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 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 International Airport

• 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.
  • There are three parking areas:
    • P1 Top Class is for short-term parking with immediate access to check-in counters (EUR 5 for up to 1 hour and for each additional hour)
    • P2 Executive offers a larger number of spaces, all covered, for additional short-term parking (free for the first 20 minutes, then EUR 5 for the remainder of the first hour and for each additional hour)
    • P2 Holiday is for long-term parking (EUR 27 for the first two days, EUR 15 for the third day and EUR 5 per day for the fourth and subsequent days)
  • Several car rental companies have counters in the arrivals hall.
• By bus
  • Bus 73 connects the airport to Piazza San Babila in central Milan, making several intermediate stops, and runs every 10 minutes, 7 days a week, from 5:35 a.m. to 12:35 a.m. Bus X73 connects the airport with Porta Vittoria train station and makes no other stops. This line runs only on weekdays, with departures every 20 minutes from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. A ticket for either bus costs EUR 1.50 and there is an additional EUR 1.50 charge for each piece of luggage transported.
• By shuttle bus
  • Air Bus, a shuttle bus service operated by ATM between the airport and Milano Centrale train station (with one intermediate stop at Piazzale Dateo), runs every 30 minutes, 7 days a week, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The ride to Milano Centrale takes 25 minutes and tickets cost EUR 5.00 one way (EUR 2.50 for children under 12) and EUR 9.00 round trip.
• By 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 15.

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

Milan Malpensa International Airport

• Two terminals:
  • Terminal 1 Malpensa-Ouest
  • Terminal 2 Malpensa-Nord (Air France)

• By car
  • Accessible via the A8 and the SS336.
  • There are five parking garages: P5 Easy located inside Terminal 2, P2 Executive with immediate access to the check-in area, and P3 Express adjacent to Terminal 1, all for short-term parking (EUR 5 for up to 1 hour and for each additional hour); P1 Long Term and P4 Holiday for long-term parking (EUR 47 and EUR 65 for 7 days, respectively)
  • Several car rental companies have counters in the arrivals halls of both terminals.
• By shuttle bus
  • Terravision, STIE Autostradale and Air Pullman offer shuttle bus services between the airport and Milano Centrale train station, with departures every 20 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. and a travel time of about 50 minutes. One-way tickets cost EUR 8 for adults and EUR 5 for children under 12.
• By rail
  • Malpensa Express trains leave from the lower level of Terminal 1, connecting the airport with Milano Cadorna station every half-hour and with Milano Centrale station a bit less frequently. Trains operate from 5:53 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. every day, with travel times of 29 minutes to Cadorna and 43 minutes to Centrale, and the one-way fare is EUR 12.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available at the ranks outside each terminal. The fixed fare to any address within the city area is EUR 90 (for a maximum of four passengers with luggage).

• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, Internet access (Wi-Fi) available in the airport.
• Telephone: +39 (0)2 23 23 23
• Website: http://www.milanomalpensa-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 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:

• 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.

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 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.

By taxi

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

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)
• Telephone: +39 (0)2 725 243 01/02/03 (au choix)
• Website: http://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:

• Central office, Via Marconi, 1 (corner Piazza Duomo)
• Milano Centrale train station (on the first floor, near the “Gran Bar”)
• Castello Sforzesco, Piazza Castello 1 (corner Via Beltrami, near the entrance to the castle)

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

• Website: http://www.italia.it

Currency and Exchange Rates

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.

Medical information

See your doctor before you travel.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to Italy.

For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:

• Address: 38 Quai de Jemmapes 75010 Paris
• Website: http://www.vaccinations-airfrance.fr
• Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00
• To make a vaccination appointment:
  • online (click here)
  • call the centre at +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00

Tap water is safe to drink in Milan.

Administrative formalities

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

Essential phrases

Good to know

intl. access code + 39

+ phone number without the 0 (calls to Milan)

-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 noon and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Government offices

Usually open Monday to Friday in the morning only

230 V / 50 Hz

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!