In Milan, December brings an average high of 7.9°C and a low of 1.2°C, with rain falling on about 8 days of the month. Daylight on December 15 runs to 8 hours and 44 minutes, shrinking toward the year's shortest day on the 21st. It's Milan's least sunny month and one of its coldest, so December suits travellers who want a quiet, indoor-leaning city break around the Duomo rather than long days outdoors.
December in Milan at a glance
- Temperature
- Average high 7.9 °C, average low 1.2 °C — the 11th warmest month of the year.
- Rain
- 8 days with at least 1 mm, 70 mm in total — the 11th wettest month by rain days.
- Sunshine
- The least sunny month of Milan's year (relative ranking — modelled data overstates absolute hours).
- Daylight
- 8 h 44 min on December 15 (8 h 56 min on the 1st, 8 h 46 min on the last day); the shortest day of the year is December 21 (8 h 42 min).
- Crowds
- Quiet: visitor nights in the region run at 0.7× an average month. Busiest month August, quietest January (Eurostat, 2022–2025).
- Verdict
- The best months for Milan are April, May, June, September, October; December is for travellers who don't mind the cold.
- Source
- ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2016–2025 averages; daylight computed for the city's latitude; crowds from Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation (region by month).
What Milan is like in December
Milan cools noticeably from November to December: the average high drops from 12.2°C to 7.9°C, though rain days ease slightly, from 11 to 8. January that follows is only a touch colder at 7.7°C but drier still, with 7 rain days, so December sits in the middle of Milan's chilly, damp stretch. It's also the least sunny month of the year here. Nearby, Genoa stays milder at 12°C with 11 rain days, Como is a bit warmer at 9.5°C with 7 rain days, and Turin is close to Milan at 7.6°C; up in Zermatt, highs barely clear 0.8°C with 13 rain days.
December in Milan centres on the Immaculate Conception on the 8th and the Christmas period, with Christmas Day and St. Stephen's Day on the 25th and 26th; school holidays in Germany, the Netherlands and France overlap from around 19–20 December into early January, bringing more visitors from those markets. Even so, the wider region's visitor nights run at 0.7 times an average month, well below the August peak, so Milan feels comparatively quiet outside the holiday dates. With 0 days reaching 30°C and plenty of damp, grey afternoons, this is a month for museums, galleries, cafés and the Duomo's interior rather than lingering outdoors, with evenings best spent indoors over long dinners.
Flights to Milan in December 2026
| From | Lowest fare found |
|---|---|
| London | €16 |
| Paris | €17 |
| Berlin | €20 |
| Amsterdam | €67 |
| Stockholm | €21 |
| New York | €243 |
Lowest fares found in recent flight searches (Aviasales), collected 10 November 2026. A guide to price level only — fares change daily and may not be available when you search.
Where else to go in December: warmest, driest and least crowded cities →
Where to stay in December
Holidays in December 2026
- 8 Dec
- Immaculate Conception — public holiday in Italy
- 25 Dec
- Christmas Day — public holiday in Italy
- 26 Dec
- St. Stephen's Day — public holiday in Italy
- Germany
- School holidays 19 Dec – 12 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- Netherlands
- School holidays 19 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
- France
- School holidays 20 Dec – 3 Jan (dates vary by region) — expect more visitors from there.
December in nearby cities
The numbers side by side
Tips for December
- Pack a warm coat, scarf and waterproof layers for highs of 7.9°C, lows of 1.2°C and around 8 rain days out of the 70 mm that typically falls.
- Make the most of the short 8 hours and 44 minutes of daylight on the 15th by starting sightseeing early, since the shortest day of the year falls on the 21st.
- Book ahead for the stretch around Immaculate Conception (8 Dec) and Christmas (25–26 Dec), when German, Dutch and French school holidays also overlap from 19–20 December.
- For a notably milder, equally rainy alternative, Genoa sits 119 km away with a 12°C high and 11 rain days in December.
Hotels in Milan
See live prices and availability for stays in Milan on a major booking site.
Frequently asked
Is Milan worth visiting in December?
Yes for travellers who like quiet, indoor-friendly city breaks; December isn't one of Milan's computed best months (April, May, June, September and October hold that title), but its holiday dates and relatively low crowd levels, 0.7 times an average month, suit a low-key visit.
How cold is Milan in December?
The average high is 7.9°C and the average low is 1.2°C, with 0 days reaching 30°C or more and 0 nights staying at 20°C or above.
Does it rain a lot in Milan in December?
Rain falls on about 8 days, totalling around 70 mm — fewer rain days than November's 11, though slightly more than January's 7.
How many hours of daylight does Milan get in December?
About 8 hours 44 minutes on the 15th, narrowing to the year's shortest day, 8 hours 42 minutes, on the 21st.
More on Milan
Sources
- Open-Meteo historical weather API — December climate normals for Milan, 2016–2025 averages (ERA5 reanalysis, CC BY 4.0)
- NOAA solar calculation method — daylight computed for Milan's latitude (sunrise to sunset, standard refraction)
- Nager.Date — public holidays in Italy, December 2026
- OpenHolidays API — school holidays in the main source markets, December 2026
- ReasonStay methodology — how figures are computed and checked
An independent guide to Milan in December — every figure computed from open data, no invented numbers. Booking links are affiliate links (how we're funded).