Do you want to spend New Year’s Eve 2026 in Milan, but have no idea how to organise your trip?
Here are our tips for spending a few days in Milan and celebrating the arrival of 2027. In this article, we’ll tell you:
- where to book a room or a flat
- how to organise your dinner or celebrations: there are no concerts or parties organised in the squares in Milan;
- what to do the day after New Year’s Eve, when almost everything in the city is closed!
Where to Stay for New Year’s Eve 2026 in Milan
Staying in a Hotel
If you want a relatively quiet night out and don’t have money problems, the best hotels in Milan certainly offer luxurious and comfortable, though not cheap, options.
Hotels such as the Bvlgari, Me Il Duca and Il Principe di Savoia have excellent restaurants. You will also be right in the centre of the city and, if you are tired, you will be in bed in a few minutes.
If you have a smaller budget, but still want the comfort of a hotel, there are many accommodations without a restaurant that suit you. You will, however, have to book dinner elsewhere (see below).
There is a third option that is cheaper and particularly suitable for groups of friends: renting a flat and eating at home (cooking or ordering on apps, more on that later).
All flats rented to tourists forbid the organisation of parties in them, but this only applies if you invite other people. If there are four, five, or six of you, you can of course celebrate New Year’s Eve without disturbing the neighbours.
Finally, staying in a hostel on New Year’s Eve could prove to be fun: you can make friends with other travellers and have a more adventurous evening.
What to do on New Year’s Eve in Milan
New Year’s Eve dinner at a restaurant
Many restaurants create special menus for the last dinner of the year, and in Milan they range from Italian to ethnic cuisine and very creative choices.
OnTheFork you will find a section of restaurants that allow you to book your special New Year’s Eve menu online, knowing in advance prices and all the details.
New Year’s Eve parties
In Milan, for some years now, there has been no concert in the square to celebrate New Year’s Eve. In general, open-air celebrations are not a frequent choice in the city, especially after some security and public order problems a few years ago.
However, nightlife is very lively in clubs and bars, with live music and DJ sets. The most popular discos and clubs are likely to be very crowded and charge higher prices than the norm, but this happens all over the world.
New Year’s Eve dinner at home
If you have rented a holiday home with your friends or relatives, you can celebrate New Year’s Eve with them by cooking or ordering dinner with international services such as JustEat or Deliveroo.
Or you can do your shopping in a supermarket: be careful, supermarkets often close earlier than usual on 31 December, around 6 or 7pm, in some cases even earlier.
And on 1 January many supermarkets are closed or open in the afternoon.
Don’t miss the Fireworks
As midnight approaches, the city lights up with fireworks. Various locations throughout Milan host spectacular displays that draw crowds ready to celebrate. These events are typically accompanied by celebrations in the streets, where people gather to share the excitement. If you want to experience the magic of New Year’s Eve, the fireworks in Milan are a must, adding a special touch to the night.
What about January 1st?
The day after the festivities, 1 January, many businesses and restaurants remain closed. It is therefore best to remember to stock up on food, as finding an open shop could be a problem.
The best thing to do is to walk around the city centre to appreciate it with little traffic. You will find plenty of people and you are sure to find some open cafés and bars. Some museums also organise special openings just for the first day of the year.