Piano City Milano is a celebration of the piano and pianists that takes place for the three days of the penultimate weekend of May with non-stop performancdes and has so for the past 13 years.
During this window of time there are countless piano concerts – both free and paid – in the city’s parks, gardens, appartments, courtyards and more traditional concert venues.
The music spans all genres from electronical, jazz, pop and classical.
This year’s Piano City
This year’s Piano City Milano takes place on May 15th-17th
Where Piano City takes place
Headquarters are located at the museum GAM at 16, via Palestro (find on map) where you can pick up a program and see concerts in the beautiful gardens behind the museum.
The festival is not located just in the city centre nor just in traditional concert venues, it is literally everywhere for three days: In private homes, on the squares all over the city, in the city’s parks and in the more traditional concert venues. Check for performances here.
Events in red have yet to be confirmed, we are on it!
November 28th-December 1st
Fiera del Re Panettone / The King Panettone Fair
November 28th 4-8 pm, November 29th 10 am-8 pm and November 30th10 am-7 pm Milan’s traditional Christmas Cake is celebrated during this weekend at the Parco Esposizione Novegro (find on map) it is located an 11-minute walk from Linate airport metro stop (blue line).
Le Pulci Pettinate – The Combed Fleas
November 30th 10 am-8 pm Christmas Market at Salumeria del Design at 18, Via Stazio (find on map).
December 2nd-7th
Artigiano in Fiera – The Fair for Artisans
December 6th-14th from 10 am-10 pm we have the huge Fair for artisans – also get your free mandatory pass at this link – from all over Italy and the world, it is held at the Fair in Rho (find on map). You can get beautiful handmade Christmas gifts and taste culinary specialties from Italy and the rest of the world. In order to get a free ticket you must register on their website here, where you need to click on “Ottieni il tuo pass gratuiro” and enter your email address and choose a password, you then receice your pas which gives you access anytime during the fair.
Milan’s Christmas tree
December 7th-January 8th the traditional Milanese Christmas tree can be admired in Piazza Duomo (find on map) The lighting ceremony is on December 6th 5 pm. This year’s tree will be blue in honour of the 2026 Winter Olympics held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Fiera degli Obej Obej
December 7th-10th 8.30 am-9 pm in Piazza del Cannone (find on map) – behind Castello Sforzesco – there is the traditional market Fiera degli Obej Obej which dates all he way back to 1288 and is always held on the days around December 7th where the Milanese celebrate their patron saint Sant’Ambrogio – the day before the national holiday for the Immaculate Conception. The atmosphere is wonderful and there are lots of local specialties to taste like vin brulè (mulled wine) and chestnuts.The name Obej Obej originates according to tradition from the exclamations of the Milanese children “Obej, Obej” (dialect for oh belli,oh belli which means “How pretty!”) when they saw the gifts Pope Pio IV’s emissary brought to the city of Milan in 1510.
December 7th-8th 11.30 am-8.30 pm at Bagni Misteriosi at 18A, Via Carlo Botta (find on map). Entrance fee €5.
Portanuova Pop Xmas
December 7th-January 7th Portanuoava Pop Xmas in Piazza Gae Aulenti (find on map) with stands, a 15 metre tall Christmas tree and Warner Music Italy stands for the soundtrack. There is also an ice skating rink – it opens on November 29tth.
December 8th-14th
Artigiano in Fiera – The Fair for Artisans
December 5th-13th from 10 am-10 pm we have the huge Fair for artisans – also get your free mandatory pass at this link – from all over Italy and the world, it is held at the Fair in Rho (find on map). You can get beautiful handmade Christmas gifts and taste culinary specialties from Italy and the rest of the world. In order to get a free ticket you must register on their website here, where you need to click on “Ottieni il tuo pass gratuiro” and enter your email address and choose a password, you then receice your pas which gives you access anytime during the fair.
December 11th-12th 12-7 pm Christmas market with live gospel music in collaboration with Blue Note Milano and holiday workshops for adults and children at BiM, 10, Viale Piero and Alberto Pirelli (find on map)
Saturday in Lambrate
December 13th 10 am-7 pm Christmas market at REDROOM, 9, Via Conte Rosso (find on map)
Green Christmas
December 13th 10 am-8 pm and December 14th 10 am-7 pm Green Christmas eco Christmas market with jewellery,clothes amd things for your home at Fonderia Napoleonica di Milano at 21, Via Thaon de Revl (find on map).
December 14th 9 am-8 pm Christmas party at Cascina Cuccagna, 2-4, Via Privata Cuccagna (find on map) Christmas market and different workshops, there will be food and wine.
December 20th-21st, artisinal Christmas market at BASE Milano (find on map).
Antiques Market at the Naviglio Grande
December 21st 8 am-6 pm, this market normally takes place on the last Sunday of every month but they have moved their Christmas edition up to before Christmas.
November 30th-January 6th Christmas market on Piazza Duomo (find on map) with crafts and gastronomic specialties from all over Italy. The market is open every day from 11 am.-8 pm.
Il Villaggio delle Meraviglie
November 15th-January 6th 10 am-9 pm “Il villaggio delle meraviglie” in the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli (find on map) for the youngest, there are rides, meetings with Santa (starting December 6th) and an Ice skating rink, where you can rent skates. Another popular feature is Christmas street food. There is an admissions fee, buy your tickets and book times for the skating rink here.
Christmas paintings
Free visit to Milan’s municipal Palace and paintings
December 3rd-January 11th 9.30 am-8 pm (last admission is at 7.30 pm) there is a free exhibit of The Crivelli Brothers’ painting “Monte San Martino Polyptych” at Palazzo Marino on Piazza della Scala (find on map)
Museo Diocesano’s Christmas Painting
October 28th 2025-February 1st 2026 you can see Lorenzo Lotto’s Nativity -from the 16th century, this is a Christmas event at Museo Diocesano (find on map)
Christmas Concerts
December 19th 8 pm Christmas Carol Show at the Auditorium La Verdi on Largo Gustavo Mahler (find on map), buy your ticket here.
December 12th 7.30 pm. free Christmas concert in Milan’s cathedral Duomo di Milano (find on map) admission to the concert is free but booking is oblgatory and you can do that here, from December 3rd at 5 pm – you need to be fast to get a seat.
January 6th 11.15 am this Procession of the Three Wise Men in costume from Piazza Duomo (find on map) to the church La Basilica di Sant*Eustorgio (find on map) is one of Milan’s oldest traditions.
