The Italian city of Milan has a Christmas market that takes over a public square for a time before December 25th. Milan is home to several Christmas markets worth checking out. The best Christmas market in Milan isn\u2019t centered just for the christmas day or the week around, but starts early in December – so you\u2019ll need to visit the city early in December to see it. The Christmas holiday festivities at Milan start around December 7th, the feast day of the city\u2019s patron saint, Sant\u2019Ambrogio.<\/p>\n
The market is called \u201cOh Bej! Oh Bej!\u201d which, in Milanese dialect, means \u201cHow beautiful! How beautiful!\u201d It used to be located around the Basilica Sant\u2019Ambrogio, in honor of Milan\u2019s patron saint, but it outgrew that space several years ago and it\u2019s now set up at the Castello Sforzesco. There are more than 400 stalls selling handicrafts, antiques, clothing, toys, and every type of food imaginable. It\u2019s an excellent place to pick up whatever Christmas gifts you need to complete your shopping list, and to sample some of the local winter treats like roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.<\/p>\n
There are other Christmas markets in Milan, too, that run later in December. At Piazza Sant\u2019Ambrogio, where there\u2019s usually an outdoor market year-round, vendors add a little holiday spirit to their stalls with Christmas treats and potential gifts. There are small Christmas markets in the Piazza Duomo and the Giardini Pubblici or the Public Gardens that usually last a bit longer, too, from early December through early January.<\/p>\n
Milan is a city that hosts trade shows throughout the year, and in December there\u2019s the L\u2019Artigiano in Fiera – which basically means Artisan Trade Show, and in practice is a big craft fair in Milan\u2019s convention center. It\u2019s free to get in, and you can shop at thousands of booths and check out a bunch of restaurants while you\u2019re at it.<\/p>\n