Behind Corso Magenta: Leonardo's vineyard and the "Sistine Chapel" that Milan forgets

Corso Magenta is a street almost everyone walks along in a hurry, heading for Leonardo's Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie and its queues booked months in advance. And yet, on that same pavement, two doorways lead to a much quieter Milan, the one that mass tourism walks straight past without seeing.

The first is that of the Casa degli Atellani, at number 65. Beyond the courtyard opens an unexpected garden, where the so-called Vineyard of Leonardo grows. According to the sources, it was Ludovico il Moro who gave Leonardo da Vinci, around 1498, a plot of land planted with vines, not far from the convent where he was painting the Last Supper. Leonardo was so fond of it that he mentioned it in his will of 1519. The exact position of the row was lost for centuries and was rediscovered in the 20th century, during restoration work entrusted to the architect Piero Portaluppi; more recently a few Malvasia cuttings have been replanted right there.

A few hundred metres away, towards the centre, is the second doorway: that of the church of San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, at number 15. From the outside it is a sober facade, easy to pass by distractedly. Inside, however, every wall and every vault is covered in frescoes: this is why they call it the "Sistine Chapel of Milan". Much of the cycle is the work of Bernardino Luini and his workshop, active here in the 1520s, when the building was linked to the most important Benedictine women's monastery in the city.

The beauty of it is that both places can be visited in peace. San Maurizio is often free to enter and hardly ever crowded; the Vineyard is entered with a ticket, but without the crush that besieges the Last Supper a few steps away.

A practical tip: go early in the morning or in the late afternoon, avoiding the spring holiday weekends. Half a day on foot between these two hidden courtyards is worth, and tells, far more than a race against the clock.

How to get there

The Corso Magenta area is in Milan's historic centre, next to Santa Maria delle Grazie. The nearest metro stops are Cadorna (lines M1 and M2, also served by the suburban railway and the connections to Malpensa) and Conciliazione on the M1. Those arriving by train can head for Milano Cadorna or Central Station, both well connected; the reference airports are Linate, Malpensa and Orio al Serio. By car the area is central and subject to Area C, so it is better to move around by public transport.

Practical guides for Milano

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