Sant’Ambrogio and Christmas shopping in Milan – Updated!!
Every year in Milan there is the Sant’Ambrogio holiday on the 7th December. Sant’Ambrogio is the patron saint of Milan and to celebrate the day dedicated to the Milanese Saint there is the ‘Oh Bei, Oh Bei’ mercatino.
‘Mercatino’ literally means ‘little market’ whereas in actual fact the street market held near the Sant’Ambrogio church should really be called a ‘mercatone’- which is ‘big market’, for that is what it is.
Milan’s Oh Bei, Oh Bei Fair
Salami a Go Go
A number of streets around the Cattolica University were crammed with stalls selling all sorts of goodies, both edible and not so edible, the market is now surrounds the Castello, which is at the end of Via Dante.
You will find the ‘porchetta’ sandwiches – which are made with pork, only this pork has been embellished with certain spices and tastes very good. You can also munch on the calorific round and flat pieces of dough, called frittelle which are deep fried in oil and then rolled in sugar. Yummy, but not good for diets. There are also stalls selling antiques, paintings and many other bits and bob and trinkets.
Christmas Present Ideas
The market itself is worth wandering around as it is a feast for the eyes and it also provides an opportunity to pick up a few presents and other things for Christmas. The only problem is that the area used to become absolutely packed with inquisitive people, but it was well worth the battle with the crowds in my opinion. This year the area may not be so crowded due to the move to the zone around the castle, which should mean the crowds have a little more space to circulate. Usually at this time of year the cold is starting to bite and everyone is dressed up in heavy winter coats to keep the cold at bay. Not this year though. This year the real cold has yet to make an appearance, indeed the news today carried a piece about the absence of snow in the Alps, unless you go above 2500 metres.
Oh Bei, Oh Bei, Milan
Anyway if you happen to find yourself in Milan on the 7th of December, wander on down to the Castello area and do some serious browsing around the street market. It’s worth it. Oh and if it is cold, and even if it is not, order a ‘cioccolato con panna montata’ from any nice looking bar that takes your fancy. If you like chocolate, you will like this!
I should also add that Milan is a great place to do your Christmas shopping too. There is a wonderful variety of shops and plenty of places which do presenty things in the centre of town – there is a good shop in Corso Matteotti, which is near Piazza San Babila. I don’t know the name, but it is on the left hand side of the road as you walk up Matteotti with your back to Piazza San Babila.
L’Artigiano in Fiera – Craft Fair
There is also the L’Artigiano in Fiera – Craft Fair – which is held annually in the Fiera complex which can be accessed easily from the red metro line. Get off at the Amendola Fieramilanocity stop. Entrance to this fair is free and it only runs from 2nd to the 10th of December. It is a great place to find Christmas prezzies as 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 is!You can usually find some nice food in the restaurants which are open in the fair complex.
Have fun!
