovation, with which we managed to create a charming hotel, while keeping the traditional Lombard architectural style of the past”.

The inn's restaurant is known for its excellent seafood specialities and for the care with which everything is made in-house, from bread to desserts. We begin our dinner with crispy octopus with potatoes and Taggiasca olives, and with oven-baked scallops, very tender, in three flavours: green sauce, red pesto of dried tomatoes and almonds, and cucumber sauce. In choosing our first courses we split between a prawn and chive risotto served in a parmesan basket, the fresh pasta caramelle with porcini mushrooms and Crotin delle Langhe fondue, and the tagliolini alla Giancarlo with prawns, saffron and artichoke hearts. As for the main course, we choose the restaurant's flagship dish, the fried fish. It's a classic dish, but one that stands out for its particularity thanks to the skilful way it is prepared, namely a very light, very dry and crispy fry that gives no sense of heaviness.

One of our friends chooses to enjoy a fine orecchia d'elefante, the traditional veal cutlet, made in clarified butter according to tradition. We wash it all down with excellent wines chosen from a huge range of Italian labels, from Franciacorta, Trentino and Veneto. Our dinner ends with the exquisite desserts of the house, another source of pride for the inn. We have a pistachio semifreddo with chocolate puffed-rice crunch, the millefeuille, an apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream, also homemade, with real vanilla. Anything but a grey Milanese weekend: at Nerviano we had a great time, and we'll certainly be back at the first opportunity.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Antica Locanda Del Villoresi SS 33 del Sempione, 4 Nerviano (MI) 0331/559450