December in Milan is definitely cold, winter, gray skies, but also markets in the Duomo, lights scattered throughout the city and the smell of hot chocolate. Despite being the last month of the year, there are plenty of things to do in (and around) the city. Listening to a Christmas concert, participating in a slightly peculiar run and feeling like Carolina Kostner for a day, take a look at the calendar of activities for this December 2025 in Milan.
Table Of Contents
- Monet: the Immersive Experience
- A journey into space with Space Dreamers
- Harry Potter in Milan: the immersive exhibition
- Santa Run 2025
- Bernina Train
- Christmas Concert by Candlelight
- The Artisan Fair 2025
- Gourmet dinner on a vintage streetcar
- Sleeping Beauty: a luminous ballet
- Porta Venezia Christmas Village
- Mother I Missed the Plane returns to theaters
- A fluorescent painting workshop
- Lighting the tree in the Duomo
- A tour of the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! market.
- The jazz tribute to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong
- Try the best hot chocolate in Milan
Monet: the Immersive Experience
It’s going to be a colorful December thanks to this immersive experience dedicated to the great Monet: it will be like going inside the paintings, swimming among the water lilies and discovering the art and beauty of the Impressionist master. Info, trivia and tickets here.
A journey into space with Space Dreamers
The most spacey exhibition ever continues in December, space awaits you with Space Dreamers. More than 18 installations are waiting for you to immerse yourself in space and have a unique experience. Tickets here.
Harry Potter in Milan: the immersive exhibition
Among the things to do in December is to go to Portanuova in Piazza Lina Bo Bardi where the immersive exhibition dedicated to Harry Potter has opened, inside which true fans can take herbology lessons, summon a patronus or play Quidditch. Harry Potter “The Exhibition” consists of 20 rooms, including the Privet Drive undercroft, the Great Hall and Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross, in which to take a magical souvenir photo!
There are different types of tickets, find all the information here.
📍 Portanuova – Lina Bo Bardi Square
📆 until January 6, 2026.
Santa Run 2025
Thousands of runners dressed as Santa Claus will run through the streets of Milan again this December. The iconic Santa Running returns to the city on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 with its 15th edition. The 5-kilometer run (or walk) in full Christmas style aims to bring young and old closer to motor activity. Registrants will all start from Simplon Square at 3 p.m.
The registration cost for an adult is €13 until Dec. 11 and includes a full Santa suit, a bag and bib. For children, up to age 11, the cost is €7 and includes the classic red hat, bag and bib. In addition, by adding just one euro at registration, participants will be able to support pediatric cancer research.
Bernina Train
A scenic ride on a quaint little red train through the Alps… What could be more wintry (and Christmassy) than that? The Bernina Express connects Tirano and St. Moritz via a breathtaking 60km scenic route that reaches a maximum altitude of 2,253 meters at the Bernina Pass.
From Milan, it is possible to reach Tirano in just over two hours by taking one of the many trains that depart daily. The trip on the little red train, on the other hand, takes about 2½ hours, in which passengers can admire the snow-covered Alps through the large windows that extend to the ceiling of the carriage. A wonderful experience and if you wish, also a gift with flakes.
📌Price for adults in second class: €71.50
Christmas Concert by Candlelight
The soft light of thousands of candles, a historic location and traditional Christmas tunes: once again this year’s Candlelight Christmas concerts in Milan are ready to light up your evenings with a little holiday magic. In December, the San Fedele Auditorium, located in the heart of Milan, hosts three special events, two of which are dedicated to traditional Christmas melodies and one to the most exciting movie soundtracks of this season.
In all three concerts, an elegant string quartet will perform iconic songs such as “Let It Snow!”, “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Jingle Bell Rock”, giving the audience the ultimate Christmas show.
📌 Dec. 19, 20 and 21, 2025
The Artisan Fair 2025
The unmissable appointment with the winter edition of the Artigiano in Fiera, where to find the most special Christmas gifts and the best products for the countless dinners that await us this month. Regional specialties, such as taralli from Puglia or Parmigiano Reggiano, but also international delicacies are the undisputed stars of this fair. In addition to the food part, there will be hundreds of booths with products made by artisans from wood, precious stones, fabric and more.
📌 December 6 to 14, 2025. Free admission and possible only with the pass issued at the time of online registration.
Gourmet dinner on a vintage streetcar
Sophisticated, exclusive and surprising, the ATMosfera streetcar gives guests a gourmet dinner among the most fascinating streets of Milan, passing through iconic places such as the Arco della Pace and the Duomo. This striking traveling restaurant allows 24 diners to experience a unique evening: on board you can choose from meat, fish or vegetarian menus, with four courses including appetizer, first course, second course and dessert. Each pair of guests will also have a bottle of selected wine, as well as water and coffee, for a dinner lasting about two and a half hours.
During December, it is also possible to book Christmas lunch, Christmas Eve dinner and New Year’s Eve dinner.
🎟️Prezzi: dinner 90€ per person / lunch 75€ per person
🚃Check outthe full itinerary.
Sleeping Beauty: a luminous ballet
On Friday, Dec. 19, for one evening only,Ballet of Lights, a dance performance that combines the magic of fairy tales with the enchantment of light shows and the sophistication of classical ballet, returns to the Leonardo Theater stage. During 60 minutes, professional dancers dressed in tutus embellished with hundreds of lights will tell the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, one dance step after another. Suitable for young and old, Ballet of Lights succeeds in telling the most beautiful stories ever in a new, sparkling version.
Porta Venezia Christmas Village
In the gardens of Porta Venezia, the Village of Wonders has opened its doors. An enchanted place where the magic of the holidays can be felt in every corner. Messy elves, themed rides, Santa’s house and even a skating rink, with spaces for both young and old. The village will remain open until Jan. 6.
Mother I Missed the Plane returns to theaters
The cinematic masterpiece and beloved Christmas movie “Mama Missed the Plane” returns to theaters to celebrate its 35th anniversary. From Dec. 4 to 10, the McCallister family once again invites you into their lives during the holidays. To celebrate this anniversary in the holiday spirit, all fans are asked to come to the theater in their favorite Christmas sweater.
📌 December 4-10, 2025. In UCI theaters and The Space.
A fluorescent painting workshop
A painting workshop, yes, but not just any painting workshop. Neon Brush offers an immersive experience where the environment is enlivened by fluorescent tempera and neon lights. Bright pinks, shimmering yellows and phosphorescent greens illuminate both the space and the canvases of your masterpiece, which you can take home at the end of the workshop. Get inspired by the festive atmosphere and colorful decorations around town, put all your creativity on a canvas and unleash your inner artist. In addition to a taller for adults, the Neon Brush Kids experience also allows little Van Goghs to unleash their imaginations.
Lighting the tree in the Duomo
Once again this year, the Christmas tree in the Duomo will be lit on the evening of Dec. 6, the night before the day of St. Ambrose, the city’s patron saint. The lights of the tree will be turned on at around 5 p.m., an occasion that officially marks the beginning of Christmas in the city.
A tour of the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! market.
A tradition with roots dating back to the 1500s, the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! is Milan’s most historic Christmas market. Every year, during the week of Sant’Ambrogio, the Castello Sforzesco area comes alive with hundreds of stalls offering typical Milanese products, such as “Firunatts,” as well as modern and original gift ideas.
📌 December 5 to 8, 2025
The jazz tribute to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong
This tribute concert by The Jazz Room celebrates the meeting of the melodies of two timeless legends-Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. Between the atmospheres of Harlem’s famous clubs and the elegant sounds of postwar America, the show traverses the rich artistio jazz and swing heritage left behind by the two musicians. An immersive experience that pays tribute to the creativity and timeless appeal of jazz.
📌Auditorium San Fedele
Try the best hot chocolate in Milan
Dense, not too sweet and chocolaty, where to try the real (and the best) hot chocolate in town? It must be said that in Milan we are well stocked with excellent places to drink delicious chocolate. The best remains without a doubt Gay-Odin, an authentic Neapolitan chocolate factory active since 1854. Classic or more mouth-watering variants, here you will find truly excellent chocolates and various delicacies.