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What to see
Wooden chalets, twinkling lights, mulled wine and handmade gifts: here’s what Christmas markets are, which ones you’ll find in Milan, when they open and how long they last, plus the ones you can reach on a day trip by train.
When: from mid-November to 6 January
How long: about 6–7 weeks (Oh Bej! Oh Bej! just 4 days)
Don’t miss: Oh Bej! Oh Bej! around 7 December
Christmas markets are open-air markets held during the weeks of Advent, usually in a square in the city centre. They originated in German-speaking countries: the oldest, such as those in Dresden, Vienna and Nuremberg, have centuries of history. The German name is Christkindlmarkt, the “Christ Child market”.
The formula is almost always the same: lit-up wooden chalets selling tree decorations, nativity scenes, crafts, gift ideas and treats to enjoy on the spot, such as mulled wine, hot chocolate, sweets and roasted chestnuts. People go more for the atmosphere than for the shopping, especially in the evening when the lights come on.
In Milan the market season starts between mid and late November and ends at Epiphany, on 6 January: around six or seven weeks in all. The Piazza Duomo market usually opens on 1 December, while the Villaggio delle Meraviglie already starts in mid-November.
The exception is the most traditional fair, Oh Bej! Oh Bej!, which lasts just four days around 7 December, the feast of Sant’Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose). In the table below you’ll find the dates of the latest edition: the 2026 dates are announced in the autumn and we update them as soon as they’re out.
| Market | Where | Latest edition |
|---|---|---|
| Piazza Duomo | Around the Duomo | 1 Dec 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
| Oh Bej! Oh Bej! | Castello Sforzesco | 5 – 8 Dec 2025 |
| Villaggio delle Meraviglie | Giardini Montanelli, Porta Venezia | 15 Nov 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
| Banco di Garabombo | Via Mario Pagano | 31 Oct 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
It’s the most central one: a row of wooden chalets alongside the cathedral, with decorations, crafts, sweets and local specialities, and the square’s big Christmas tree nearby. In the latest edition it was open from 1 December to 6 January, every day from 9 am to 9 pm.
From the suite it takes about 15 minutes: metro M1 (red line) from Lima to Duomo, no changes. Combine your visit with the lights of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and, if you have time, the Duomo rooftop terraces.
It’s the oldest market and the one Milanese people love most. Tradition dates it back to 1510, and the name echoes children’s cries of wonder at the sweets and toys: “oh how lovely, oh how lovely!”. It’s held around 7 December, the day of the city’s patron saint, and since 2006 it has filled the streets around Castello Sforzesco.
Among the stalls you’ll find crafts, antiques, toys, flowers, street food and the traditional necklaces of dried chestnuts, the firòn. In 2025 it ran from 5 to 8 December, from 8:30 am to 9:30 pm. It gets very crowded, especially in the afternoon: if you can, go in the morning. Read our complete guide to Oh Bej! Oh Bej!.
More than a market, it’s a real Christmas village in the Giardini Indro Montanelli: an ice-skating rink, fairground rides, Santa’s house, children’s shows and chalets with street food and gifts. Entry is free; you only pay for skating and rides.
The latest edition ran from 15 November 2025 to 6 January 2026, with the rink open daily from 10 am to 9 pm; the next one is announced from November 2026 to January 2027. It’s the most convenient for our guests: at the end of Corso Buenos Aires, a 15–20 minute walk or two M1 stops to Palestro. Perfect if you’re travelling with children.
From Milano Centrale station, a 10-minute walk from the suite, you can take the train to some of Italy’s most famous Christmas markets and be back the same evening.
| City | By train from Milan | Latest edition |
|---|---|---|
| Como – Città dei Balocchi | about 40 minutes | 23 Nov 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
| Verona | about 1 hour 15 minutes | 21 Nov – 28 Dec 2025 |
| Trento | about 2 hours 30 minutes | 20 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027 |
| Bolzano | about 3 hours | 27 Nov 2025 – 6 Jan 2026 |
In Como the façades of the old town light up with projections and there are chalets and a skating rink by the lake. Trento and Bolzano are the classic Alpine markets, perfect for a longer outing: set off early. For planning ideas, see our guides to Como and Verona as a day trip.
Stay just steps away
Mercadante Suite: two suites at Via Saverio Mercadante 10, 10 minutes from Milano Centrale station. Book on our website and pay 20% less.
