Epic Last Supper Experience

I can't tell you how to spend your money. We bought the regular mass-tourism product, and found it as good or better than the standard Sistine Chapel experience. I have to comment that the fresco is in such poor condition that I was a little disappointed. Unless you are an Italian Renasissance art scholar, I question whether you should pay a premium price for this.

There are certain number of deceitful tour products, especially those associated with high-demand locations that frequently sell out in advance. I suggest that your single post here is not enough research to ascertain that you are actually going to receive the kind of experience your OP describes.

While I was very satisfied with one "private tour" from another Trip Advisor RESELLER/PACKAGER/PAID ADVERTISER (I mean, in another country than Italy), I have a bad feeling about the actual words I read in your links. Who's to say that they don't just come in with your "private group" and the other 87 mass ticket buyers?? No personal experience in this case.

It's a dumb comparison, but it's quite common for companies to offer "guided tours" at Auschwitz without telling you that ONLY proprietary site-employee guides can conduct visitors within the actual KL site. But I wouldn't buy a private tour of the Borghese Gallery unless it was 100% clear to me that the guide was taking me inside the building and accompanying me around to see each work of art.

I did once take a high-priced group art festival tour that booked a "private visit" to San Marco in Venice, at night. They absolutely delivered on that, and I'm sure it was very expensive. Just our group of 20, for about half an hour.

It is up to you how you spend your money but we’ve seen the Last Supper twice, once before the regulated admittance and again more recently when only 30 people are allowed to be in the room with the art. I know it’s only for 15 minutes and then everyone is quietly ushered out while the sealed doors open and the next group comes in. I gave my group 5 minutes while I studied the fresco on the opposite wall and then when I turned back to approach the Last Supper wall the excitement had died down and I felt like I got my satisfaction of studying the work from one end to the other and many angles as I wanted. Thirty people in the fairly large room is nothing compared to the crush of the Sistine Chapel or a spot in front of the Mona Lisa in my opinion.

I admit I didn’t read all the way through this, but it might be useful: https://www.milan-museum.com/last-supper-private-tour.php

There are no 'throngs' of people at The Last Supper. For preservation reasons only a limited number of people are allowed in, after going through a 'drying' process in a special holding area.

Look at the "want to visit after hours' here https://cenacolovinciano.org/en/visit/#Suggerimenti to see if you qualify for something less public

Travel in February. Saying this because I and a guard were the only two people in the room.

The guard was speaking in low tones on her cell phone.

I got as close as humanely possible to view it. Was there for nearly 30 minutes. Sat on the bench. Looked up.

Firmly believe that Mary Magdalene is in the painting. My POV on De Vinci’s Last Supper.

Highlight of my visit to Milan.

EDIT: my ticket was through Viator.

John, I'm thinking all those tours do is provide the same timed-entry ticket for the Cenacolo Vinciano as you could get on your own; no more than the allowed limited-capacity of 35 at a time, and time allowed inside limited to 15 minutes. The tours include a lot of additional stuff so I'd only book them if interested in what those things are. If you are thinking you'll see the fresco for longer than 15 minutes and/or nearly alone, I'd contact the companies for exact details. LivItaly's tour is sort of evasive about the Cenacolo experience, and Eyes of Rome states that, "We take care of booking Last Supper tickets.". I'm 99% sure those are the same tickets you can book on your own.

https://cenacolovinciano.vivaticket.it/index.php
https://cenacolovinciano.org/en/

Hi everyone. Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I can feel you all wanting me (and my wife) to have a great experience and we will! :) Kathy, it's funny, I just read your comment and it's well-timed because that's the conclusion I had I just come to. I did discover in my research I could go after hours for like 1000 euros but. it's likely not worth it. And unfortunately, I don't have Brad Pitt's budget.

Thanks again everyone!

P.S. Claudia, wow, that must have been a transformative experience. We're headed to Europe Sept/Oct but I'm thinking one year we should travel in winter and experience the wonder of solitude!

LOL, John. Are you sure you didn't mean Tom Hanks, of "The Da Vinci Code", instead of Brad Pitt?

hahaha yeah I suppose Tom Hanks would have been more topical but Brad tends to be my go to when comparing myself to a celebrity. Perhaps I should stop the comparison.

I like Tom better. :O)

Yeah, he seems nicer. Loved him in Castaway... but we digress...

Maybe I should have compared myself to Jason Momoa? haha.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/15/entertainment/jason-momoa-apology-sistine-chapel-trnd/index.html