The L’Artigiano in Fiera – is craft fair – which is held annually in December in Milan’s Fiera complex on the outskirts of Milan in Rho.  Don’t let the mention of ‘outskirts’ put you off, as the Fiera site is easy to get to from Milan’s centre, and entrance is free.

L’Artigiano in Fiera craft fair is a great place for Christmas shopping, so if you are in Milan between the 5 and 13 December 2009, and have some spare time, go take a look.  At weekends it can become very busy, but as it closes at 10:30 pm, an after work trip is possible.

Last year’s edition of the L’Artigiano in Fiera craft fair attracted around three million people!  More information follows, and I’m posting about this now to give anyone interested plenty of warning.

Global Christmas Present Ideas

There is usually a myriad of stalls selling stuff from all over the word, not just Italian bits and bobs.

The prices are not frightening, but the choice can be bewildering! To help keep you going, you can stop for a bite to eat in one of the 48 restaurants which are open in the fair complex.

Opening Hours for 2009 edition

• Weekdays (9,10 and 11 December) from 3.00 pm to 10.30 pm

• Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (5,6,7,8,12 and 13 December) from 10.00 am to 10.30 pm

Easy to Get To

Milan’s Fiera exhibition centre can be reached via Milan’s red underground railway line. Here is a link to a .pdf map showing Milan’s urban rail network, both above and underground routes:  Milan Metropolitan Railway Network Map – (if the link should end up leading to nowhere, and if you have a minute, please let me know via a comment, and I’ll sort the problem out).

Red line trains, which run every 10 minutes or so, stop right at the Rho fair complex.

Simply get off the at the Fieramilano stop. Make sure you catch the train going in the right direction, or you may end up on the other side of Milan!  Do not take trains marked ‘Bisceglie‘, as they will also deposit you in the wrong spot.

If you do end up on the wrong line, get off at the Pagano stop, and look for trains marked ‘Fiera’ or ‘Rho’ – do not take trains which display wording which includes ‘Sesto’.

Note too that you will need a slightly more expensive metro ticket, as the fair complex is not considered to be within the main Milan zone.  As a rough guide, if the ticket you buy costs more than €1 your should be OK – just say ‘Ticket, Fiera’, and you should end up with the right ticket.

Buy two tickets, and you will not have to worry about buying a ticket for the return trip.

L’Artigiano in Fiera craft fair website

Here is the L’Artigiano in Fiera craft fair website: L’Artigiano in Fiera

Note this craft fair in your diary, or on your iPhone, Blackberry or whatever.

Real shopaholics might like to note that during the same period there is Milan’s atmospheric Oh Bei, Oh Bei  street fair which is held around Milan’s castle, some details of which can be found here:  Sant’Ambrogio and Christmas shopping in Milan

Happy shopping!

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