Santa Maria delle Grazie church is open Tuesday to Saturday 7 am–1 pm and 3–7:30 pm, and Sunday 7:30 am–12:30 pm and 3–9 pm. It is closed on Mondays. The Last Supper Museum (Cenacolo Vinciano) opens Tuesday to Sunday, 8:15 am to 7 pm (last entry 6:45 pm), also closed Mondays and on 1 January and 25 December. The church is free; the museum requires a pre-booked timed ticket.
The most common mistake visitors make at Santa Maria delle Grazie is assuming the church and the Last Supper Museum share the same schedule. They don’t — and confusing the two can cost you your entire visit.
This guide covers every opening time you need, the key differences between the church and the refectory, and exactly when to visit to get the most out of your time in Milan.
Top Tickets
# Last Supper Guided Tour
# Last Supper Semi-Private Tour
# Last Supper + Milan Guided Tour
The church operates on a traditional Italian schedule with a midday break. Entry is free and no reservation is required.
| Day | Morning | Afternoon / Evening |
| Tuesday – Saturday | 7:00 am – 1:00 pm | 3:00 pm – 7:30 pm |
| Sunday & Public Holidays | 7:30 am – 12:30 pm | 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Monday | Closed | Closed |
Important: The church may be closed or have restricted access during scheduled Mass times. If you arrive and find the doors shut during normal hours, this is likely the reason. Wait 15–20 minutes or return after the service.
The church and the Last Supper Museum have separate entrances. You cannot see Leonardo’s mural from inside the church. See our guide to what to see at Santa Maria delle Grazie to understand the full layout.
Quick tip: The church and The Last Supper Museum follow separate schedules. You can enter the church for free, but The Last Supper requires a timed ticket. Don’t confuse the two!
The Last Supper Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8:15 am to 7:00 pm. Last admission is at 6:45 pm. It is closed every Monday, on 1 January, and on 25 December. Only 35 visitors are admitted every 15 minutes, so you must pre-book a timed ticket — walk-ins are not accepted.
The Cenacolo Vinciano — the former refectory of the Dominican convent where Leonardo painted The Last Supper — runs on a strict timed-entry system. No walk-ins are accepted under any circumstances.
The museum operates with groups of 35 visitors every 15 minutes. Each group spends exactly 15 minutes inside the refectory. If you arrive late — even five minutes — you will lose your slot with no refund. Read how to book official tickets.
Book This TourThe ticket office is open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 am to 6:45 pm. This is where you activate your online booking — you must visit this counter before entering the refectory, even with an online ticket. If you booked through a guided tour operator, your guide typically handles activation. Still arrive at least 30 minutes before your slot.
Insider tip: If you’re visiting Milan just for a day or two, try to plan your Last Supper ticket around the church’s evening reopening (3 pm to 7.30 pm). That way, you can see the painting first and enjoy the church quietly afterward, or vice versa, without long gaps between the two.
Plan 15 minutes inside the Last Supper refectory, plus 30 minutes for check-in and security. The church itself takes 30–45 minutes to explore properly. For both together, allow 2 to 3 hours. If you add the Cloister of the Frogs and the side chapels, a full visit comfortably fills half a day.
| What You Plan to See | Time to Allow |
| Last Supper only (refectory + check-in) | 1 – 1.5 hours |
| Church interior only | 30 – 45 minutes |
| Both church and Last Supper | 2 – 3 hours |
| Full complex (church, museum, cloister, chapels) | 3 – 4 hours |
The best time to visit Santa Maria delle Grazie is on a Tuesday or Wednesday, in the 8:15–10:00 am slot or after 4:30 pm. These windows avoid the midday tour-group rush. For the church alone, visiting between 9 and 10:30 am or after 6 pm offers the most peaceful experience. April to early June and late September to mid-October offer the best combination of manageable crowds and pleasant weather.
Best time of day for the Last Supper: Book the earliest available slot (8:15 am) or a late-afternoon slot (4:30 pm or later). Midday slots from 11 am to 2 pm are the most crowded and feel most rushed.
Best days of the week: Tuesday and Wednesday see the fewest group tours and school visits. Avoid Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays when weekend tourist traffic peaks.
Best months: April to early June and late September to mid-October. Temperatures are comfortable (18–24°C), crowds are manageable, and light is ideal for photography inside the church.
Avoid: August (peak season) and the week between Christmas and New Year.
For a full breakdown by month and slot timing, see our dedicated best time to visit Santa Maria delle Grazie guide.
Beyond the regular Monday closure, the museum closes on:
The church may also have restricted access during national religious celebrations. Always check the official museum website the day before your visit during major Italian public holidays.
On the first Sunday of every month, entry to the Last Supper Museum is free. Pre-booking is still mandatory. Free-entry slots are released online on the preceding Wednesday at 12:00 pm Rome time and sell out within minutes.
If you miss the free tickets, your best alternative is a last-minute guided tour — tour operators often hold their own allocations separate from the public release schedule.
Book This TourNo. Both the church and the Last Supper Museum are closed every Monday — a firm, year-round closure.
The museum closes at 7:00 pm, with last admission at 6:45 pm, Tuesday through Sunday.
You can walk into the church for free at any time during opening hours. However, the Last Supper Museum does not accept walk-ins. All visits require a pre-booked timed ticket. See our guide to booking official Last Supper tickets.
Arrive at least 30 minutes before your booked slot. You need to visit the ticket office to activate your ticket, pass through security, and be directed to the correct waiting area. Late arrivals are turned away with no exceptions.
No. The Cenacolo Vinciano is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
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