A Cistercian abbey founded by St Bernard of Clairvaux in 1135, still home to monks, in the rice and farm fields of the Parco Agricolo Sud inside the city limits. The octagonal tower the Milanese call 'Ciribiriciaccola', the frescoes by a pupil of Giotto and the working water mill are the reasons to go.
- Address
- Via Sant'Arialdo 102, 20139 Milano
- Hours
- Tue-Sun 09:00-12:00, 15:00-18:00; closed Mon (YesMilano); guided tours of church, cloister, mill and San Bernardo chapel Sat-Sun afternoons
- Best time to go
- Morning, Afternoon · About 1.5 h
- Price
- Church free; guided visits for individuals on weekends, groups by booking (monasterochiaravalle.it). Price not verified
- Price level
- €
Details can change. Check hours and prices before you go.
Good to know
- The monks' shop (Bottega dei monaci) sells monastic products, and the abbey has a small refreshment room.
- Audioguides in Italian and English during the week.
- The village was annexed to the city of Milan in 1923; it still feels like countryside.