Superga Basilica - Milan

Route: Turin - Superga Basilica - Milan - Turin
Duration: 10 h
Our first stop in this tour we will make at the Superga Basilica. The baroque complex, inaugurated in 1731, is 75 meters tall, 51 meters long, and is located at 672 meters above sea level. The Basilica of Superga has been built by will of Duke Vittorio Amedeo II, because of a vow he made to the “Madonna delle Grazie” in 1706, when the city of Turin was putted under siege by the French-Spanish army.  The interior is enriched by six chapels, four altars and a Main Altar, decorated with sculptures and monuments in Carrara marble. Particularly interesting are the numerous altar’s paintings and the dome, inspired to the roman works by Francesco Borromini. In the Vow Chapel, inside the Basilica, is kept the wooden sculpture of the “Madonna delle Grazie”, in front of which Vittorio Amedeo II kneeled and asked for the grace to defeat the French army. Visit to the Basilica means to visit the Savoy’s Family Royal Tomb, a precious mausoleum keeper of memories and sculpted artworks by artists working for the royal family between the half of XVIII and the end of XIX century. Also you possible to admire the Royal Apartment and the Hall of the King. The five furnished ambient, located in the convent rooms, hosted the Royal Family during their short stay on the hill. Next we will reach the Milan which was settled in about 400 BC by Celtic Insubres. The settlement was conquered by the Romans in 222 BC and renamed it Mediolnum. Diocletian divided the Roman Empire, choosing the eastern half for himself, making Milan the seat of the western half of the empire, from which Maximian ruled, in the late 3rd and early 4th century AD. During the Middle Ages the city's history was the story of the struggle between two political factions: the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. Finally the Visconti family took power (signoria) in Milan. In 1395 Emperor Wenceslas made Milan a duchy, those raising the dignity of the city's citizens. In the mid-15th century the Ambrosian Republic was established, taking its name from St. Ambrose, a beloved patron saint of the city. From the late 15th century until the mid 16th century Milan was involved in The Italian Wars, a series of conflicts, along with most of the city-states of Italy, the Papal States, the Republic of Venice and later most of Western Europe. Napoleon invaded Italy in 1796, and later declared Milan the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. After Napoleon's occupation ended the Congress of Vienna returned Lombardy and Milan to Austrian control in 1815. This is the period when Milan became a center for lyric opera. This full day tour to Milan will show you the Milan in a different way, like an art city, rich of history and that's able to offer you glimpses between past and present. The tour provides the visit to all major monuments like: Duomo Cathedral the most famous gotic Cathedral in the world, Vittorio Emanuele Gallery - historic gallery in front of Duomo Square with some historic and luxury stores, La Scala Square , Sforzesco Castle the medieval castel where lives "II Barbarossa" and Milan historical families like Sforza and Visconti. After free time we will return to Turin.
Price: per person