Christmas 2024 in Milan: here’s what to do
With the beginning of December, the city lights up with a special glow each year: new illuminations lit, freshly baked panettone , decorated storefronts, the downtown streets enveloped in a festive and lively atmosphere filled with events, fairs shows and themed initiatives. So what to do at Christmas in Milan to fully experience the magic of the city and give yourself (or others) an unforgettable moment of art and culture in the shadow of the Madonnina?
Whether you are in town for tourism, business or the last Christmas shopping, Milan is one of those cities that during the end-of-year festivities acquire a timeless charm, made up of ancient traditions and surprising novelties. The right place for an authentic Christmas experience, in the most iconic churches and museums in the city center, or for a Christmas event at the most prestigious cultural locations in the Milanese capital. And if you are looking for the perfect gift, strolling through a glittering Milan there will be no shortage of ideas designed to give a moment of cultural enjoyment in the city, to friends and family or to co-workers, partners and employees.
What to do at Christmas in Milan: experiences not to be missed
Admiring the city’s illuminations aboard the historic tramway
There is nothing more magical than wandering through the city streets illuminated by Christmas lights, lulled by the clanking motion of a historic streetcar, unmistakable in its saffron yellow color. The vintage cars, dating back to the 1920s, take us back to retro atmospheres we all feel a little nostalgic for, especially at Christmas: red velvet, soft lighting, old-timey signs… What better time, then, to indulge – even in an exclusive form – a streetcar tour than the Christmas season? On board from the streetcar it will be easy to get lost gazing dreamily at the city flowing out the window, listening to stories and curiosities about our beautiful Milan.
Visiting the museum of La Scala Theatre while waiting for the premiere
It is well known that among the December anniversaries dearest to the Milanese is the La Scala premiere, which on December 7, on the occasion of the feast of the patron saint Saint Ambrose, fully inaugurates the Christmas atmosphere in the city! As the lights of the Christmas tree in Piazza Duomo are lit, the curtain of the world’s most famous stage opens to reveal the scene of the opera chosen each year to kick off the theater’s opera season… That’s why visiting the La Scala Theater Museum is one of the must-see experiences for Christmas in Milan! Among musical instruments, costumes and relics of ancient glories, the refinedallure of this jewel set in the heart of Milan, which the French writer Stendhal described as “the most beautiful theater in the world […] impossible to imagine anything grander, more solemn and newer,” is unquestionable. It is also the perfect place to organize a real cultural event, not just for a magic tour!
What to give at Christmas in Milan
Gift cards, the perfect gift
In doubt about gifts? Don’t worry, we have a thousand ideas for a thousand different tastes, all easily purchased online, without queues or waiting in crowded stores! Our special Gift Cards, with different price cuts, are suitable for anyone because they allow you to book tours and events from all our programming at Calendar, valid until December 31, 2025: exhibitions, museums, churches, cultural and food and wine experiences, streetcar or boat tours, and everything else worth doing in Milan (not just at Christmas)!
Taste real panettone and experience the traditions of Christmas in Milan
Christmas in Milan rhymes with panettone, that’s for sure! However, the Milanese Christmas cake, now legendary all over the world, is not the only typically Milanese tradition worth remembering at Christmas time… although a stop in historic pastry shops, to taste the original recipe, is always welcome! Strolling through the festively decorated historic center, from the Castello Sforzesco to Piazza Duomo, from Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to Piazza Scala, many are the symbols and legends that tell of Milan’s past and most beloved festivities, sometimes almost forgotten or much changed over the centuries. Just think of the Oh Bej Oh Bej Fair in front of the church of Sant’Ambrogio, the feast of Santa Lucia or the procession of the Three Kings tied to the basilica of Sant’Eustorgio, traditions to be rediscovered through the narration of our guides. What better gift for a Milanese doc or, conversely, for those who do not know Milan and are visiting it for the first time?
Listening to a Christmas concert at the Jerome Theater
What to do at Christmas in Milan? A date with a Christmas concert, to listen again to the traditional melodies and Christmas soundtracks of all times, beloved by young and old, cannot be missed in the agenda. At the Teatro Gerolamo, a small treasure chest of Milanese theatrical history just a few steps from the Duomo, the appointment never fails in the December programming: in addition to the show, a guided tour of the theater and anaperitif in the cafeteria complete the experience, perfect for a special evening, in the midst of the Christmas atmosphere, or for a gift with an authentic and refined flavor.
Visiting the Crypt of San Sepolcro by lantern light
Among the most fascinating places in Milan is the Crypt of San Sepolcro, “hidden” in the heart of the city center within the historic complex of the Venerable Ambrosian Library. Visiting the crypt at night, in a Christmas Milan, enveloped only by the soft light of lanterns, is a magical and exciting experience. Accompanied in the half-light by our guide, we retrace the millennial history of this site hidden in the Milanese underground, whose roots go back to the glorious past of Mediolanum, capital of the Roman Empire. A starry sky is the striking pictorial decoration of the underground church, dating from the medieval phase and recently restored, to the wonder of us visitors. Here, after visiting the Crypt, it is possible to organize exclusive corporate events in the nearby spaces of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, to experience a journey between art and history that continues beyond the intimate and intimate rooms of the church of San Sepolcro.
Enjoying a Christmas toast in height, on the panoramic terrace
of the Torre Branca
Moving from underground Milan, to the city’s skyline , an unmissable experience among the things to do at Christmas in Milan is an aperitif on the Branca Tower, living room in the Milanese skyline and location “aloft” among the most beautiful in the capital! Located in Parco Sempione, almost 100 meters high, this tower designed by the famous architect Gio Ponti is still a symbolic place in Milan. Next to the Triennale, it offers a breathtaking perspective on the city, 360 degrees; the terrace, covered and heated, welcomes visitors even in the middle of winter, for an unforgettable guided tour, thanks to which you can observe from above the transforming Milan, celebrating Christmas with a glass of bubbly.
