Milan's Most Important Trade Fairs: Complete Calendar
Milan is Italy's trade fair capital. From the legendary Salone del Mobile to EICMA, here's your complete guide to the city's major exhibitions at Fiera Milano Rho.
Fiera Milano Rho: The Venue
Most major trade fairs take place at Fiera Milano Rho, one of Europe's largest exhibition centres with 345,000 m² of covered space. Located in the western outskirts of Milan, it's easily reachable from San Siro via the Metro M1 (red line) direct to Rho Fiera station. For the full history, see our History of Fiera Milano guide.
Major Trade Fairs Calendar
🪑 Salone del Mobile / Milan Design Week (April)
The world's most important furniture and design fair. Over 300,000 visitors descend on Milan, and the entire city transforms with Fuorisalone installations in every neighbourhood. Book accommodation months in advance.
- When: mid-April (6 days)
- Visitors: 300,000+
- Type: trade + public days
🏍️ EICMA — International Motorcycle Exhibition (November)
The world's largest motorcycle and cycling show. Two-wheeled enthusiasts from across the globe come to see new models, concept bikes and accessories.
- When: early November (6 days)
- Visitors: 500,000+
- Type: trade + public days
🍽️ Host Milano — Hospitality Equipment (October, biennial)
The leading international hospitality trade fair covering catering equipment, food service, bakery, gelato, coffee and bar equipment. A paradise for hospitality professionals.
- When: October (every 2 years, next: 2027)
- Visitors: 200,000+
- Type: trade only
🏠 HOMI — Lifestyle & Interiors (January)
Focused on home accessories, fragrances, gifts and lifestyle products. A smaller, more intimate fair compared to the Salone.
📐 Made in Steel (May, biennial)
Southern Europe's most important steel conference and exhibition.
🎨 MiArt — International Art Fair (April)
Milan's main art fair featuring modern and contemporary galleries from around the world. Held at fieramilanocity (the smaller city-centre venue).
🧵 Milano Unica (February/September)
International textile fair — one of the world's key events for the fashion supply chain.
🎪 Artigiano in Fiera (December)
The world's largest artisan fair — crafts, food and traditions from over 100 countries. Open to the public, free entry. Perfect Christmas shopping.
- When: first two weeks of December
- Visitors: 1,000,000+
- Type: public (free)
💻 SMAU (October)
Italy's innovation and technology fair covering startups, digital transformation and smart cities.
2026 Autumn/Winter Fair Calendar
If you're visiting Milan in the second half of 2026, here are the major fairs to know about:
| Fair | Dates | Type |
|---|---|---|
| MICAM — International Footwear Exhibition | 13–15 September 2026 | Trade only |
| Milano Unica — Textile Fair | September 2026 | Trade only |
| SMAU — Innovation & Technology | October 2026 | Trade + public |
| EICMA — Motorcycle Exhibition | 3–8 November 2026 | Trade + public |
| Artigiano in Fiera — World Artisan Fair | Early December 2026 | Public (free entry) |
Note: Host Milano is biennial (odd years) — the next edition is October 2027. Dates may shift; always verify on the official Fiera Milano website before booking travel.
Allianz MiCo: Milan's Congress Centre
Not all events happen at Rho. The Allianz MiCo (formerly MiCo — Milano Congressi) is one of Europe's largest congress and convention centres, located in the CityLife / Portello area — even closer to San Siro than Fiera Rho. It hosts:
- International congresses: medical, scientific and industry conferences with thousands of delegates
- Corporate events: product launches, shareholder meetings, gala dinners
- Smaller trade fairs: specialised exhibitions that don't need the vast Rho complex
From our San Siro apartments, Allianz MiCo is reachable in about 10 minutes by metro (M5 to Portello) or even on foot in 20–25 minutes. This makes our location particularly strategic for congress attendees.
Complete Annual Fair Calendar
| Month | Major Fair(s) |
|---|---|
| January | HOMI (lifestyle & interiors), MIDO pre-show events |
| February | Milano Unica (textiles, first edition), BIT — Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (tourism) |
| March | MIDO (eyewear), Cartoomics (comics & pop culture) |
| April | Salone del Mobile + Fuorisalone (the biggest week of the year), MiArt (art) |
| May | Made in Steel (biennial), TuttoFood (food industry, biennial) |
| June | Smaller fairs, corporate events at MiCo |
| September | MICAM (footwear), Milano Unica (textiles, second edition) |
| October | Host Milano (biennial), SMAU (technology), SICUREZZA (biennial, security) |
| November | EICMA (motorcycles) |
| December | Artigiano in Fiera (artisan crafts — free, 1M+ visitors) |
Getting to Fiera Milano from San Siro
Our apartments offer an excellent base for fair visitors:
- Metro M5 to Lotto, then M1 direct to Rho Fiera: approximately 35 minutes door-to-door. During major fairs, trains run with increased frequency
- Trenord train from Milano Certosa: the suburban train station Certosa (reachable by bus from San Siro in 10 minutes) offers direct trains to Rho Fiera station — journey time about 12 minutes. Less crowded than the metro during peak fair hours
- By car: 20 minutes via the A4/A8 motorway, though parking at Rho is expensive (€15–20/day) and traffic during major fairs can be heavy
- Shuttle buses: available during major fairs from various city points — check the specific fair's website for routes
- For Allianz MiCo events: just take M5 to Portello (2 stops from San Siro) or walk 20 minutes
For more transport options, see our Milan public transport guide.
Why San Siro Is Strategic for Fair Visitors
Many trade fair visitors stay in hotels near Rho or in the city centre — both have drawbacks. San Siro offers a smart middle ground:
- Lower prices: during Salone del Mobile, city centre hotel rates triple or quadruple. Our apartments in San Siro offer consistent, reasonable pricing year-round
- Direct metro connection: the M1 line runs straight from Lotto (near our apartments) to Rho Fiera — no transfers, no confusion
- Space: a full apartment with kitchen means you can prepare breakfast and dinner at home — saving money and avoiding crowded restaurants during fair week
- Quiet evenings: after a long day on your feet at the fair, return to a residential neighbourhood rather than a noisy hotel corridor
- Close to MiCo too: for events at Allianz MiCo, our location is just minutes away — closer than most city centre hotels
Tips for Trade Fair Visitors
- Book accommodation early: hotels fill up fast during Salone del Mobile and EICMA — book 2-3 months ahead. During Design Week, even apartments in outer neighbourhoods get booked solid
- Wear comfortable shoes: Fiera Milano is enormous — you'll walk 10-15 km per day on hard floors. Trainers beat dress shoes, even for business meetings
- Arrive early: queues can be long, especially on public days. Arriving at opening time (9:00–9:30) gives you the most productive hours before the crowds peak
- Download the fair's app: most major fairs have apps with interactive maps, exhibitor lists and appointment schedulers — essential for planning your route through the vast halls
- Eat before or after: food inside the fair is expensive and crowded. Have a solid breakfast at home and eat dinner at a local restaurant near our apartments
- Bring business cards: even in the digital age, Italian business culture still values the exchange of physical business cards (biglietti da visita). Bring more than you think you'll need
- Buy a multi-day metro pass: if you're attending for several days, an ATM weekly pass (€17) is far cheaper than buying single tickets each day
Your Base for Milan's Trade Fairs
Well connected, comfortable and great value — our San Siro apartments are the smart choice for fair visitors.