Making reservations for my family for the Last Supper first week of July. Can anyone give any insight as to when the best time of day the crowds/lines might be the lightest? Will we actually get in to see the Last Supper at the reservation time or is that the time you line up and wait to get in? Is it worthwhile (less waiting time) to go later in the day (after 4pm) at a discounted rate? Thanks.

In my opinion the best time to avoid the lines should be after 4 pm. The Last Supper is located in a wide room where only 25 people at a time can go (there is a very sophisticate and sensitive device that checks the temperature of the room, so they avoid large crowds clustering in the room)and you are allowed to see the painting just for 15 minutes.
There is always a long line outside so be prepared to wait, and I suggest that you get there in advance.

Hi

My wife and I went to Milan last year and we did see the Last Supper. And as Batuffolina says people are let into the room in groups. So there was not that much waiting around for us. I have posted more information in a trip report with lots of pictures on my personal homepage www.gardkarlsen.com Maybe you can find some useful information there. Have a great trip

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway

The beauty of the reservation is that you don't wait in line. You do have to arrive 30 minutes before your allotted time. You may be in a small queue with the other ticket holder with your time slot, but in my experience you wait in the small lobby indoors while you are also getting the audio sets. The actual viewing is quite strictly timed, so there isn't any lag between groups, you pretty much get in exactly at your slotted time. I think the line outside is for people who have not made a reservation and are hoping to get in due to no-shows or cancellations of people with reservations.

As you won't be waiting in line more than 15 minutes, IMO there isn't any advantage to going earlier or later. I would make your reservation for whatever time works best for your schedule. If this were my trip, I would make a reservation for the morning, that way you do to that first, and you won't feel rushed later in the day if you would be trying to work your sightseeing schedule around having to be at the convent 15 minutes before your scheduled viewing time.

It is a very nice walk over or back (or both) from the Duomo area to the convent, about 20-30 minutes depending on your pace, and there are a few museums on the way. The church of the convent is also worth a look.

I was not aware that there was a discount for later times. Are you booking through a commercial service, or have you called the church directly to make a booking? The church in which the painting is located is called Santa Maria delle Grazie. Booking via the church directly costs €8 and there is no discount after 4 pm (I just spoke to the operator and asked). I see some commercial websites charging €15 or more for tickets. Do yourself favour and call the church yourself. To book, phone: 39-02-894-21146 (Mondays-Fridays 9.00am-6.00 pm, Saturdays 9.00am-2.00pm Milan time, which is on Central European Time, i.e. 6 hours ahead of EST) The English-speaking operator will give you a code number for the time and date of your visit. You can then collect and pay for tickets on the day of your visit, at least half an hour before the scheduled time.

Thanks to all for useful information. I can always count on this website for help. I will call the church directly and book it for the morning. Does anyone know the best way to get there from the Milan Marriott?