Population: 1.4 million

Area: 765 square miles

Language: Italian

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Time zone: GMT + 1 hour (8 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time).  When it is Noon in New York City; It is 8:00 (20:00)in the evening in Milan.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, flat two or three pin plugs are used

Telephone Codes: 39, country code; 02, city code.

Country dialing code: 1

Average Temperatures:

 Month  

   High

 Low

January  

   40F  

  32F

February

   46F

  35F

March  

   56F  

  43F

April  

   65F

  49F  

May  

   74F

  57F  

June  

   80F

  63F 

July  

   84F

  67F  

August  

   82F  

  66F

September  

   75F

  61F

October  

   63F

  52F

November  

   51F

  43F

December  

   43F

  35F

The climate in Milan is typically Mediterranean, with high temperatures and sunny days in the summer and colder, damper weather in the winter. July and August are usually very hot and temperatures tend to stay around 80°F for much of this time. In the spring and autumn, temperatures in Milan are at their most pleasant. The weather can be unpredictable in the winter from November to February, when the city, and at that time the city is at its most quiet. However,  it is usually fairly mild with plenty of sunshine during those months, although it can be foggy at times. There may also be heavy rain and occasional icy winds, so be sure to bring a warm coat,scarf, and gloves.  

National Public Holidays

1st January - New Year's Day

6th January - Epiphany

Early April - Easter Monday

25th April - Liberation Day and St. Mark's Feast Day

1st May - Labour Day

29th June - Local Feast Day

15th August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1st November - All Saints Day

8th December - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

24th December - Christmas Eve

25th December - Christmas Day

26th December - Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day

Getting There

Air Two main airports serve Milan. Most international flights land at Malpensa Airport (MXP), which is approximately 30 miles northwest of the city, and  about an hour by car or train from the city. Linate Airport (LIN), 4 miles to the east, is used for domestic and some European flights. Airport shuttle buses transport passengers between Malpensa and Linate. A free shuttle between the two terminals at Malpensa runs every 10 minutes.

A third airport, Orio al Serio, handles charter flights; close to Bergamo, it is about 30 miles northeast of Milan.

Bus For long-distance trips, trains are preferable to buses because they are more comfortable and faster, and the connections are usually more direct. The main departure point for buses heading to other Italian and European cities is the Garibaldi bus station. Buses line up along the sidewalk and are not well marked.  The Autostradale (bus station) office sells tickets. Phone 02-637-901.

Car Congestion in the city center is intense, and parking is difficult. If you do drive into the city, park your car at your hotel and plan to use public transportation.  Avoid  rush hour, 7:30-9:30 am and 5:30-7:30 pm.

Train When  visiting from another European or major Italian city, you will arrive Central Train Station (Stazione Centrale) on Piazza Duca d'Aosta. The smaller Stazione Nord (sometimes called Cadorna Station) handles trains heading to smaller cities to the north and the lake cities of Como and Stresa. Stazione Garibaldi, another regional station, handles trains going to smaller cities within a few hours of Milan.

Buying a train ticket does not reserve a seat.  It allows you to board; you sit only if there's an unclaimed seat. To reserve a seat, you must purchase a reserved seat at an extra cost.  IC and EC trains are more comfortable and their use entails an additional surcharge.   Be sure to purchase the correct ticket for the train you will be taking.  Otherwise, there is a fine plus a penalty.  Tickets must be validated at a machine on the platform before boarding.  Otherwise, there is a separate penalty on board at the time of ticket collection.

Local Transportation Central Milan is quite small, and most of it can be covered easily on foot. In the alternative, Milan's extensive transportation system is a convenient way to get from place to place.

Milan's public transportation system includes buses, electric-rail trams and a subway (the metro, with lines denoted MM1, MM2, MM3 or FNME). The system is safe, even at night. The same tickets are used by all three systems, and you can purchase tickets at newsstands, cigarette stands and some bars. Most metro stops also have machines that dispense tickets

You can ride the metro system for 75 minutes from the time you first enter the system, and transfer to a bus on the same ticket provided you complete your bus ride within the 75 minutes.

Buses and many tram lines operate daily 6 am-12:30 am. All subway lines run daily 6 am-midnight. Phone 02-8901-0797 for information.