Late Day Tour is worth it!
Nancy_B, Aug 2021
Skip the Line: Leonardo da Vinci Walking Tour of Milan Including 'The Last Supper' Ticket
I observed since our tour time here is exact, then if you have to miss part of the tour, you can still meet up and join the tour to see the Last Supper.
The most memorable parts of our tour was seeing The Last Supper up close and the Duomo (our tour spots were changed because of a scheduling issue). We preferred seeing La Scala, the Duomo and The Last Supper in our tour, but enjoyed all the extra details about da Vinci.
Honestly, we booked this tour because it was one of the later ones in the day where we could still see the Last Supper. Our small group of 3 were all in the 60-70+ age group. We didn't have any major mobility issues so this tour worked for us.
Our tour guide was very knowledgable and provided interesting details about each location we visited. He spoke good English and was very nice. He even went above and beyond to help a family who had left a personal item behind.
Our tour was changed because of a scheduling issue with a venue so instead of all da Vinci locations, we saw La Scala, The Galleria, The Duomo, and The Last Supper. We actually preferred this lineup since we were only in Milan for less than a day. It was all wonderful and the only thing that I had issue with, was that since our tour was rescheduled, the App reminders were not. This created confusion.
Our updated tour was bumped up an hour (from 4pm to 3pm) which was only mentioned once in the original email about the change. From that point forward, all reminders from the App were for the original time (4pm) which conflicted with another tour we had already booked, so 4pm was the time we thought this tour began. During all our travels in Italy, noticing this important detail had escaped me.
At 3pm the tour company did call me and ask if we were coming, which we then had to cut our other tour short. Our other tour guide helped us quickly get to the Zani Viaggi visitor center where we found our tour group had already left. The helpful woman there gave us our receivers and earphones (and a map), then we set out to catch up to the group at La Scala (imagine a Keystone cops or Benny Hill clip). We weren't sure about where we were, but finally made it to La Scala after asking the locals and turned on our receivers. Sure enough, we heard our guide's voice and then they appeared across the street. He had stopped to wait for us and we joined the group. He was very gracious.
Once we were all together, we went inside La Scala and viewed all the interesting museum rooms, then the gorgeous lobby, the opera boxes and the grand stage. It was very hot and humid in the museum plus there are quite a few stairs to climb up and down which would be a challenge to any with mobility issues.
Next we went across the street to the da Vinci piazza, then on to the Galleria. Our tour guide explained all the architecture, the design and the artwork. Then onward to the Duomo and the square.
We waited for about 10 minutes as he went to get our Duomo tickets then he took us inside and gave us very interesting insights on the secrets, architecture and artwork in the Duomo.
We then walked through the square again but this time to a double-decker tour bus which whisked us to the site of the Last Supper(about a 10-15 min ride). We were able to plug in our earphones to bus recording and heard some interesting Milan history on the way.
Once at the church where The Last Supper is located, we waited for our time (the entrance times are EXACT) plus waited for some separated tour members to arrive then they divided us into two groups (15 people are the maximum per group) to go inside to see The Last Supper. I observed since our tour time here is exact, then if you have to miss part of the tour, you can still meet up and join the tour to see the Last Supper.
Note-you are REQUIRED to put your handbags and backpacks in a free locker(with lock) before you are allowed in. At that point it's all a bit harried to get a locker, stuff it and lock it, but the church is very strict about this. Phones and cameras are allowed inside. Then you are ushered into a waiting area for your tour time. Our tour was at the end of the day and we got to see some monks walking through the interior garden as we waited to go inside.
You are given 15 minutes per group to view the frescos and then you must leave before the next group is allowed inside. There's nothing wrong with this and they explain why. This part of the tour though, our guide is not allowed inside. Silence is required and no one can speak, so any insight about da Vinci's masterpiece will be through your own making. I didn't see any audio tour rentals available. It is air conditioned in this space, which was refreshing, and there are a few pews to sit and contemplate.
Upon leaving, I'd recommend BEFORE you go through the exit gates, your turn and go to the bookshop and toilets as there are no other bathrooms outside the gates (we went through the exit, but they let us back in when we asked).
Once outside the gates, you can go back to the cloak room to retrieve your bags from the locked lockers (remember your security lock code and locker number!) The tour is now over and you hand in your receivers to the guide then you are on your own to get wherever you need to go. There is a taxi stand a few blocks away where you can get a ride. If you had already purchased tickets on the double decker bus tour, then you can probably wait for the next bus since it is hop on/hop off.
It's a well run tour with friendly people, so don't hesitate to book it!
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