The best times of the year to visit Milan, Italy, are April through early-June and September through early-October. During these months, the temperatures outside will be at their best — not too hot, not too cold. It also avoids the rainy season of late fall, starting in mid-October.

Outdoor activities and all kinds of festivals are held, and you can even catch women’s fashion week in September. You don’t want to travel to Milan during August because many locals take a month-long vacation and leave the famous city nearly empty.

Weather in Milan

Side view of Milan Cathedral and Vittorio Emanuele gallery

The best months of the year to visit Milan if you want to experience great weather are April, June, and September. Temperatures during these months will usually range from around 65°F through 80°F, and the rainfall is lower than in some months. May and October have pleasant temperatures as well, but they are also some of the rainiest months of the year. 

For Italy, the winters in Milan get relatively cool, with daytime temperatures hovering right around the mid-40s. But when the summer months roll around, you can expect it to get pretty hot out there, with average daytime temperatures getting up to around 90°F and occasional highs hitting over 100°F. 

Best Time for Staying Outdoors in Milan: April through Early-June and Mid-September through early-October

Aerial view of Milan, Italy

The best time to visit Milan to enjoy the outdoors and explore the city as much as possible is from April through early-June and mid-September through early-October (before the rainy season starts). During these months, the temperatures are mild yet comfortable, and crowds aren’t too bad.

Coming to Milan during these times will usually bring daytime temperatures averaging 60°F through about 80°F, and the summer crowds won’t be there either. If you plan your Milan vacation during the summer months, you’ll have to experience average temperatures closer to 90°F, sometimes shooting above 100°F, making it incredibly uncomfortable. 

Milan, Italy Scenery

During the spring months here, the city will be lively with activities to do as people are clamoring to get back outside after the cool days of winter. Milan’s many gardens will also be full of blossoming flowers and other fauna to make strolling through them a surreal and serene experience. 

Best Time for Sightseeing & Museum Hopping: April through June and September through October, plus December

Bagatti Valsecchi Museum , Milan Italy
goga18128 / Shutterstock.com

The first two suggestions might have been somewhat expected, as the best time to visit Milan for sightseeing would certainly be April through June and September through October to take advantage of the optimal weather. But why December?

Let’s not forget that we’re also looking at museum-hopping here, and Milan is chock-full of museums and galleries seemingly everywhere you look. The key to seeing the best exhibits and displays in museums and galleries is to go in June or December because that’s when they set out the best artifacts, artwork, and other exhibits that they have. They do this to appeal to the start of the two travel seasons in an effort to draw in more visitors and tourists.

All things considered, if you’re looking to spend time outdoors sightseeing and you want to be able to check out the best museum exhibits and art displays, we suggest visiting in June. You’ll avoid the hot summer heat of the later months while still having mild temperatures to explore the city. And when the museums and galleries put out their best exhibits, you’ll be there to see them before the crowds start rolling in the following month. 

Best Time for Honeymooners: April through May and Late-September through October

Couple standing in front of "Dedicatvm S.Carolo MDCCCXLVII, Milan

A honeymoon to Milan, Italy would be an unforgettable experience for any newlywed couple, but you want to make sure you go during the best time of year. The best time to visit Milan for the honeymoon of your dreams is from April through May and late-September through October. 

These months provide some of the most pleasant weather conditions of the year, with temperatures typically ranging from 65°F through 75°F throughout the day and rain being more uncommon than the wetter months of early-spring, late-fall, and winter.

Couple in Milan, Italy

Honeymooners want to experience great weather and small crowds, making these months the ideal time to visit Milan. Nobody wants to spend their honeymoon cooped up indoors or waiting in line at all the museums and galleries because of the big summer crowds. So come during these months to have the best honeymoon imaginable. 

Best Time for Budget Travelers: December, January, and February

Bridge across the Naviglio Grande canal

The best months of the year to travel to Milan on a budget is during the slower travel season of winter, particularly December (before Christmas) and mid-January through February (after New Year’s Day and the Epiphany have already passed. 

Travel to Milan during the holidays mentioned above will be just as crowded and expensive as the high-travel season of summer, so budget-friendly travelers want to avoid those few weeks during winter. But the rest of winter will have the best prices on just about everything in Milan.

From hotels to boutiques and shops all over the city, prices are at their lowest of the year during the low-travel season in an effort to still draw in visitors from across the globe. Milan hotels and shop owners will offer some of the best bargains of the year during these cold and wet months, making it the perfect time of year for anyone looking to save some money on their Milan vacation. 

See Related: Best Time to Visit Venice, Italy

Best Time for Shopaholics: January, February, June, & September

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan
Olgysha / Shutterstock.com

The best time to visit Milan for shopping is any time of year since it’s the fashion capital of both Italy and Europe. But to narrow it down, the truly best times to visit Milan for Shopaholics coincide with the fashion weeks, which occur in January, February, June, and September.

Anyone looking for one of the best shopping experiences of their lives needs to make a trip to Milan a priority. The city of Milan is the fashion capital of Europe and boasts shops and stores ranging from small mom-and-pop shops up to the world’s most luxurious fashion brands such as Prada, Armani, and more. So visiting the city any time of year will be unforgettable for the shopaholics out there. 

But for the best times of the year, try to plan your trip around men’s fashion week (in January and June) or women’s fashion week (in February or September). During these weeks, all the shops in Milan release the newest styles and fashion lines while simultaneously drawing in celebrities and fashion icons from all over the world. 

FAQ

How many days do you need in Milan?

We recommend you plan for at least two full days in Milan, especially since one of our favorite activities in the city is to watch a match at San Siro Stadium, which will take up about half a day by itself. This gives you time to explore the city and really take it all in.

What is the rainiest month in Milan?

The rainiest season in Milan is late-fall, including much of October and early November. October is the rainiest month of the year and therefore the worst time to travel to Milan if you’re hoping for outdoor activities. 

When should I not visit Milan?

You want to avoid traveling to Milan during the peak travel season of summer, including July and August. This is because temperatures can be miserably hot, and crowds will be at their peak in mid-summer. During August, most locals take off for a month-long vacation, and there’s not much to do, making it the worst month of the year to visit.  

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