The Last Supper

Whether Milan should be included on your list of cities to visit in Italy is a matter of debate, but if you’re one of those people who simply needs to see things like Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper, in person, you’ll go out of your way to get to Milan.

The enormous painting adorns one wall of a former dining hall in the monastery attached to the Santa Maria delle Grazie church in Milan, and unfortunately da Vinci’s experimentation with a new kind of fresco application has led to the painting deteriorating dramatically over the years since it was completed. Because of this, visiting The Last Supper (Il Cenacolo in Italian) isn’t just as easy as showing up and popping in on a whim. Admission is strictly limited to a certain number of people per day, and visitors must go through several sealed chambers before entering the room where the painting is. In fact, the dining hall itself has been converted into a climate controlled environment, with the windows bricked up and the entire room sealed, simply to preserve what’s left of da Vinci’s work.

Groups of no more than 25 people are admitted into the dining hall every 15 minutes (when, of course, the previous group is ushered out). Tickets are sold in advance, and even if you’re not visiting during the busy tourist season you’ll need to book well ahead of time - the calendar can (and does) fill up quickly.

Location: Santa Maria delle Grazie, Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2, Corso Magenta, Milano
On the subway, take the red line to the Conciliazione stop or the green line to the Cadorna stop.
On the tram, take line 24 to the Corso Magenta-Santa Maria delle Grazie stop.

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 08:15-19:00 (last admission 18:45)
Museum closed Mondays, January 1, May 1 and December 25

Guide Services: There are audioguides which are available in Italian, English, French, German and Spanish - €2.50 for one or €4.50 for 2. They last 15 minutes, the maximum amount of time visitors are allowed to remain in the dining hall.

Admission: €6.50 (plus €1.50 advance booking fee)
EU citizens age 18-25 and academics get a 50% discount, EU citizens under 18 and over 65 get in free.

Booking: You can call the booking line at 02.8942.1146 (country code 39), which is open from 09:00-18:00 most days, or you can book your ticket online from the official booking website.

By Jessica | Permalink

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