FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Milan

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 6^th 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!

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.

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.

Each year, this holiday commemorates the end of World War II in Italy. It is marked by parades, marching bands, speeches, and fireworks.

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.

On Labour Day, which is a holiday in Italy, many artistic associations organise events in the historic centre of the city, featuring shows, workshops, street theatre, and a host of other events.

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.

This holiday is dedicated to the worship of the Virgin Mary. Masses and processions are held in her honour in churches and streets of the historic centre.

A public holiday in Italy. After the morning service at church, which is generally well attended and followed by the traditional moment of silence at the gravesides of the dearly departed, people gather at their homes for a meal with family and/or friends.

On this day of official commemorations, Italy celebrates both its unification by the Kings of the House of Savoy and the end of the First World War. This national Armed Forces Day is marked by many military parades.

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.

This day has been a holiday in Italy since 1947 and celebrates the birth of St Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. Traditionally, it is a day dedicated to the family, with a large festive meal.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Milan

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
May	11/52	22/72	97/3.8	Good period to go
June	15/59	26/79	65/2.6	Good period to go
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
October	8/46	18/64	100/3.9	Good period to go
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

Milan International Airports

Milan Linate (LIN) airport will be closed from 27 July until 27 October 2019 due to maintenance. Consequently, all Air France & KLM flights are cancelled for this period.

Customers have been reaccomodated on alternate flights to/from Milan Malpensa (MXP). Due to extra traffic via MXP, customers are advised to arrive early at the airport.

Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate International Airports

• Two terminals:
  • Terminal 1 Malpensa West (Air France)
  • Terminal 2 Malpensa North

• By car
  • Accessible via the A8 from Milan.
  • Drop-off (P3), long-term (P1), Business (P2), Holiday (P4), and Easy (P5) parking facilities available at the airport. For short-term parking, the price is EUR 3 for the first hour, then EUR 2 per extra half-hour, EUR 29 for 1 day.
  • Several car rental companies have counters in the arrivals halls of Terminal 1.
• By shuttle bus
  • Terravision, STIE Autostradale and Air Pullman offer shuttle bus services between the airport and Milano Centrale train station, with departures every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. and a travel time of about 50 minutes. A one-way ticket costs about EUR 10.
• By rail
  • Malpensa Express trains leave from the underground level at Terminal 1, connecting the airport with Milano Cadorna station every half-hour. Trains operate from 5:53 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. every day, with a travel time of 29 minutes to Cadorna, and the one-way fare is EUR 13.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available at the ranks outside each terminal. The fixed fare to any address within the city area is EUR 95 (for a maximum of four passengers with luggage).
• Services : shops, bars and restaurants, free Internet access (Wi-Fi) available at the airport.
• Telephone: +39 (0)2 23 23 23
• Website: www.milanomalpensa-airport.com

• One terminal

• By car
  • Accessible from the north via the A4 and the A51, from the west via Viale Forlanini, and from the east via the A35-BreBeMi.
  • P1 (short-stay) and P2 (short- and long-stay) parking facilities available. EUR 3 for the first hour, then EUR 2 per extra half-hour, EUR 35 per day.
  • Several car rental companies have counters in the arrivals hall.
• By bus
  • Several bus lines connect the airport to the city centre and central station. EUR 1.5 to 3 for a one-way ticket. One bus every 20 to 30 minutes.
• Shuttle between Linate and Malpensa
  • Air Pullman operates a shuttle bus service making five daily express trips in either direction between Linate and Malpensa. Travel time is about 1 hour and one-way tickets cost EUR 13 for adults, EUR 6.50 for children under 12.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available at the ranks just outside the arrivals hall, at exit 5. The fare to central Milan starts at about EUR 20.

• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, free Internet access (Wi-Fi) available at the airport.
• Telephone: +39 (0)2 23 23 23
• Website: www.milanolinate-airport.com

GETTING AROUND Milan

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?

By rail

The Metropolitana Milanese has four underground lines, two of which serve all of the main tourist attractions, making the Metro the fastest and most practical way to get around:

• M1 (red line), which stops at Milano Cadorna, Duomo, Piazza San Babila, Piazza Venezia, and Rho Fiera (Expo Milano)
• M3 (yellow line), which stops at Piazza Vittoria, Piazzale Dateo, Piazza Repubblica and Milano Centrale

• A single ticket costs EUR 1.50 and is valid for 90 minutes, including one Metro journey and any number of tram and bus rides.
• A book of 10 single tickets costs EUR 13.80. Unlimited tickets are also available for periods of 24 hours (EUR 4.50) and 48 hours (EUR 8.25).

By bus

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.

Pricing:

• EUR 1.50 for a single ticket
• EUR 4.50 for a one-day pass

By tram

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 20^th century as well as modern light-rail vehicles. Lines 1 and 4 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.

By taxi

Taxis are plentiful in Milan, but relatively expensive. A short ride during daytime hours costs around EUR 10 (EUR 1.10 per kilometer).

By bicycle

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.

By car

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.

Visitor information

Upon your arrival in Milan, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organize your stay.

This 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.).

• Address: Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (corner Piazza della Scala), Milano
• Telephone: +39 (0)2 884 555 55

Website: www.turismo.milano.it/wps/portal/tur/en

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:

• APT Via Marconi, 1

APT Stazione Centrale F.S.

The official website of Italy's national tourist board (Agenzia Nazionale del Turismo, ENIT) provides a wealth of information on Milan.

• Website: www.italia.it/en/home.html

Currency and Exchange Rates

The currency used in Italy is the Euro (EUR).

HKD 1 = EUR 0.12

EUR 1 = HKD 8.33

The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.

Medical information

See your doctor before you travel. It is also recommended to take out insurance covering medical expenses and repatriation. Milan counts several hospitals and medical institutions, as well as quality medical practitioners and health specialists.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for Italy

For a stay of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay in order to enter Italy.

As a general rule, all other travellers are subject to visa requirements, although citizens of some countries may enter Italy for a short stay of up to 90 days without a visa.

For further information, visit the website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en

Uselful contacts

To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Milan, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.

Essential phrases

Good to know

+ 39

+ phone number (without 0)

-6 : 00
of time difference with
Hong Kong

Start of daylight saving time: last Sunday in March
End of daylight saving time: last Sunday in October

Banks
Usually open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Government offices

Usually open Monday to Friday in the morning only

230 V / 50 Hz

Tipping

At restaurants that have waiting staff, a 10 to 15% 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!