Vigevano
 

Has anyone ever stayed in this town a few miles southwest of Milan? I want to go there and I'm undecided whether to spend the night.

Vigevano is a wealthy town which dates back to the 10th century.
There are many shoe-factories in the area.
It has some interesting fortification from the 15/17th century and a beautiful and huge porticos piazza from 1490.
I would stay the night there rather than in Milan.

Where did you stay there? I'm thinking of spending my last night in Vigevano instead of in Stresa (where I'll be the previous night or two). I think Vigevano is almost as close to Malpensa as Stresa, and I do want to see it. I just can't tell exactly where the hotels are in relation to the Piazza Ducale. Hotel Europa seems close, but I'm not sure.

Just visited , never slept in town.
I've checked on yellow pages on line and this hotel is just outside the city walls.
Are you driving ? If so, MPX is not that far but check average travel times with hotel concierge.
Station is right on the other side of city center but I'm sure there is a taxi rank in front of the station.

I definitely will not be driving, so I need to get to the airport by either public transportation or taxi. There is some slight chance that i can get a ride from friend, but I can't count on it, since he will not know his work schedule until after I decide where I'm staying. (I'm going on this trip in less than a month!)

The Italians I know highly recommend seeing Vigevano, so I plan to see it, but I don't know whethe an overnight is such a good idea. The alternative would be to stay the last night in Stresa and get to the airport from there. (The direct bus will not be running on the date when I leave.) any opinion on that?

Just trying to catch the eye of anyone who might have stayed in this town.

IF you go to Vigevano, note that Monday is the day that things are closed. The guide books and even the local tourist info brochures have incorrect information about this. They say that cerrtain attractions are officially open only on the weekend, but can be visited by appointment on any weekday. Not true. The museums are open Tuesday through Sunday, but closed Monday. When they're closed they're closed.

Vigevano is very much worth visiting for a day because of its very beautiful, impressive square, la Piazza Ducale. Vigevano is a major center of shoe production, and even if (like me) you have no special interest in shoes, while you're there you should visit the museum of the history of shoes. Contrary to the information in guidebooks and tourist brochures, it is not located in Palazzo Crespi. At the end of last month it was relocated to the Castello Sforzesco, right in the main square (Piazza Ducale). It's closed Monday. I was in Vigevano on a Monday. The director of the museum took pity on me and two other people who were in Vigevano for just that day and gave us a private tour of the museum when it was closed. But don't count on that happening. Avoid Mondays, if possible. But, since the main attraction of Vigevano is the beautiful square, a visit on Monday is still very worthwhile.

I'm topping this becasue I'd like people to know about Vigevano, which is not a very common tourist destination, although it is very near Milan, and so many people fly to or from Milan.