At Monza between the Grand Prix and the Festival del Parco

It is a September under the banner of great events that is looming in Monza over the next few days. Literally the engines are warming up for what is the most important weekend of the year with the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, 7 September in Monza. With 330,000 guests expected, it will generate an estimated induced revenue of 192.6 million, an increase of 8% compared to 2024. This confirms that the race is not only a world-famous sporting event, but also an extraordinary economic engine for tourism in Lombardy and Brianza in particular. Not to be missed is the eighth edition of the Festival Del Parco di Monza that will take place from 19 to 21 and from 26 to 28 September, an eco-sustainable cultural initiative (music, art, debates and workshops) aimed at enhancing and promoting the Park as a European heritage, as a place of art, culture and nature that can be a common good for all citizens.

Hotel de la Ville

A unique landmark on race days and even afterwards is the historic 'Hotel de la Ville and its Derby Grill restaurant, election places for the drivers and their entourages. The hotel has been mentioned in the Michelin Guide since 1958 and has been a regional gastronomic reference for over 65 years. Its restaurant is the Derby Grill, which has always been synonymous with quality, excellent service and family hospitality. It is a regular stop for drivers and celebrities attending the Italian Grand Prix, appreciating the international ambience and contemporary gastronomic offerings. Every year, in September, fans gather in front of the hotel gates to steal an autograph or a photo with their idols. In fact, the hotel has been frequented by drivers, team managers and stars of the Formula 1 world all week since the 1960s.

Hotel de la Ville

A historic hotel The Hotel de la Ville, associated with the Small Luxury Hotel chain, is a small luxury hotel with almost 100 years of history and enjoys a unique and enviable location: opposite the Villa Reale of Monza and its splendid park, a short walk from both the racetrack and the historic centre of Monza. Since 1958, when it was taken over by the Nardi family, it has been the first luxury hotel just outside the centre of Milan and just over half an hour from the Dolce Vita of Lake Como. What makes the hotel special are the numerous collections of antiques that can be seen in the lounges, the entrance hall, the restaurant and the staircase, so even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can stop at its bar for a tasty aperitif or enjoy the chef's dishes in its refined restaurant. Among the most original collections, a passion of the Nardi family, are the 19th-century walking sticks with silver knobs, the silver cloches where Florentine steak is served in the restaurant, the 1930s armchairs, the many beautiful grandfather clocks, the beautiful 19th-century Chinese wooden serving dishes, one of a kind, and then the special feature of the rooms. Each one is individually furnished with extreme refinement and attention to detail, with selections of unique and valuable pieces: from the choice of fabrics to the art and photography collections to the exclusive furnishings. This year, the hotel's strong historical link with the world of racing gave rise to the idea of a racing-themed cocktail list, inspired by the world of racing and, in particular, by the six legendary Formula One circuits. Each circuit inspired the Derby Bar bartenders to create a signature cocktail that best represented it, using local ingredients.

The Festival takes place mainly in the Monza Park, at Villa Mirabello, Villa Mirabellino, Cascina Mulini Asciutti, Cascina Frutteto, Cascina Costa Alta and in Villa Reale, as well as in open spaces in the Park and the Royal Gardens. And from 2023 it will go into town, in Monza, at the Capitol Anteo Spazio Cinema, in secondary schools, in art and culture spaces and more. But there is no doubt that the star of the event is the Monza Park, which, with its 720 hectares, is one of the largest enclosed parks in Europe. Established on 14 September 1805 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon with the aim of making it a model agricultural estate and hunting reserve, today it is home to ancient and modern architectural gems, villas, farmsteads, mills, as well as an incredible variety of flora and fauna. A combination of art and nature that makes the Park, the Reggia and the Giardini Reali a monumental unicum of inestimable value to be discovered, known, protected and recovered both as a historical and cultural asset and as a landscape and environmental heritage.