MIL:
Oh Bej! Oh Bej! - Milan's Centuries-Old Christmas Market That Outshines the Duomo

The scent of roasted chestnuts cuts through the winter fog as you turn the corner near Castello Sforzesco. Suddenly, you're transported to 1510 - the year Pope Pius IV sent sweets and toys to Milanese children, birthing what would become Oh Bej! Oh Bej!, Italy's oldest continuous Christmas market. In 2024, this carnival of nostalgia returns December 7-10, transforming the city's heart into a Dickensian dreamscape with a distinctly Milanese twist.

This year's edition features over 380 artisanal stalls sprawled across Foro Bonaparte, each more enchanting than the last. Don't miss:

• Master glassblower Sergio Rossi demonstrating 16th-century Venetian techniques
• The "Witches' Bakery" serving panettone flavored with medieval spices
• Living history actors recreating the original 1510 gift-giving procession
• A life-size nativity carved from Lombard walnut by fifth-generation artisans

But the real magic happens after dark, when 3,000 hand-painted lanterns illuminate the market and the Antiquariato Musicale ensemble performs carols on period instruments. Foodies flock to Trattoria del Tempo Perso's pop-up serving risotto allo zafferano with edible gold, while children queue for Babbo Natale's Workshop where they can forge (and keep) their own miniature Duomo from tin.

For U.S. Travelers: PrestigeFly's "La Scala & Legends" package combines Business class flights with holiday baggage allowance (think: fragile ornaments)

"The only place where 'authentic' still means something." - The New York Times