Abbiategrasso

History, Art and Nature... all in one city

Abbiategrasso is a small town 22km southwest of Milan, located within the beautiful Ticino Valley, and part of the protected area of the Ticino Valley Nature Park.

With its vibrant and fascinating old town centre, including the castle, several stately homes and churches dating back to the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the town also distinguishes itself for the beauty and productivity of the surrounding countryside. Indeed, over the past century some scholars speculated that the addition of the epithet "Grassus" (literally fat, flourishing) to the ancient name Habia/Habiate was meant to highlight the fertility of these lands.

Main rivers and canals such as the Ticino and Naviglio Grande flow through the territory, influencing not only its landscape, but also its history, art and economy, as shown by the many villas which were built on the banks of the Naviglio between the 17th and 18th century, or by the remains of the brick furnaces which took advantage of their proximity with the canal for their flourishing trade with Milan up until the end of the 19th century.
The rural communities of the Ticino Valley (the Farmhouses) are even more representative of this phenomenon; dating back to the Roman age, they still operate today and are well known for the quality and uniqueness of their products. The food specialities of the territory are indeed many: stone ground flour, old brands of wheat, cured meats and above all renowned cheese such as Quartirolo and Gorgonzola.