Practical tips on how to visit, buy the cheapest entrance tickets, and book the best tours to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting in Milan.
The Last Supper Museum in Milan may only be visited on time-slot reservation tickets and guided tours. It is essential to secure tickets or book tours in advance. Tickets sell out even in the low season so last-minute tickets are very rare. Once reservations are made, turn up at the Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie on time to swap vouchers for tickets. Then proceed to the museum and enjoy 15 minutes with one of the world’s most famous artworks. Follow the procedures carefully — there is little leeway in timing and tickets. (The early morning small group tour of six is expensive but saves some time.)
Top Practical Tips on Tickets and How to Visit Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan
Some basic tips on buying tickets or booking tours to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper painting in Milan, as well as how to proceed on the day of the visit include:
- Buy tickets as soon as possible at the official website.
- Book a Last Supper tour if preferred (or if no tickets are available). It is possible to book tours months in advance (but also often the only last-minute option).
- Turn up at the correct time.
- See below for a short description of the procedure on the day of the visit.
- Transportation options to get to the Last Supper Museum (Museo del Cenacolo Vinciano). The best way is a 20-minute walk from the Duomo, or use the tram and metro from further afield.
Buy the Cheapest Tickets to See Leonardo’s Last Supper
The cheapest tickets to see The Last Supper (Cencacolo Vinciano) in the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery complex in Milan without an expert guide are sold directly at the official museum website. Time-slot reservation tickets must be bought at least a day in advance. Reservations must be in the name of the person visiting the museum.
In case of cancellations, very rare, it is possible to buy tickets at the museum in the early morning. However, once the “Sold Out” sign is out, it is not possible to line up for tickets. No further tickets will be sold last minute on the specific calendar day even if there are further cancelations or ticketholders fail to turn up. Additional tickets for any other day are only sold online.
See Buying Tickets to See the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci in Milan for the process of buying tickets and when tickets become available at the official site. Basically, buy tickets as early as possible, if necessary check back frequently to see if tickets become available, or consider the more expensive tour option. A guided tour of The Last Supper usually adds value even for individual visitors who prefer to arrive prepared with their own information.
Booking Guided Tours to See the Last Supper in Milan in 2025
Only the Last Supper Museum (Cenacolo Vinciano Museum) sells tickets to see the famous wall painting. Many legitimate resellers, such as Get Your Guide, Tiqets, and Viator, are allowed to sell guided tours to see The Last Supper in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Such tours are of course more expensive than tickets only but have much higher availability and are bookable months in advance to ensure admission on a specific day.
The cheapest guided tours are the official tours, available several times per day. These are good value but like the tickets-only option fairly hard to book, especially in holiday periods and on weekends.
The cheapest basic tours are around an hour in total — including the process of obtaining tickets and the 15 minutes spent with the Last Supper. Guides generally explain the history of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Leonardo Da Vinci painted The Last Supper in the late 15th century for the Duke of Milan Ludovico Sforza. They also explain the wall painting’s miraculous survival despite damage during the Second World War, the restoration projects, and finer details to observe in the iconic painting, such as the expressions of the apostles, Leonardo’s trademark knot, and the reason the wet plaster fresco painting on the opposite wall survived in a better condition than Il Cenacolo. Guides are licensed and fully qualified so do ask questions.
More Value from Combination Tours in Milan
The basic Last Supper tours are the cheapest but some may find better value overall in longer tours that include further sights in Milan. A walking tour of Milan (including a visit to the Duomo) is popular but also further sights such as the Santa Maria delle Grazie church and monastery complex (free entry), La Scala opera museum, the Sforza Castle, and the Duomo roof.
When booking tours pay attention to exactly what is included. In some cases, the tour includes only the exterior of some buildings or admission tickets to a museum but no guided tour of the exhibition itself.
When is the Best Time to Visit the Last Supper Museum in Milan?
The best time to see the Last Supper is at whatever time slot a visitor manages to buy a ticket reservation (or book a tour). Tickets sell out even in the low season. Every group entering the museum consists of around 40 persons at any given time.
The timing of entrance (and exit) is strictly controlled so the flow of visitors is fairly constant. The light and air conditioning are similarly set so the time of day or season also makes very little difference to the atmosphere on the day of the visit.
If given the luxury of picking a time (rather than grabbing whatever timeslot remained available), it may be sensible to pick a time when the Santa Maria delle Grazie church or other nearby sights are open to visit before or directly after seeing the Last Supper.
→ Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month. Online reservations are essential following the specific Last Supper free tickets booking procedure. These free Last Supper Museum tickets are generally gone in 20 minutes.
Practicalities on the Day of Visiting the Last Supper Museum
On the day of visiting the Last Supper Museum in Milan, turn up on time at the ticket office. Identification is confirmed to exchange vouchers for personalized tickets. (The ID check is compulsory for both solo travelers and group members.)
Small bags must be left in lockers at the ticket office. Cameras and phones may be used inside the museum. (Large bags and hand luggage trollies are not allowed — book nearby storage online if needed.)
Line up outside the museum and enter at the given time. Go through a series of rooms and continue on as doors automatically open and close to regulate humidity.
Once inside the refectory, visitors have 15 minutes with The Last Supper before the group is ushered out again.
→ See What to Expect when Visiting the Last Supper Museum for a more detailed description of the procedure and walk through the museum.
Transportation to Visit The Last Supper in Milan
Getting to the Last Supper Museum in Milan is fairly easy. Walking from the center is a sensible option as visitors will pass many further sights. From the heart of Milan (Duomo di Milano or La Scala theatre), plan on 20 minutes without stopping en route. Hop-on Hop-off buses stop at the adjacent Santa Maria delle Grazie church — A UNESCO World Heritage site.
Public transportation is a great option too. Tram 16 (from near Milan Cathedral) stops right in front of the museum at the Santa Maria delle Grazie stop.
From further afield, the metro is fast. Conciliazione (line 1 / red) is the closest stop to the museum. Cadorna station (metro lines 1 or 2 / green) is only marginally further away.
More Tips on Milan Sights and Tickets
- Top Leonardo da Vinci Sights and Art to See in Milan
- The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci:
- How to Buy Tickets for the Last Supper,
- What to Expect when Visiting the Last Supper Museum,
- Tips on How to Buy Tickets or Book Tours for the Last Supper Museum — buy early or only guided tours are available,
- How to Get Free Tickets for The Last Supper and a step-by-step guide for booking free Sunday tickets,
- Booking Guided Tours of The Last Supper at GYG.
- Visit Chiesa di Santa Maria Delle Grazie — admission to the church next to The Last Supper Museum is free.
- Visit the Free San Maurizio Church — endless Renaissance frescoes in the “Sistine Chapel of Milan”
- Visit the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana to See Leonardo Da Vinci’s Musician Painting and the Codex Atlanticus.
- Visit the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci
- Milan Duomo Complex:
- Cheapest Public Transportation to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP).
- Book luggage storage in advance — close to transportation hubs is generally the better option.
- Book Last Supper Tours at Viator.
- Book Guided Tours for the Duomo, Last Supper, and other sights in Milano from Get Your Guide.
- Buy Admission Tickets for the Duomo and top sights in Milan from Tiqets.
- Buy Milan Guidebooks at Amazon.
