Milan - Prepare

Bring an empty suitcase and fill it with designer fashion splurges and bargains. Forget the diet – eating out is a Milanese passion. Just soak up Italian city life at its powerhouse best.

Welcome in New Year at the Parade of the Three Wise Men in January, go carnival-crazy at Carnavale Ambrosiano in February and enjoy Festa del Naviglio's torchlight processions in June. Dress to kill during Milan Fashion Week in September, and in December, celebrate Milan's patron saint at the Fiera degli 'Oh bej Oh bej' Christmas market.

New Year's Day (1 Jan), Epiphany (6 Jan), Easter Monday (Mar/Apr), Liberation Day (Apr), May Day, Republic's Day (Jun), Assumption (15 Aug), All Saints' Day (1 Nov), Feast of the Patron Saint (7 Dec), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (8 Dec), Christmas Day (25 Dec), St Stephen's Day (26 Dec).

Enjoy a pleasant, mild spring and autumn thanks to Milan's Mediterranean climate. Summers are dry and warm, averaging 24°C in July. If it gets muggy, head to the parks and lakes as the locals do. In winter expect rain, but 4°C in January is usually as low as it gets.

230V AC, 50Hz, two-pin plugs are standard.

+39 (national), 02 + 8-figure number (Milan).

Euro (€) is the currency.

GMT +1 (GMT +2 in summertime).

Milan Tourist Information website

The French may do chic, but the Italians do style, style and bags more style like no-one else. Milan is the fashion powerhouse of the world so deck yourself out in Armani, Prada, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, and any other designer whose name ends in a vowel.