Are you wondering what to wear in Milan in Spring? In this guide we will tell you EXACTLY what to pack for Milan no matter if you are visiting Milan in March, April or May. This includes guidance on how to dress for the weather, dress codes as well as Milan special events in Spring.
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Weather in Milan in Spring
Spring in Milan is classified as March, April and May. March is technically the first month of Spring, but is also the coldest with the temperatures slowly rising as the season progresses.
How cold is Milan in Spring?
Generally speaking the average temperatures in Milan in Spring range from average lows in March of 7°C/ rising to average highs of a warm 23°C/ by the end of May.
IN March you will find there is definitely some overlap with the Winter capsule wardrobe for Milan while by the end of May you will definitely have some of your summer wardrobe on your packing list.
Note: if your visit covers two months be sure to check out our other Milan packing list guides:
Is it rainy in Milan in Spring?
Although March is the coldest of the Spring months it is also the driest. On average March only has 6 days of rain across the whole of the month while April and May have 8 days.
Note: if you are traveling to other cities and regions in Italy be sure to check out our other monthly guides:
- What to wear in Lake Como
- What to wear in Florence in Spring
- What to wear in Rome in Spring
- What to wear in Venice in Spring
- What to wear in Italy in Spring
- What to wear in Naples
- What to wear to the Amalfi Coast
- What to wear in Puglia
- What to wear in Cinque Terre
- What to wear in Positano
Does it snow in Milan in Spring?
Snow is not a common occurrence in Milan. There is a very remote possibility of snow in early march however generally speaking you will not see snow on your Milan Spring vacation.
Note: we always recommend checking the forecast at your destination(s) 7 days out from travel to make sure there are no expected weather fronts i.e. heatwaves or cold snaps.
How do local people dress in Milan in Spring?
No matter what time of year you are traveling to Milan you will find the locals dress very stylishly. In March you will see more coats and jumpers, while for April and May you will find people transitioning into their Spring capsule wardrobesincorporating more pastels and florals into your wardrobe.
Also it is worth noting that smart casual tends to be the most commonly seen attire in Milan among the locals especially when dining out in Milan. For more information on what to wear to dinner in Italy check out this post
Dress Codes in Milan
For most places in Italy there aren’t dress codes you need to worry about. However the main place in Italy you have to worry about dress codes is in Italian churches.
Church Dress Code
The Milan temperatures in March mean it is unlikely that you will be wearing strappy tops and short skirts. But you may be at the end of April and in May. So it is worth remembering that all Italian churches have dress codes that require modest outfits which means knees and shoulders should be covered.. Therefore be sure to have at least one outfit with you that covers shoulders and knees if you plan on going inside churches such as Milan Cathedral.
Restaurant Dress Code
Not many dress codes in Milan have strict and enforced dress codes. However you will find that locals do tend to dress in a smart casual fashion for dinner.
What to wear in Milan in Spring
Before we get onto the specifics of what to wear in Milan in Spring for women and men, we wanted to reiterate that we think it is a great idea to pack a capsule wardrobe. It means you are less likely to lose your luggage when traveling and prevents you from overpacking. For help in packing a capsule wardrobe check out these posts:
Best Shoes for Milan in Spring
But first we will turn our attention to shoes for Milan in Spring.
Sneakers
Sneakers in my opinion are the best shoe for city break in Italy. All Italy cities have cobbled stone streets and uneven surfaces. This combined with the amount of walking. And you will be doing lots of this in Milan as it is a city best explored on foot.
Sneakers cope well with cobbles, bridges and the uneven surfaces that you find in Milan as they have good soles and arch support.
My favorite brand of sneakers for walking are Hoka and AllBirds, however you also can’t go wrong with a plain white sneaker as they go with everything. One of my favorite pairs of white sneakers is the Adidas Cloud Foam shoes.
Ankle Boots or Sandals
Depending on the month of travel will depend on what your second shoe for Milan in Spring should be. In March, a boot is the most practical choice. However in May it is becoming sandal season. Whichever you pick just be sure that they have a good sole and arch support that can cope with Venetian cobbled stone streets.
Note: hiking boots are only necessary if you are going into the mountainous areas around Milan. Otherwise I would just stick with two pairs. The other being
What to wear in Milan in Spring for women
So what does a Milan Packing List for Spring look like? For women we recommend packing:
Jacket
Again depending on what month in Spring you are traveling to Millan will affect the jacket you should pack. For March we recommend a heavier weight jacket such as a puffer jacket. However by May you can get away with something much lighter such as a denim jacket.
Trousers
Trousers and pants are a great versatile pick for Milan. In March and April in particular jeans are a great pick. We just recommend picking smarter jeans such as black jeans or dark blue jeans that are more fitted or skinny jeans to be more in keeping with local style.
However towards the end of May you may want to pack some lighter trousers as well as jeans such as linen trousers.
Also you can never go wrong with a black pant for Italy.
Dresses and skirts
Short dresses and skirts are always on my what not to wear in Italy list because they do not comply with church dress code.
Instead we recommend dresses and skirts that are midi or maxi in length. You can never go wrong with a black dress in Italy however pastels and floral dresses are also very popular for Spring travel.
Click here to shop dresses for Milan
Layers
The month of travel will again determine the most appropriate layer and March will obviously need more layers than May. However we always recommend lots of lighter layers instead of chunky knits because they are easier to pack and layer.
We recommend having a cardigan, sweater and a hoodie for daytime sightseeing.
T Shirts
T Shirts are perfect for Milan in Spring. In Milan I would recommend having a mix of long and short sleeve tees but by May I would have largely transitioned to short sleeve ones.
And as always in Italy I recommend packing plain t shirts as opposed to highly graphic or slogan tees ones to be more in keeping with local styles.
Blouses
Loose blouses are perfect for Milan no matter what Spring month you are traveling. I personally love them for my Italian church outfit and also for restaurants.
Pashmina
A pashmina should be on your Milan packing list no matter the month you are visiting. They are great for cool evenings but also to make outfits more modest for churches. Click here to shop pashminas.
PJs or Nightie, Underwear and Socks
Goes without saying
Sunglasses
Milan can be a dazzling city in spring so be sure to pack a pair of sunglasses with good UVA protection.
What to Wear in Milan in Spring Packing List for Men
Alongside our regular men’s travel essentials we recommend adding the following items to your men’s packing list for Milan in Spring:
Jacket
The thickness is dependent on the month of travel with March requiring much thicker than May.
Chinos/Jeans
Jeans are great for daytime sightseeing in Milan, but as with advice for women visiting Italy, we recommend packing smarter and more fitted pairs to be more in keeping with the local style.
But on top of jeans men will also find chinos and dockers helpful.
Shop men’s travel chinos here.
T Shirts and Shirts
T shirts are great for days sightseeing. In March we recommend having a mix of long and short sleeves, but by May you are likely only going to need short sleeve t shirts.
Again, we advise packing plain coloured tees instead of graphic and slogan ones if you don’t want to look like a tourist in Milan.
And on top of t shirts you may also want to pack a button down shirt for use in more upscale restaurants.
Layers
A hoodie, jumper and sweater alongside the jacket are the perfect layers for 7 days in Milan.
Underwear
Goes without saying.
What to Pack for Milan in Spring (Non Clothing)
So now you know what to wear in Spring including the best shoes to pack, we will turn our attention to what to pack for Milan in Spring other than clothes.
- Backpack – for storing items on your day trips.
- Crossbody Bag – anti theft type as with any city it can have issues with pickpockets around main tourist attractions. Our favorite brand of travel purses is Travelon.
- Travel Adaptor for electronics – Italy uses the standard European plug so visitors from UK and USA will need an adapter to use their electronics.
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Sun Screen
- Lipbalm with SPF – Our favorite brand at the minute is sun bum.
- Toiletries – our essential travel toiletries list can be found here.
- Camera
- Charging Equipment
- Battery Pack
- Travel First Aid Kit
- Blister plasters
- Toiletries – for our essential toiletries packing list click here.
FAQs about our Milan Packing list
Do you need a coat in Spring in Milan?
You won’t likely need a thick coat for Spring. However a jacket is a great pick. For March something like a puffer is a good idea but by May the thickness will have reduced down to a denim jacket or trench.
Can you wear jeans in Milan?
You can wear jeans at any time you visit Milan. Just be sure for May you pick a lighter weight denim as the temperatures start to increase.
Should I pack swimwear?
If your hotel has a pool then we recommend packing swimwear especially if you are traveling in April or May.
Have you been to Milan in Spring? What did you wear? We would love to hear in the comments.