If you have booked a vacation rental in Milan and you are planning on seeing the main sights and attractions in the city while you are in the area, a visit to see da Vinci’s Last Supper is likely to be on your itinerary. As this is one of the most famous works of art in the world, something that almost everyone on the planet has seen an image of at least once in their lives, it attracts accordingly large amounts of attention and tourist crowds. Those wishing to visit, therefore, should keep in mind that there are rules when it comes to seeing this piece with your own eyes and that your trip should be booked well in advance. Here’s everything that you need to know if you want to visit the Last Supper while on holiday in Milan.
1. You Must Book Online, In Advance Of Your Visit
This is not the sort of attraction that you can visit on a whim – in order to protect a piece that has been in a state of decay almost since the moment it was created, the environment around the painting must be protected carefully and visitor numbers must be limited. In fact, visits to the Last Supper not only need to be booked in advance but there are other considerations to keep in mind as well.
- Booking opens as a slot every quarter, about a month in advance of the three-month booking period. Towards the end of September reservations open for November, December, and January; in December for February, March, and April; in March for May, June, and July; and in June for August, September, and October.
- A maximum of five tickets can be booked at any one time by a person and you may only book a total of ten tickets under your name in total in a calendar year.
- Booking is mandatory for all visitors over the age of one year old.
- You should be at the ticket office 30 minutes before your ticket entry time to guarantee entrance.
- Each ticket will have a name on it and you must have corresponding ID to prove that you are the ticket-holder.
- Full price tickets (for those 25 years of age and older) cost €15.00.
- Reduced rate tickets are offered to those from 18 years of age to 25 years and cost €2.00.
2. Not All Is Lost If You Can’t Book Well In Advance, However
If you didn’t get to book well before your holiday in Milan, you might still have a chance. Head to the site on each Wednesday at 12 noon and you will see the extra tickets that go on sale for the following week. If you’re lucky, you might be able to snag some for your trip!
3. There Are Free Tickets
Free tickets are available to:
- Those under 18
- School teachers (who can provide a statement from their school)
- Disabled people and an accompanying family member or caregiver
- Those who snag the special free tickets offered for the first Sunday of each month (like the extra tickets, these go online at 12pm on the Wednesday of the previous week)
4. Once You Get There, Follow The Rules
- Visits last 15 minutes for a maximum number of 35 people at a time, again for the protection of the artwork.
- Food, drinks, large bags, umbrellas, or other sizeable objects are absolutely forbidden from the space – after coming through the security checks at the entrance, you will find lockers where bulky bags or other items can be stored.
- Only guide dogs and certified therapy animals with medical documentation will be permitted.
- Smoking and e-cigarettes are not permitted in indoor or outdoor areas of the building.
- Mobile phones must be on silent mode and may not be used along the museum route or in the Refectory.
- You may not sit or lie down in the space, run around, or speak loudly.
- Professional photos or videos are not permitted without previous written permission. Flash photography, in general, is also not permitted.
- The Last Supper is located within a church and, therefore, you must dress accordingly - no shorts are allowed and shoulders and knees must be covered.