When is the Best Time to Visit Milan?
Milan is famous for many things; its fashion, its business centre, its cathedral and its nightlife. Located in the northern region of Lombardy, it’s a popular place for fans of design, history and food to visit on their travels throughout the year.
Deciding on when is the best time to visit Italy’s capital of fashion and design depends on what you’re looking to get out of your holiday and what attractions you’re hoping to visit during your stay. To help make this decision a little easier, here’s our monthly breakdown of when is best to visit Milan.
MILAN IN JANUARY
Milan Weather in January
January is the coldest month of the year in Milan, with an average high temperature of only 7°C and an average low of -1°C. With only around 3 hours of sunshine every day, it’s a dark and cold month to come to the city, with a small chance of snowstorms.
Despite the cold, the Milan weather in January only sees around 9 days of rain throughout the whole month. The city is well-known for also being particularly foggy over the winter months, which can be very atmospheric when you’re on foot but a bit of a nuisance if you’re trying to drive.
What to Do in Milan in January
Milan’s wintery weather in January means that recommended activities for the month are all indoors, with trips to museums and galleries being top of the list of popular things to do. Because it’s the low season for tourism you’ll have a lot of the main attractions all to yourself, so it’s a great time to tick off sightseeing spots and make the most of not having to queue.
Another great way to keep warm is to spend your time in Milan doing some serious shopping and make the most of the January sales. Men’s Fashion Week also often takes place in Milan in January, and whilst it is nowhere near as big an event as women’s week next month, there‘s a sudden increase in things to see and do across the city during the event.
MILAN IN FEBRUARY
Milan Weather in February
Temperatures increase slightly in February in Milan, but you can still expect relatively cold and grey weather across the month. The average high temperature is 11°C and the average low is 1°C, so it’s still very cold in the city but unlikely to drop below freezing again.
The weather in Milan in February is the driest of the whole year, with only a couple of days of rain expected throughout the whole month.
What to Do in Milan in February
The key event that takes place in Milan in February is the winter Women’s Fashion Week, usually at the end of the month. The city is heaving with designers, models and fashion fans at this time, and unless you’re keen to get involved in the events of Fashion Week, it’s recommended that you visit at another time when the city is less busy and accommodation prices are much lower.
If you visit Milan outside of Fashion Week, the cold weather means that trips to museums, galleries and other indoor attractions are recommended as the best things to do in the city to get out of the cold.
MILAN IN MARCH
Milan Weather in March
The start of spring in Milan sees the weather start to unthaw as March progresses, with an average low temperature of 4°C in the evenings and highs that can reach up to 16°C.
The increase in temperature in Milan in March also sees an increase in rainfall, with more frequent showers towards the end of the month. There will also be more sunshine during the day, but you’ll still definitely want to pack your umbrella.
What to Do in Milan in March
March is one of the quietest months of the year in Milan, with no major events taking place in the city unless the Christian celebration of Holy Week falls at the end of the month. It’s a great time to make the most of reduced prices, queues and crowds and enjoy visiting some of Milan’s best attractions like the Cathedral of Santa Maria Nascente, Castello Sforzesco and the Poldi-Pezzoli Museum.
MILAN IN APRIL
Milan Weather in April
April is often described as the best time to visit Milan because it’s got the perfect weather; not too hot, not too cold, not too wet. Average daily temperatures can reach up to 19°C and only drop down to around 8°C which feels a lot warmer than the previous months.
There is a fair amount of rainfall in April in Milan, although not as much as in March. You can expect a shower or two over 14 days of the month, so remember to pack an umbrella and a waterproof coat. Amongst the showers however you will also enjoy a fair amount of sunshine, so remember your sunglasses as well!
What to Do in Milan in April
Easter and Holy Week tend to happen in April, and you’ll find celebrations taking place all over Milan at this time that gives you a great insight into a key part of Italian culture. Another key event is the Salone del Mobile; a huge design event focusing on the latest styles and innovation in furniture that draws a lot of crowds but is a really interesting way to spend a day or so.
A lot of tourists come to Milan in April to escape the peak-season crowds, so you can expect popular attractions to be fairly busy and some queuing and crowds to be likely. Because of the increasingly warm weather though, visitors can enjoy more of Milan’s outdoor things to do like visiting outdoor flower and food markets and enjoying walks around the canal in the Ticino district.
MILAN IN MAY
Milan Weather in May
Temperatures and rainfall both increase in Milan in May, so it’s a good time of the year if you want to see the city without all of the summer tourists but still want to enjoy Italy’s warm weather.
It can get up to 24°C during the day towards the end of the month, with 7 hours of sunshine on average every day and usual low temperatures of around 13°C. May is one of the rainiest months of the year in Milan however, meaning that you’re likely to be dodging showers amongst the bright sunshine.
What to Do in Milan in May
There are several popular events held in Milan in May which are well worth attending if they coincide with your visit, such as the impressive Orticola Flower Show and the Grand Naviglio Art Show where two kilometres of art stretch out along the banks of the Naviglio Grande in a unique competition exhibition.
Dining out and walking around the city are very popular pastimes for visitors coming to Milan in May, as the weather is perfect for getting out and about. It’s quite a busy month of the year, but popular galleries and museums aren’t too jammed with tourists.
MILAN IN JUNE
Milan Weather in June
Summer in Milan is known for being sweltering, and June kicks off the season with high temperatures and humidity. Expect the thermometer to show up to 28°C during the daytime, with lows of only 17°C that make air-conditioned accommodation a must.
There are at least 8 hours of bright sunshine every day in Milan in June, and around 11 days of rain where showers can be sudden, heavy and short-lived.
What to Do in Milan in June
The summer months are the busiest time of the year for tourism in Milan, but if you want to visit in this season then June is your best bet for enjoying popular tourist attractions without huge crowds and queues.
Men’s Fashion Week takes place in June in Milan every year, providing a buzz of excitement and events around the city. It can be a lot more expensive to visit during this week of June, so be prepared for high accommodation prices as well as a lot of hotels, restaurants and bars getting fully booked.
MILAN IN JULY
Milan Weather in July
July is usually the hottest month of the year in Milan, with 10 hours of bright sunshine every day and an average high temperature of 31°C. Humidity is also very high at this time of year, and you can expect the whole city to feel stifling even in the middle of the night.
Whilst there are only around 9 days in July that see rain in Milan, a significant amount of water falls in these summer storms and makes the month one of the wettest of the whole year, comparatively. Heavy rain is likely to clear the air a little however, and the showers never last for too long.
What to Do in Milan in July
July is usually the busiest month of the year in Milan, as both locals and tourists are swarming the city to make the most of the good weather. The high temperatures mean that you usually want to stay out of the heat in the middle of the day, so visiting churches, museums and other cultural attractions are recommended to keep cool in the afternoons.
It’s also a great time of the year to take trips to the nearby Lake Como or Lake Garda to escape the heat of the city and enjoy cooler temperatures and the chance to explore beautiful lakeside scenery. Trains run from Milan straight to several of the towns in Lake Garda, which is an ideal day trip for the middle of summer.
MILAN IN AUGUST
Milan Weather in August
August is the hottest and the driest month of the summer in Milan, bringing thousands of travellers to the city to make the most of the good weather. You can expect average daily temperatures of 30°C and very high humidity that is only heightened by the number of people in the city at this time of year.
The weather in Milan in August is much drier than in June and July, with only light rain showers expected around 10 days of the month with none of the intensity of the previous months’ storms.
What to Do in Milan in August
The majority of the locals in Milan clear out of the city in August and go on summer holidays elsewhere in the country, so whilst it’s an incredibly busy time of the year, you won’t see many Italians out and about in the city.
Because of the influx of tourists and the heat, we recommend that you spend your time enjoying alternative attractions in the city or ensure that you book tickets for popular museums and galleries that are still open. Day trips to nearby locations like Lake Como or Verona are also a great idea, particularly as humidity tends to be lower outside of the city.
MILAN IN SEPTEMBER
Milan Weather in September
The high temperatures of the summer start to decline in September, although the average daily high is still a very warm 25°C. It gets much cooler at nighttime as the month progresses, with an average low of 14°C that may require a light jacket and around 10 days of rain forecast with showers that tend to be quite heavy.
What to Do in Milan in September
September is one of the year’s best times to visit Milan, as locals return to the city after their holidays and plenty of new exhibitions, shows and events take place to mark the start of the autumn season. It’s not as busy in September as over the summer, so now is a great time to go to popular galleries and museums to enjoy Milan’s cultural offerings.
The highlight of visiting Milan in September is Women’s Fashion Week, which is possibly the most popular of the fashion events that take place over the year. The city is packed around this week, so be prepared for very expensive accommodation and plenty of places to be fully booked.
MILAN IN OCTOBER
Milan Weather in October
The weather in Milan in autumn is fairly unpredictable, with mild temperatures and as much sunshine as there is rain. It’s usually around 19°C during the day and 10°C in the evenings and early morning, with rain showers appearing on around 11 days during the month and bringing down a fair amount of water.
What to Do in Milan in October
If you like your holiday destinations to be quiet when you visit then you may find that October is the best month of the year to visit Milan, as the unpredictable weather means that it’s not too busy.
As well as classic trips to cultural attractions around the city, October is also a lovely time to visit Lake Como or Lake Garda and appreciate the changing scenery in the mountains and around the water. It’s still warm enough to enjoy walking around the city during the day, so guided tours are a great option at this time of year.
MILAN IN NOVEMBER
Milan Weather in November
November is known as being the wettest time of the year in Milan, with around half the days of the month seeing a significant amount of rain. It’s a lot colder as winter starts to approach, which puts off many people from visiting at the end of the season.
The average high temperature in November is 12°C, which feels very chilly and will require appropriate warm clothing if you’re out and about.
What to Do in Milan in November
November is a very quiet time in Milan because of the weather, and whilst there aren’t as many events happening as earlier in the year it is a great time to make the most visiting popular tourist attractions without hordes of other visitors. A popular pastime for visitors to Milan in November is attending theatrical and musical performances, particularly during the Milano Jazz Festival that usually takes place at the end of November.
MILAN IN DECEMBER
Milan Weather in December
The weather is a very cold time of the year in Milan, with an average high temperature of only 7°C that drops down to 1°C at night. It is a lot drier than October and November however, with a small amount of rain usually falling over 10 days and often some snow.
What to Do in Milan in December
Despite the cold, December is a busy month in Milan because of the various festive celebrations that take place. The Festival of Sant’Ambrogio is the start of the month’s events, dedicated to Milan’s patron saint and often marked with the start of the opera season.
There are also plenty of Christmas markets hosted in Milan in December which are an absolute must-see if you’re in the city at this time of year. It’s not as popular a location as places in Germany or Austria, but the markets have a charm all of their own.
If you’re still wondering what the best time of year to visit Milan is for your holiday, get in touch and speak to one of our expert travel advisors to plan a unique trip to Italy’s capital of fashion.
