Events

January 

Corteo dei Re Magi:  January 6th, traditional procession from the Duomo to Sant'Eustorgio

Fiera di Senigallia:  every Saturday throughout the year, a colourful market with ethnic handicrafts, records and bicycles along the Darsena

Mercato dell'Antiquariato di Brera:  third Saturday of the month, a market with stalls selling books, jewellery, antiques and much more

February 

Carnavale Ambrosiano:  the longest carnival in the world, with many floats and Milanese characters parading to the Piazza del Duomo. Ends on the first Saturday in lent

March 

MODIT-Milanovendemoda:  early March, the autumn / winter collections of leading international fashion designers

Milano-SanRemo:  third Saturday, prestigious international bicycle race in the city centre

Oggi Aperto:  third weekend, historic buildings and monuments that usually remain closed are opened to the general public

BIT:  The Fiera (Milan's Exhibition Centre) hosts a large international tourist trade show.

April 

Fiera dei Fiori:  Monday after Easter, near the San Franciscan convent, in and around Via Moscova, large fair devoted to flower growing

Bagutta-Pittori all'Aria Aperta:  third week, the famous Via Bagutta hosts an outdoor art exhibition

Stramilano:  mid-April, popular marathon for both professionals and amateurs, attracting around 50,000 competitors each year

May

Milano Cortili Aperti:  courtyards of some of the city's private houses are opened to the public

Pittori sul Naviglio:  outdoor art exhibition, along the Alzia Naviglio Grande canal

Estate all'Idroscalo:  summer sporting events, water entertainment and concerts at Milan seaplane airport, situated near to Linate Airport

Sagra del Carroccio:  parades in costume and festivities celebrating the commemoration of the battle of 1176, at Legnano, 30 km / 19 miles from Milan

June

Festa del Naviglio:  first Sunday, festival in the illuminated Naviglio canals with street artists and performers, sports, general handicrafts, cooking, concerts and an antiques market

Milano d'Estate:  June to August, concerts, exhibitions and various cultural events in the Parco Sempione, marking the beginning of summer entertainment in Milan

Sagra di San Cristoforo:  third Sunday, St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers, is celebrated along the Naviglio canals, in the square opposite the church

Estate all'Umanitaria:  cinema, dance, music and theatre festival hosted by The Humanitarian Association

Fotoshow:  photography, video and optics show in the Fiera Exhibition Centre

Orticola:  gardening show, with flowers, plants, general garden furnishings and a market in the Porta Cenezia public gardens

Sagra di San Giovanni:  celebration of the patron saint's feast day with sporting and cultural events at nearby Monza, to the north of Milan

July and August

Festival Latino-Americano:  popular and lively festival of American music, cuisine and handicrafts hosted by the Forum di Assago

Arianteo:  some of the year's most important films are shown outdoors at the Rotonda della Basana

Milan Bluegrass Festival:  August, this event features some of the best bluegrass performers around and is held at the KC Campground in Sherman Road

September

Premier League Football (soccer):  early September, start of the Italian football season with two of Italy's leading teams that are based in Milan:  Inter and Milan

Panoramica di Venezia:  early September, films from the Venice film festival are shown the cinemas in Milan

Centomiglia:  second weekend in September, this sailing regatta is organised by the Circolo Vela Gargnano

Gran Premio di Monza:  the Grand Prix of Italy held at the Autodromo Nazionale in Monza, north of Milan, which is one of the top motor racing circuits in the country

October

Fiera di Chiaravalle:  first Monday, famous fair featuring music, dancing and an outdoor art exhibition at the Chiaravalle Cistercian abbey bell tower

SMAU:  first week, international multimedia event held in the Fiera Exhibition Centre, with many computer related exhibits

MODIT-Milanovendemoda:  early October, second major fashion show for leading Italian and international designers, held at different locations in Milan, including the Fiera pavilions

November

Premio Bagutta 's most important literary award presentation

December

Festa di Sant'Ambrogio:  December 7th, favourite holiday of the locals, celebrated with many events, including the Fiera degli 'Oh bej Oh bej', a street fair around the streets of Sant'Ambrogio, including many antique stalls

La Scala:  the start of the season at the world-famous Teatro alla Scala opera house at the Piazza della Scala

Arts and Entertainment

Dance Teatro alla Scala Ballet Company This company has been in existence since La Scala's opening in 1778. Many of the world's greatest dancers, including Rudolph Nureyev, have performed there. The new season, beginning in December 2004, is being performed in the newly renovated opera house.

Spectator Sports

Auto Racing Autodromo di Monza The annual Formula One Italian Grand Prix is just one event out of many at this stadium, which also features the annual Formula One Foot Race—a festival of model-car races, bike races, car auctions and Motormonza. You can also drive your own car on the track. Daily 8 am-7 pm. Admission 3 euros when no major events are scheduled. Ticket prices for sporting events vary but generally are 8 euros-15 euros. Parco di Monza (about 8 mi/13 km from central Milan; reach Monza by train from Milan, then take a taxi or a bus to the track), Monza.

Horse Racing Ippodromo di San Siro The racing season runs March-November. The racetrack is located about 4 mi/6 km from central Milan. Via Piccolomini MM1 Lotto), Milan. Phone 02-4520-3433.

Soccer Soccer, or calcio, is part of life in Italy. Serious rivalries exist, and fights break out inside and outside the stadiums, although the violence seen in other parts of Europe is rare in Italy. On game days young people wear the colors of their favorite teams, and honking motorcades of fans of the victorious team cruise the city well into the night. San Siro Stadium Both of Milan's hometown soccer teams, AC Milan and Inter, play at the San Siro Stadium, also known as Meazza Stadium. Built in 1926 and expanded for the 1990 World Cup, it is located between the Ippodromo and Via Novara.

Music Milan Symphonic Orchestra Giuseppe Verdi The symphony performs September-May in the Auditorium di Milano (the former Cinema Teatro Massimo). Tickets are available from the box office, the Web site or through ticket brokers. The box office is open daily 10 am-7 pm. Largo Gustav Mahler MM2 Famagosta to bus 59, MM3 Duomo to tram 15), Milan. Phone 02-8338-9222.

Opera La Scala The historic opera house, which opened in 1778, is closed for renovations until December 2004. In the meantime, operas are being performed at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi on Via dell'Innovazione in Bicocca in northern Milan. Performances are held year-round. Seeing an opera involves a combination of tenacity and luck, however. Regular seats are usually sold out the day they are released, but standing-room seats are sometimes available. There is a ticket office in the Galleria del Sagrato at the Piazza del Duomo. Uncollected tickets are sometimes available for half-price two hours before the start of the performance at the ticket office of the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, which is open daily noon-6 pm. Tickets are also available online, for a 20% surcharge. (To get to the Teatro degli Arcimboldi, take a taxi and reserve it for the return trip, or pick up a shuttle bus at the Piazza del Duomo). Phone 02-7200-3744 for ticket information.

Theater Teatro Grassi

Via Rovello 2 MM1 Cordusio), Milan.

Phone 02-7233-3222. Formerly the Piccolo Teatro, this theater is considered one of Italy's best repertory companies. The box office is open Monday-Saturday 10 am-6:45 pm, Sunday 10:30 am-6:30 pm.

Teatro Nuovo This is the place to see Broadway musical favorites in Italian—and more. The box office is open Monday-Saturday 11 am-6 pm, Sunday 11 am-1 pm and 4:30-6 pm. No performances in August. Corso Matteotti 20 MM1 San Babila), Milan. Phone 02-7600-0086. http://

Ticket Brokers There is no single main source for tickets, so if one ticket broker is sold out, try another. Tickets for La Scala performances can only be purchased from the theater box office. APT Tickets to concerts, theater performances and sporting events. Via Marconi 1, Milan. Phone 02-7200-42068.  

Picolo Teatro 's other famous theatre starts its programme of plays at the beginning of December

New Year's Eve:  December 31st, masses are celebrated in churches and traditionally. There are also many parties and general celebrations

Milan Jogging - Milan, Italy Monte Stella Park, located near to the San Siro Stadium is one of the best places for jogging in Milan. The park has many marked pathways around the large area of greenery and trees. Milan Water Sports - Milan, Italy Many types of water sport are available at Milan's numerous lakes. Lake Garda is renown for windsurfing, with Torbole and Riva also being popular places for surfers to come throughout the year. Other aquatic sports in Milan's lakes include canoeing, sailing, water-skiing, rowing and for a more relaxing time, there are plenty of opportunities to go fishing. All of the lakes in Milan have clubs where you are able to rent equipment at reasonable prices.  

Milan Football / Soccer (Calcio) - Milan, Italy Football is a passion among the Italians and Milan is no exception. Milan's two highly regarded national football teams are Inter and AC Milan. Fans should go to the vast Meazza (San Siro Stadium) , which has a seating capacity of over 80,000, where many exciting matches are played. It is advisable not to drive as parking spaces can prove difficult to find. The best way to get there is to take Line 1 of the metro to the Lotto stop and then take a shuttle bus to the stadium itself. Five-a-side football is also very popular in Milan and there are good facilities at the Centro Peppino Vismara and also the Palauno, where there are several pitches.  

Golf  Le Rovedine

Via Karl Marx 16 MM Porta Romana; walk to Ripamonte and take Bus 24 to the last stop), Noverasco di Opera.