Villa Necchi Campiglio: an elegant residence in the heart of Milan

Villa Necchi Campiglio: an elegant 1930s villa in the heart of Milan

Located in a neighbourhood in the heart of Milan, Villa Necchi Campiglio was designed in the early 1930s by architect Piero Portaluppi at the request of the Necchi Campiglio family, exponents of Lombardy's cultured and wealthy industrial bourgeoisie.

The Villa is immersed in a large private garden that housed the caretaker's house with a porter's lodge, a greenhouse, a garage, a tennis court and a swimming pool (one of the first private pools in Milan). The interior spaces of the Villa follow the traditional layout of aristocratic residences. The living area is on the first floor, while the bedrooms are on the upper floor. The attic houses the service rooms, and in the basement are the game rooms, together with changing rooms and bathrooms for the swimming pool.

The Necchi Campiglio family departed from the tradition of the time and planned large spaces for socialising and for guests in their home: the salon, fumoir, dining room, and library. Nedda, Gigina, and Angelo loved receiving friends at home and having parties! The building features innovative and comfortable elements such as internal intercoms, lifts, sliding security doors, and dumbwaiters. Due to its luxurious and modern characteristics, Villa Necchi Campiglio is considered one of the iconic residences of the early 1930s.

A visit to the Villa is also enriched by three significant donations: the collection of 18th-century paintings and decorative arts by Alighiero and Emilietta de' Micheli, Claudia Gian Ferrari's collection of early 20th-century works of art, and the Guido Sforni collection (1935-1975), consisting of 21 drawings by 20th-century artists. In 2001, the Necchi sisters entrusted the residence to the FAI - Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano - to make it a place of culture to live and visit. Today, Villa Necchi Campiglio, thanks to its beautiful garden and an elegant bistro surrounded by greenery, is a venue for numerous cultural events.

Frequent asked questions about visiting Villa Necchi Campiglio

1. Who lived at Villa Necchi? 
In Villa Necchi Campiglio lived the sisters Nedda and Luigia (Gigina) Necchi, and Angelo Campiglio (called Nene), Gigina's husband. Nedda, who was unmarried, lived in this villa with her sister and brother-in-law.

2. Who was the Necchi family?
The Necchi family was a family of Lombard entrepreneurs, originally from Pavia. Ambrogio Necchi, father of Vittorio, Nedda and Gigina, founded a cast iron foundry in 1900. When he died suddenly in 1916, his son Vittorio took over the family business, which he later left to his sisters, and founded Necchi, a sewing machine factory, in 1919. Angelo Campiglio, Gigina Necchi's husband, was a doctor who, urged on by his father-in-law, left his profession to work in the family foundry producing engines for boilers, refrigerators and sanitary fittings.

3. What to see at Villa Necchi?
Villa Necchi Campiglio is one of the most popular and well-known house museums in Milan. The building, designed by Piero Portaluppi in the 1930s, represents early 20th century art deco. It is possible to visit the interior of the villa and admire its original furnishings, elegant and full of innovative elements, combining luxury, modernity and art. The rooms of the villa, where the Necchi sisters and Angelo Campiglio used to live their daily lives and share their leisure time with their guests, also contain works from the collections of Claudia Gian Ferrari, Alighiero and Emilietta De' Micheli, and Guido Sforni. These collections include works and paintings by great artists such as Boccioni, De Chirico, Morandi, Canaletto, Tiepolo and Rosalba Carriera. Outside the villa there is a beautiful garden with a swimming pool, a greenhouse, a tennis court and an elegant bistro where you can enjoy a good coffee or an aperitif, in a cosy environment surrounded by greenery.

4. How long does the visit to Villa Necchi last?
The guided tour lasts 1 hour. You can stay in the garden and the bistro/cafeteria as long as you wish.

5. Is Villa Necchi Campiglio accessible?
The Villa and the Garden are accessible to people with reduced mobility or in wheelchairs. The Ticket Office, on the ground floor, can be reached from the main entrance of the Villa in Via Mozart 14, via a level path.
The Villa has 3 floors connected internally by stairs or a lift where a wheelchair can easily access. A step-free access is available at the rear of the Villa. The exterior has gravel paths. The gravel path to the cafeteria/bistro is level, accessed from Via Mozart 10. The Villa has accessible toilets in the courtyard, on the ground floor, in the attic and in the cafeteria. Guide dogs and assistance dogs with a training certificate for accompanying people with disabilities are allowed, always on a leash, both in the garden and inside the Villa.

6. Is it possible to enter the villa free of charge?
There is a charge to visit the villa. On the occasion of the cultural events ‘Spring Days’ and ‘Autumn Days’, organised annually by the FAI, it is possible to visit the villa free of charge or by making a free contribution. The event is open to everyone and attendance is always very high. FAI members always have priority for admission.