how to get cheap-ish tickets to see da vinci's the last supper in milan

A copy of The Last Supper.

If you are a fan of Leonardo da Vinci, a visit to see The Last Supper in Milan is a must. If you are a fan of Dan Brown's book, "The Da Vinci Code," a visit to see The Last Supper in Milan is a must. If you have nothing better to do while in Milan, a visit to see The Last Supper is a must.

Unlike the Duomo, which is free to visit (although there are fees to visit the terrace and the archaeological area), the privilege of viewing The Last Supper (for 15 minutes at most) comes with a hefty price.... unless, you plan well in advance. You can view this masterpiece only if you have a ticket. If you can't get a ticket as described below, you may still be able to behold this great work if you pay for a tour... at a significantly higher price. There are lots of places where you can get a tour if you search the interwebs. This post will focus on getting tickets at the cheapest price you can get to view The Last Supper, i.e., buying it through official channels.

First, once you know when you might be in Milan, go to the official website. Click on the tab "Further Details" to see when tickets will go on sale (if it hasn't already) for the period you plan to be in Milan. Ideally, you should do this at least 4 months in advance. 

Second, put the date when tickets go on sale for the period you plan to be in Milan in you calendar. Give yourself a reminder. Keep in mind Italy's time zone when setting your reminder.

Third, once you know when you will definitely be in Milan and when tickets will go on sale for the period you plan to be there, go back to the official website. Click "Buy" to check out which dates and times work for you. Then, register for an account. You will need your passport and a credit card. If you want, you can buy an audio guide, which you need to purchase separately from the ticket (but during the same transaction). Make sure your audio guide ticket has the same date and time as the actual ticket to view The Last Supper. Once you get your receipt, keep it and take it with you when you finally get to Milan. 

Ideally, buy your tickets at least three months in advance if you plan to visit in the high tourist season. For a visit during the winter, I have seen tickets still available in the same month I checked the website. But, the dates and times were much limited than for tickets available three months in advance. Earlier this month, I checked the website for dates in April, May and June and found no availability. So, act fast.

The damage by following the steps above? As of this writing, I paid a total of €11.50 (€6.50 for the ticket, €1.50 for the advance purchase fee and €3.50 for the audio guide). In contrast, these are the tours from Viator and other places I saw on the web here and here.

With just a little advance planning, you can save your money for other things while still being able to bask in the beauty of The Last Supper.

Just a couple quick notes, about your visit: 

• It is fairly easy to get to the Cenacolo Vinciano (the location of The Last Supper). I took the Metro (€1.50 one way). When I exited the station, I just followed the signs to Cenacolo Vinciano. But, this website has good directions. 
• You are prohibited from taking pictures of The Last Supper.

Have you seen The Last Supper in person? What are your thoughts?