Tips · Italy
Milan in Spring: What to Prepare for March to May
April (about 17°C) and May (about 22°C) suit walking in Milan. March-May normals, packing, Last Supper booking, transport, budget and a checklist.
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The short answer
With average highs of about 17°C in April and about 22°C in May, Milan is good for exploring on foot. March is still cool, with average highs of 14°C and lows of 4°C.
The first thing to sort out for a spring trip is the Last Supper. Every ticket, including free ones and infants, must be booked, and tickets are released three months at a time, so check the official sales calendar as soon as your dates are set. If you plan to add Lake Como, the Italian tourism board names April to the end of September as the best time for a day in Como.
March-May weather at a glance
Source: WMO World Weather Information Service — Italian Air Force Department of Meteorology; station: Milan (WMO city data); period: 1971–2000 normals. Figures are rounded, and each line shows average high / average low / monthly precipitation.
From March to May, average highs climb from 14°C to 17°C to 22°C and average lows from 4°C to 7°C to 12°C. Monthly precipitation is 65 mm in March, 76 mm in April and 96 mm in May.
- March: 14°C / 4°C / 65 mm
- April: 17°C / 7°C / 76 mm
- May: 22°C / 12°C / 96 mm
What to wear
March means highs of 14°C and lows of 4°C, so bring a warm coat. April runs from 7°C in the morning to 17°C at midday, so a light jacket and layers work best. In May, with highs of 22°C and lows of 12°C, one light outer layer is enough.
Monthly precipitation is 65 mm in March, 76 mm in April and 96 mm in May, so pack a folding umbrella. The Italian tourism board describes Milan as a city made for long walks, so wear shoes you can walk in all day.
Bulky luggage, food and drinks are not allowed in the Last Supper museum. The ticket office has a few free lockers for the length of the visit (max 60 minutes), so leave bags at your hotel that day.
Good to know in spring: hours, sights and events
Check each sight's official information before you go to see whether its opening hours change in spring. Officially, the Last Supper opens Tuesday to Sunday 8:15-19:00 (last entry 18:45) and the Pinacoteca di Brera Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-19:15 (last entry 18:00); both close on Mondays. The Pinacoteca di Brera also closes on 1 May. Check Castello Sforzesco hours and prices on the official site (milanocastello.it).
There are good places to spend time outdoors, too. Behind the castle, Parco Sempione was laid out in 1890 as a 47-hectare English-style park. The Naviglio Grande and the Naviglio Pavese branch off from the Darsena, the old dock, and a cycle path follows the Naviglio Pavese all the way to Pavia. The Italian tourism board suggests exploring the canals on foot or by bike.
Some days repeat every month. A craft market is held in Brera on the third Sunday of every month, the Pinacoteca di Brera is free on the first Sunday of each month (booking required), and the Duomo Museum is free on the last Sunday of every month from 27 September 2026, 10:00-19:00 (booking opens the Tuesday before). Check the official information for other spring events and festival dates before you go. Check official info around Easter, as it can get busy.
Planning a spring itinerary
Milan suits 2 to 3 nights. The day-by-day route, split into the Duomo and Brera, the Last Supper and Castello Sforzesco, and Lake Como, is in the how-many-days post and the Milan travel guide, so this section only covers what to keep in mind for a spring trip.
- Last Supper tickets: released three months at a time (in December for February-April, in March for May-July). Extra tickets for the following week go on sale online every Wednesday at 12:00. Tickets are named, cannot be changed or refunded, and you lose your entry if you are not at the ticket office 30 minutes before.
- Match the weekdays: the Pinacoteca di Brera on Day 1 and the Last Supper on Day 2 both close on Mondays, so avoid Mondays for those two days. The Pinacoteca di Brera also closes on 1 May.
- Lake Como: about 1 hour by train. Boat timetables change by season and sailings may be suspended in bad weather, so check official info before you go.
- Brunate funicular: runs daily 6:00-22:30 (until midnight on Saturdays and in summer).
- Free days: the Pinacoteca di Brera on the first Sunday and the Duomo Museum on the last Sunday of each month. Both need booking.
Airport, city transport and budget
According to the airport, the Malpensa Express links T1-T2 with Milano Centrale, leaving Centrale from 5:25 to 23:25 and the airport from 5:09 to 22:09, every 30 minutes. You can tap a credit or debit card at the gate; check official info for the fare. Four bus operators run between Milano Centrale (Via Sammartini) and the airport, together about every 20 minutes, and a taxi to anywhere in Milan is a fixed EUR 114. If you arrive at Linate, take metro line M4.
The centre is easy on foot: Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria, Brera and the Castello Sforzesco are close to one another. ATM lists a 90-minute ticket at EUR 2.20, a 24-hour ticket at EUR 7.60, a 3-day ticket at EUR 15.50 and a 10-trip carnet at EUR 19.50. With a contactless card the daily fare applies from the fourth journey of the day. On the metro, tap in and out with the same card; contactless does not work on S lines or rail services.
Sample admissions: Last Supper EUR 15 (ages 18-25 EUR 2, booking required), Grande Brera (Pinacoteca di Brera + Palazzo Citterio) EUR 20, Duomo guided tour (Cathedral, Archaeological Area, Rooftops) EUR 35. Accommodation is most of the budget, so compare prices for your dates on booking sites. Hotel and food costs vary a lot by date.
Pre-departure checklist
Go through these points one by one before you leave.
- Last Supper: book when your dates go on sale, and be at the ticket office 30 minutes before your slot
- Weekdays: the Last Supper and the Pinacoteca di Brera close on Mondays; the Pinacoteca di Brera also closes on 1 May
- Clothes: a warm coat for March, layers for April, a light outer layer for May, plus a folding umbrella and comfortable shoes
- Transport: use the same card or device for the whole contactless journey, and always tap out on the metro even if the gates are open
- Lake Como: check boat timetables and sailings in the official info before you go
- Events and Easter: check dates and opening with the official information before you go
- Entry requirements: check official information for visas, ETIAS and so on before travel
- Safety: check your government's current travel advice for Italy
Plan your Milan trip
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FAQ
When in spring is best for Milan?
Average highs of about 17°C in April and about 22°C in May make both good for walking. March still has highs of 14°C and lows of 4°C, so bring a warm coat.
What is the weather like in Milan from March to May?
In normals of average high / average low / monthly precipitation: March 14°C / 4°C / 65 mm, April 17°C / 7°C / 76 mm, May 22°C / 12°C / 96 mm.
When do spring Last Supper tickets go on sale?
Tickets are released three months at a time: in December for February-April and in March for May-July. Extra tickets for the following week go on sale online every Wednesday at 12:00.
Where can I check spring festival and Easter dates?
Check the official information before you go. Check official info around Easter too, as it can get busy, and remember that the Pinacoteca di Brera closes on 1 May.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Lake Como from Brunate · Łukasz Pojezierski / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Darsena · Nelson Pérez / CC BY-SA 3.0