This winter, Milan is rolling out the red carpet for Middle Eastern travelers with its enchanting “Milano, Your Christmas Playground” campaign. The city is set to dazzle with 27 stunning Christmas trees and 14 mesmerizing light installations, transforming its neighborhoods into a magical winter wonderland perfect for festive exploration.
Tourists will be able to enjoy a host of cultural experiences from art masterpieces and snowy mountains to a vibrant nightlife, haute cuisine and luxury shopping.
This year, the traditional Christmas tree in Piazza Duomo at the heart of the city, blends the spirit of Christmas and the values of the Olympics and Paralympics in anticipation of Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. Adding a special touch, the towering fir standing tall at 27.5 m brought from Milano Cortina (from Ponte di Legno, the ski resort in Val Camonica), is accompanied by the Milano Cortina 2026 mascots Tina and Milo.
Martina Riva, City Deputy for Youth, Sports and Tourism said: “Milano is preparing for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games with a splendid tree that is illuminating Piazza Duomo with the support of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. I also want to thank the numerous private companies that responded enthusiastically to the call for “Christmas in Milano 2024”: 27 public Christmas trees in the city during the end-of-year holidays are a new record for Milano. Each project in the city center is linked to an installation in one other municipality. And all at zero cost for city budget. It will be a great celebration for the people of Milano and for the many tourists who are coming to the city for the holidays.”
Meanwhile, Teatro alla Scala opened season with the tradition of the Prima on December 7, the day of Saint Ambrose, patron saint of Milano. This year music director Riccardo Chailly inaugurated the 2024/2025 Season with a new production of La forza del destino – The Force of Destiny, directed by Leo Muscato.
To celebrate the opening night of Teatro alla Scala’s season, the Municipality of Milano and Edison presented Prima Diffusa, bringing the energy of opera to streets, piazzas, theatres, and even prisons across the city from December 1 to December 11, making it accessible to everyone.
Tommaso Sacchi, City Deputy for Culture, said: “Prima Diffusa is an important and long-awaited moment for our city, the occasion in which Milano renews its commitment to make high culture open and accessible to all. With the diffusion of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera ‘La forza del destino’ in over 30 places, from theatres to shelters, from hospitals to penitentiaries, we reaffirm the inclusive value of culture as a tool for social cohesion. This project, which is the result of a network of valuable collaborations, is a virtuous example of how Milano manages to combine artistic excellence with human solidarity, making the magic of the Scala premiere a common heritage shared by the entire community.”
Discovering Grande Brera and Palazzo Citterio
Adding to the festivities, this Christmas sees the long-awaited birth of Grande Brera. After more than 50 years of anticipation, the Pinacoteca di Brera expands to include the nearby Palazzo Citterio at Via Brera 12.
This new exhibition space will house masterpieces by Modigliani, Boccioni, Carrà, and Morandi, as well as the Vitali Collection and Pellizza da Volpedo’s La Fiumana. The inauguration on December 7, coinciding with Saint Ambrose Day, patron saint of Milano, marking a historic moment for the city, uniting artistic heritage with modernity.
Milano lights up for Christmas 2024
1. Streets that light up the city for Christmas: Streets across Milano, from the city centre to the periphery, will shine with festive decorations. Highlights include the stunning Dior Parfums Christmas tree in the Galleria, adorned with over 1,900 golden decorations and a signature star, and festive light chains illuminating the Octagon ceiling, with the coat of arms of the Municipality of Milano trademarking the city’s ‘living room’.
2. “La Madonna di San Simone” by Barocci on display at Palazzo Marino: Palazzo Marino’s annual Christmas masterpiece exhibition returns for 2024, showcasing Federico Barocci’s Madonna with Child and Saints Simon and Jude (The Madonna of St. Simon). On display in Sala Alessi from December 4 to January 12, 2025, the exhibit is free, with guides offering insights to visitors.
3. The 18th-century Neapolitan nativity scene at the Sforza Castle: The splendid traditional Neapolitan presepe by Giuseppe Sammartino, an 18th-century Neapolitan sculpture virtuoso, with characters and miniatures in cord and painted wood inspired by Neapolitan society of the age, is exhibited at the Sforza Castle.
4. Markets Spreading the Magic of Christmas: Milano’s festive markets add charm to the holiday season. The Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair returns from December 5th to 8th near Sforza Castle with 230 stands celebrating Milanese culture and St. Ambrose. The Piazza Duomo Christmas Market runs December 1st to January 6th, featuring 78 wooden huts and the Letters to Santa Claus initiative, with a display of the toys that can be chosen by children, alongside free school group visits to the Duomo and its terraces.
5. Children’s Christmas the day of St. Lucia: On December 13th, St. Lucia’s Day, children take centre stage in Milano’s Christmas celebrations with Walks of Light. These luminous parades, featuring children carrying candles and lights through their neighbourhoods, involve municipal nurseries, kindergartens, and private daycare centres, bringing festive joy to families and communities.
