The Christmas markets that return every year, with area, typical dates and what to expect.
PaoNu / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Organisers publish the exact 2026 dates closer to Christmas. The usual periods are listed below, and each page is updated as soon as official dates become available.
When: Around 7 December, the feast of Sant'Ambrogio, for about four days
Milan's historic Christmas fair, tied to the city patron Sant'Ambrogio. Since 2006 it has run around the Castello Sforzesco, between Piazza Castello and Largo Cairoli. Stalls sell antiques and bric-a-brac, second-hand books, flowers and plants, sweets, torrone, roast chestnuts, mulled wine and crafts. The name, in dialect, is what children are said to have shouted at the gifts a papal envoy brought in the 15th century.
Giardini Indro Montanelli, Porta Venezia · District 1
When: Late November to early January
The big Christmas setup in the Giardini Montanelli: one of Europe's larger open-air ice rinks, wooden chalets with gifts and food, a vintage carousel and street food. The classic December-evening outing in the centre with children.
When: Mid-November to Christmas, sometimes to Epiphany
Wooden chalets set up on the Duomo forecourt, on the Galleria side. Decorations, nativity figures, candles, regional food from across Italy plus South Tyrolean and German specialities. The most photographed of the markets, under the Piazza Duomo tree.
On December weekends the Darsena and the Naviglio Grande towpath fill with craft, vintage and food stalls. It pairs well with a walk along the water and the area's bars. The monthly antiques fair still runs on the last Sunday.
In the cloisters of the 12th-century Cistercian abbey on the city's southern edge, monks and local artisans sell honey, herbal teas, baked goods, ceramics and decorations. The most intimate and atmospheric of the markets, away from the centre's crowds.
When: On December market days (Tuesday and Saturday)
The Via Fauché street market, known for branded clothing and vintage, fills with gift ideas, knitwear, scarves and decorations in the weeks before Christmas. A local, no-frills alternative to the tourist markets.
Out of town, Artigiano in Fiera (Rho Fiera, early December) gathers thousands of artisan exhibitors from around the world. In the city, the 85 weekly neighbourhood markets and the covered municipal markets stay open all year and are useful for holiday food shopping.
Frequently asked questions
When do Milan's Christmas markets open?
The Piazza Duomo market and the Villaggio delle Meraviglie in the Giardini Montanelli usually open in mid-to-late November and run to Epiphany (6 January). Oh bej! Oh bej! is concentrated around 7 December, the feast of Sant'Ambrogio. The Navigli and Chiaravalle markets run on December weekends.
What is Milan's most famous Christmas market?
Oh bej! Oh bej!, the historic fair tied to Sant'Ambrogio, the city's patron saint. Since 2006 it has been held around the Castello Sforzesco, with stalls of antiques, sweets, flowers, crafts and street food.
Is there an ice rink at the Milan Christmas markets?
Yes. The Villaggio delle Meraviglie in the Giardini Indro Montanelli (Porta Venezia) has one of Europe's larger open-air ice rinks, alongside the market and fairground rides.
Are Milan's Christmas markets free?
Entry to the open-air markets is free. You only pay for what you buy and, where they exist, for activities such as the ice rink or the rides.
