Naviglio Grande Canal & Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio
1 Piazza Sant'Eustorgio Milano
Historic Canal Area with Basilica, Dining, and Walking Paths
Flowing through the heart of Milan, the Naviglio Grande Canal is the city’s oldest and most evocative waterway, linking Milan to the rivers and seas beyond. Once essential for trade, agriculture, and the transport of stone and marble—including materials used to build Milan’s great churches—the canal today offers a glimpse into the city’s historic rhythms and everyday life. Its gently curving banks, bridges, and waterways recall a Milan shaped as much by faith and labor as by commerce and culture.
Along the Naviglio, life unfolds at a slower pace. In recent years, the canal has become one of Milan’s most vibrant districts, lined with bars, cafés, and restaurants that draw both locals and visitors. Gathering here offers a fuller sense of Milanese culture, where conversation, food, and community remain central to daily life—echoing the canal’s long role as a meeting place for travelers, merchants, and pilgrims.
Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio
Near the end of the Naviglio route rises the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, one of Milan’s most ancient and spiritually significant churches. Founded in the 4th century, the basilica is closely linked to the early spread of Christianity in northern Italy. According to long-standing tradition, Saint Eustorgius, bishop of Milan, brought relics of the Magi to the city from the East, making this church an early destination of pilgrimage.
The basilica’s Romanesque structure reflects centuries of worship, renewal, and devotion. Its interior houses chapels adorned with sacred art, including works from the early Renaissance, and the adjoining Portinari Chapel stands as a masterpiece of sacred architecture and painting. Beneath the church lies an early Christian necropolis, bearing witness to Milan’s ancient Christian roots.
Together, the Naviglio Grande and the Basilica of Sant’Eustorgio tell a unified story of Milan as a city shaped by movement—of water, people, and faith. The canal carried the materials that built the city and now carries its social life, while the basilica has long nourished its spiritual heart. For pilgrims and visitors alike, this area offers a rare opportunity to encounter Milan’s sacred history alongside its living culture, where devotion and daily life continue to flow side by side.
Recommended Nearby:
Basilica of St. Ambrose (Sant'Ambrogio)
Founded in 379 AD by the saint himself, this basilica is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, featuring distinctive red-brick walls, soaring arcades, and an ancient portico. Inside, visitors can venerate the relics of St. Ambrose, which rest beneath the high altar alongside the martyrs Gervasius and Protasius.
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