There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Milan each year.
The main ones are listed below.
For all Italians, the 6th of January is the day when the benevolent white witch Befana, who predates Santa Claus in Italy, arrives on her broomstick with presents and candy for all children who have been good during the year, or a lump of coal if they have been bad!
January 6: Parade of the Magi (Corteo dei Magi, celebrated nationwide)Also on Epiphany, a long procession, led by three men dressed up as the Magi and including a tableau vivant of the Nativity, makes its ways through the streets of Milan, from the Duomo to Sant'Eustorgio basilica, where a public ceremony is held.
March/April: Holy Week (national holiday)Religious processions and other events fill the streets of Milan during the week leading up to Easter and special services are held in churches throughout the city, with particularly elaborate liturgical ceremonies at Milan's Duomo, the world's third-largest cathedral, dedicated to Saint Mary of the Nativity.
March/April: Lunedì dell'Angelo (local event)This Franciscan flower market, which has been held on Pasquetta (Easter Monday) for more than 400 years, celebrates the beginning of spring. Stalls take over Piazza Sant'Angelo and the streets between Piazza di Repubblica and Brera selling not only flowers, but also handicrafts, books and food items.
May 1: Labour Day (national holiday) June 2: Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica, national holiday)This holiday commemorates the national referendum voted on this day in 1946, when the Italian people chose a republic instead of a monarchy. In Milan, as in the rest of Italy, celebrations include official ceremonies, a military parade, fireworks, concerts and street parties.
December 7: Festa di Sant'Ambrogio (local event)The feast day of Milan's patron saint is celebrated with a street market selling regional foods, especially sweets, as well as seasonal handicrafts and antiques on the grounds of the Castello Sforzesco. A special mass is held at the Sant'Ambrogio basilica.
December 25: Christmas (national holiday)Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | -2/28 | 5/41 | 64/2.5 | Not the best period to go |
February | 0/32 | 8/46 | 63/2.5 | Not the best period to go |
March | 3/37 | 13/55 | 82/3.2 | Not the best period to go |
April | 7/45 | 18/64 | 82/3.2 | Good period to go
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May | 11/52 | 22/72 | 97/3.8 | Good period to go
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June | 15/59 | 26/79 | 65/2.6 | Good period to go
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July | 17/63 | 29/84 | 68/2.7 | Not the best period to go |
August | 17/63 | 28/82 | 93/3.7 | Not the best period to go |
September | 14/57 | 24/75 | 69/2.7 | Good period to go
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October | 8/46 | 18/64 | 100/3.9 | Good period to go
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November | 4/39 | 10/50 | 101/4.0 | Not the best period to go |
December | -1/30 | 5/41 | 60/2.4 | Not the best period to go |
Getting around Milan is extremely easy: Lombardy's capital has a very efficient public transport system serving all destinations throughout the city. But since Milan's historic centre does not cover a very large area, why not discover it on foot?
The Metropolitana Milanese has three underground lines, two of which serve all of the main tourist attractions, making the Metro the fastest and most practical way to get around:
Milan has nearly 50 bus routes, used in particular to reach suburban destinations or to travel between points on the edges of the city.>
Tickets and passes purchased for the Metro are also valid on all of Milan's buses.
Milan is criss-crossed by a network of 18 tram lines. Trams running on these lines include the city's iconic orange streetcars dating back to the early 20th century as well as modern light-rail vehicles. Lines 1 and 14 are particularly to be recommended for exploring the city. Tickets and passes purchased for the Metro are also valid on all of Milan's tram lines.
Taxis are plentiful in Milan, but relatively expensive. A short ride during daytime hours costs around EUR 10.
Bicycles are ideal for getting around Milan at your own pace. Milan has a public bike-sharing service, called BikeMi, with some 1,400 bicycles available, both traditional and electric-assisted, at over 150 stations throughout the city. A 24-hour subscription costs EUR 4.50 while a weekly one can be purchased for EUR 9.00.
Using a car to get around Milan is a very bad idea. Although the urban infrastructure, from smaller streets to major thoroughfares, is excellent, finding a place to park can be a nightmare.
Upon your arrival in Milan, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organize your stay.
InfoMilanoThis centre, the main IAT (Informazione e Accoglienza Turistica) office in Milan, offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).
At various locations throughout the city, the APT operates tourist offices offering sightseeing information and recommendations for Milan and its surrounding area. Listed below are the main addresses for APT offices in Milan:
The official website of Italy's national tourist board (Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, ENIT) provides a wealth of information on Milan.
The currency used in Italy is the euro (€).
HKD 1 = EUR 0.10
EUR 1 = HKD 10
The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.
See your doctor before you travel.
VaccinationsThere are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Italy.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:
Tap water is safe to drink in Milan.
As a French citizen, you do not need to obtain a visa if you will be staying in Italy for less than three months. If you plan to stay for more than 90 days, you will need to obtain a long-stay visa.
To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Milan and Italy, be sure to check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country for the latest travel information and recommendations. Comprehensive information that may be helpful for international visitors is also provided on the Italy page of the U.S. State Department’s travel Website:view information for travellers to Italy
Here are a few basic Italian phrases that will make your stay in Milan a little easier:
Good morning: Buongiorno
Good evening: Buonasera
Good-bye: Arrivederci
Yes: Si
No: No
No, thank you: No, grazie
Thank you very much: Grazie mille
I don't understand: Non capisco.
Could you repeat that: Può ripetere? (polite form) / Potete ripetere? (plural form)
Please: Per favore
What time is it: Che ora è? / Che ora sono?
Excuse me: Mi scusi (polite form) / Scusatemi (plural form)
Airport: Aeroporto
Train station: Stazione
Taxi: Taxi
Hotel: Hotel / Albergho
Hospital: Ospedale
Bank: Banca
Telephone: Telefono
I'm (…): Sono (…).
I'm looking for (…): Sto cercando (…).
How much is it: Quanto costa?
Do you have (…): Ha (…)? (polite form) / Avete (…)? (plural form)
Where can I find (…): Dove si trova (…)? / Dove posso trovare (…)?
Where can I buy (…): Dove si compra (…)? / Dove posso comprare (…)?
I'd like (…): Vorrei (…).
And what about tipping?
At restaurants that have waiting staff, a 10 to 15 percent service charge (servizio) is usually included in the bill. If the service is exceptional, you can certainly leave a few euros more. Some restaurants also apply a cover charge (pane e coperto, literally “bread and cutlery”), which is not considered as a gratuity, but is instead a set, nominal fee you will need to pay regardless of what you eat. You should therefore be wary of the very attractive prices posted in the windows of certain restaurants, because they may not include either the servizio or the pane e coperto!