Best Time to Visit Milan

Spring: green, changeable and lovely in April

March is cool and fairly dry, with grey mornings and a few bright afternoons. April is the sweet spot. Days are mild, and the parks and the Navigli canals (the old canal district, full of bars) come alive at aperitivo time. May is warmer but it's the wettest month, with rain on about half the days. Keep a compact umbrella in your bag.

Spring is also trade-fair season. Salone del Mobile, the huge furniture and design week, usually takes over the city in April. Hotels fill up and prices jump, so if you only want sightseeing, pick another week.

Summer: hot nights, empty streets in August

June and July are bright and warm. July is sunniest, with long evenings that suit a walk around Sempione Park or a rooftop view of the Duomo. Afternoons can feel sticky because Milan sits in a flat river basin, so plan the Duomo roof and museums for the hottest hours.

August ties with July as the hottest month, at the same highs and lows. Many locals leave for the coast around Ferragosto (the 15 August holiday). Some small restaurants and shops close for a week or two. You get quieter streets, but fewer places to eat. Want a lake day? Lake Como is a short train ride away and cooler by the water.

Autumn: the best all-round pick

September is warm, calmer and still fairly bright. Fashion Week returns in late September, which fills hotels and makes dinner tables hard to find. October is softer and golden, with more cloud and rain. It suits galleries, including The Last Supper, and long lunches with risotto alla milanese, the saffron rice Milan is famous for. Late October is a good time to visit if you like cosy cafés.

Winter: cold, grey and cheap

November is the wettest month overall, and it's gloomy, with little sun. December and January are cold, around freezing at night. Fog can hang about, too. Still, the Christmas markets near the Duomo and the opening night of the season at La Scala on 7 December bring a festive feel. Hotels are cheaper outside the holidays, and museums are quiet. If you don't mind a coat, this is the budget choice.

For a first trip, aim for April, June or September.