Our Son is doing an exchange at Bocconi, this fall.
We will probably go with him, to get him settled.

My wife has a problem with heat.
I have a problem with pollution.
But I assume that the Milan factories shut down then?

The hotels are dirt cheap then.
But how much of a problem will heat and pollution be then?

Hi guarantor, although I love Milan (not everyone does) do be aware that August is soooo hot in Italy. And humidity is terrible too.

And, I am just full of good news am I not, the pollution is so bad in Milan that the medical society about six months ago stated that spending a day in Milan is the same as smoking a pack of cigaretes.

Of all the months August is the very worse time to be in Milan.

Is there anyway, because of your wife's and your problems with heat and pollution, that your son can get himself settled in and then you two go to Milan when the weather is better?

I assumed that Milan pollution wouldn't be too bad in late August, because of the holidays - there would be a lot fewer cars in the city, and the factories would be closed ??

But given your comments about the heat and humidity, I guess the pollution concern is a moot point.

Unfortunately late Aug is the only time we can visit, until the late spring. So... I am thinking that we will play it by ear. If things get ridiculous in Milan, we will simply leave for destination X. The beauty of the internet is that I am sure we can find a last-minute no frills flight and a hotel package elsewhere in Europe.

Even if worse comes to worst, you do not have to leave Italy. The Lakes region in northern Italy, not more than an hour or two from Milan, is untouched by pollution and, in my experience, untroubled by humidity -- I think it all blows away over the water.

Milan is horribly polluted. Milan does have things worth seeing, and I spent several days there more than 30 years ago, seeing some of the major sites. Since then I've avoided spending much time there. I can't stand pollution either.

When you're not engaged in the work of settling him in, maybe you can escape the city and go to interesting smaller cities quite nearby, such as Bergamo, Vigevano, Cremona, Pavia, the towns on Lake como, etc. It will be hot, and there will still be pollution from cars in most of these places, but it will be far less polluted than Milan.

To be honest, the kid is quite capable of settling in by himself. It's really an excuse to see Milan and a bit of Europe.
I was intrigued with the hotel prices, around that time. For example, the 4 star Century Una is going for less than $100, and looked like it would be a great base. But it sounds like it's not a deal at any price, given the climate and pollution.

We considered spending a lot of time up around Lake Como, but the prices are sky high during the last 2 weeks in Aug.

My wife is anxious to get him settled, regardless. So I think we will make it an abbreviated trip, and leave asap for somewhere more agreeable.

Thanks for confirming my concerns.

G

You might really enjoy some of the nearby towns--not necessarily just on the lakes.

Hello guarantor, the hotel rates in Milan are very low because of the weather/pollution problem.

And areas such as Lake Como are high as anyone that can either heads to the mountains, the lakes or the seaside during August.

Just a question. Since you say that it will not be a problem for your son to get settled in is there a possibility that you could visit him, and other parts of Europe say around the end of September/early October?

However, Italy, as so much of the world does not seem to have typical weather patterns anymore. It is almost impossible to rely on what the weather conditions will be.

Rather like in the USA. The Pacific Northwest has hardly had any rain, the northeast has had terrible weather etc.
A changing weather climate.

I sure hope you and your wife get something worked out.

We both teach. So late Aug/early Sept is the only time.
And, we don't wish to spend Chritmas in Milan.
And can't do it in between.
We will all go over to Italy in late Aug,
Drop him off in Milan.
And play it by earfrom there.