Enjoy spring, among parks, culture and blooming gardens
5 Apr 2024
Spring is in full swing with its long days and pleasant temperatures. During this period, there are many long weekends available to get away for a few days and unwind, indulging in culture, art and good food.
To enjoy the artistic and natural beauties offered by the most beautiful Italian cities, take advantage of the unmissable Gruppo UNA promotion: by booking a stay on our website by 20th April and entering the code UNACITYBREAKS, you can benefit from discounted rates of up to 30% in the UNA Esperienze, UNAHOTELS and UNAWAY establishments in Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome and Catania that are participating in the initiative.
Here are three timeless destinations for taking a few days off for the 25th April bank holiday weekend.
A stroll through the gardens of Milan
Milan boasts many parks and gardens where you can enjoy the weather of the final days of April. Amidst a day of shopping and exploring the various events that come to life in the city, why not take a long stroll amidst the greenery?
The most famous is Parco Sempione, located in the city centre and connecting Castello Sforzesco and the Arch of Peace. Here you'll find several famous twentieth-century architectural structures such as the Triennale, Torre Branca, the Civic Aquarium and the Parco Sempione Library.
To get there, just get off at the Cairoli stop on the M1 or in Cadorna, or, if you love taking the tram - the city's iconic means of transport - you can opt for lines 1, 2, 4, 10, 12 or 14. For an even more atmospheric experience, you could hop on the historic Milanese tram: the 1503 car, dating back to the 1920s and still retaining all the charm of the last century.
The Biblioteca degli Alberi (BAM), or Library of Trees, is a large green area at the foot of the famous Vertical Forest that stretches between Piazza Gae Aulenti and the Isola neighbourhood. Plenty of botanical species to admire, spacious areas, and outdoor events make BAM one of the favourite places for locals and tourists to relax: just get off at the Garibaldi, Gioia or Isola stop.
In the Porta Venezia district on the other hand, you'll find the Indro Montanelli Gardens - an area worth exploring just a few steps from the Contemporary Art Pavilion, the Modern Art Gallery, the Planetarium and the Natural History Museum. Shopping enthusiasts will also find everything they are looking for at the nearby Quadrilatero della Moda.
If you're coming from out of town and want to enjoy the 25th April Bank Holiday weekend in Milan, there are several hotels participating in the UNACITYBREAKS promo: among these, we recommend Maison Milano | UNA Experiences, located in the heart of the city and an ideal refuge when discovering all its natural and architectural beauties; and UNAHOTELS Cusani Milano, a refined 4-star hotel overlooking the famous Castello Sforzesco, and well connected to local public transport.
The flowering of the wisteria in Florence
Visiting Florence during the spring season means stopping at the famous Villa Bardini while its splendid gardens are blooming, each one different in era and style: you'll find the Italian garden, with its suggestive baroque staircase, the English woodland with exotic and evocative elements, and finally the vegetable garden with its orchard and wisteria pergola.
And it is precisely at the end of April that the wisteria in the Giardino Bardini blooms, offering visitors a unique spectacle and an unparalleled view: the pergola begins to turn lilac and purple as early as the end of March, but it is in the final two weeks of April that it really explodes into colour.
In Florence you can also enjoy an urban stroll to take in the must-sees local tourist attractions: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Uffizi Gallery, the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo Pitti and Ponte Vecchio, to name a few of the most famous.
One event to participate in during this period is the characteristic International Craft Exhibition, which opens on 25th April and ends on 1st May, 2024: it is hosted at the Fortezza da Basso, the striking building that every year is home to several prestigious events from the most diverse sectors.
Among the hotels that we suggest for your stay in Florence during the 25th April long weekend is the Leone Blu Suites | UNA Experiences: 9 unique suites that stand out for combining ancient details and contemporary features.
Rome, between nature and historical monuments
The Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Trajan's Column, Castel Sant'Angelo, St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Campo dei Fiori, the Vittoriano... Rome offers endless monuments to visit, and the city offers an artistic and cultural heritage to discover while strolling on a beautiful spring day.
In addition to the most famous tourist classics, in Rome you can also enjoy some greenery by exploring its various parks: the most important being that of Villa Borghese, where art and nature merge in harmony. But we also recommend Villa Ada, the Municipal Rose Garden, the Orange Garden, Pincio Terrace, the Aqueduct Park and the Acqua Antica Regional Park.
Spending a few days in the capital will allow you to enjoy the best of local cuisine: you could treat yourself, for example, to a textbook carbonara in one of the trendiest specialized restaurants in the Eternal City.
Among the hotels to stay in while in Rome you will find the UNAWAY Hotel Empire Rome. The 4-star hotel is located a few steps from the famous Via Veneto and is notable for its precious marbles and prestigious architectural elements.
Spring is the ideal season to discover some of Italy's most iconic cities: take advantage of the 25th April bank holiday and the UNACITYBREAKS promo to enjoy a long weekend full of art, culture and gastronomic delights.