Teatro La Scala in Milan Tickets and Tours

The Teatro La Scala in Milan is considered worldwide as a temple of opera, and attracts thousands of tourists every year to visit or to enjoy one of its wonderful shows. Its somber and ancient appearance on the outside does not allow us to accurately imagine the beauty of all that it houses inside, and its particular history.

If you are thinking about what to see and do in Milan during your stay in the city, a tour of the La Scala Theater should be on your to-do list. The entrance to the Theater also includes access to an amazing Museum very interesting to complete the visit.

The most convenient option

Milan La Scala Theater and Museum Guided Tour

1-hour guided tour of the La Scala Theater in Milan

Join this guided tour of La Scala Theater and Museum and discover the secrets of one of the most famous opera houses in the world.

From $41 at Hellotickets

The guided tour of the La Scala Theater in Milan is included in the best tours and excursions in Milan. This one-hour activity is a tour led by an expert guide where you will visit the different parts of this famous Theater, the museum and the bookshop.

Don't miss this opportunity to admire paintings and musical instruments dedicated to the great Italian composers as well as the portraits of historical masters, such as Giuseppe Verdi and Arturo Toscanini. Don't forget to book your place in advance as this tour is in high demand and sells out weeks in advance on a regular basis.

Recommended if... you are an opera and theater lover or if you want to learn about the history and curiosities of La Scala Theater.

The entrance ticket to La Scala Theater costs about 5 ¤ and with it you will have the right to visit the interior of the theater and gives you access to the Museum of the Theater. The visit with this type of ticket is completely free.

Another way to visit the Theater is to go to one of its operas. The prices of this type of shows vary greatly according to the location you choose and the type of work. A ticket can range from 20€ to 500€, as in most of the prestigious theaters in the world.

The best option

Another way to know firsthand the Teatro della Scala and that I recommend to anyone who does not want to miss a bit of the history of this symbolic theater and its museum is by taking a guided tour. From the hand of a specialized guide, you will learn its secrets, while discovering the great opera production behind the scenes.

Yes, tickets to the Theatre and Museum can be purchased at the box office but please note that due to the popularity of this Theatre, availability may be quite low or even non-existent.

I advise you to buy your tickets in advance through the Theatre's website so you don't miss out on this fantastic visit.

For the plays, the box office is only available for the same day performances, subject to availability. The reality is that almost all the plays are sold out in advance, especially the most famous ones that everyone wants to attend. Plays such as Macbeth or Un ballo in maschera, sell out days after the start of the ticketing season.

Yes, there are guided tours and, in my experience, they are the best way to get to know it. A guided tour of the La Scala Theater in Milan will allow you to admire the beauty of the interior of the theater and its halls, but you can also learn about its history and curiosities.

The tours can be conducted in English, but remember to book your place in advance to avoid being left out. The price of these visits start at 30€.

If you are lucky enough, it is possible that the visit coincides with one of the rehearsal performances. This will allow you to enjoy the behind the scenes and the preparation of the upcoming performances.

In addition, you will have privileged access to the main portico of the theater, one of the favorite places of the entire theater and considered a jewel of this important musical building in Europe.

Yes, with the Milan Pass you have free access to both the Theater and its museum, as well as other important attractions and the service of the best sightseeing buses in Milan.

In the case of La Scala Theater, you have included the ordinary ticket for your free visit. But if you want the guided tour you have a discount on the price for having the Milan Pass.

The Theater and its Museum are open every day of the week, from 9 am to 12.30 pm and then open again at 1.30 pm until 5.30 pm. It is closedon Sundays from November 1st to April 30th.

La Scala Theater is located in Piazza alla Scala in the city center of Milan. The closest places to Piazza della Scala are Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the Milan Cathedral and the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana. Therefore, you can use them as reference points or even combine visits in the day to optimize your stay in the city of Milan.

• To reach the Theater from anywhere in the city, you can reach it by streetcar arriving at the Manzoni Scala station, using lines 1 and 2.
• If, instead, you prefer to use the subway, you should opt for lines 1 and 3, which will take you to the Duomo station.
• If you arrive in Milan by plane, there is a fast train service from Malpensa airport. The Malpensa Express arrives at Cardona station in about 40 minutes from Terminal 1 and will drop you off very close to Teatro la Scala. You can also take the Malpensa Bus Express, a bus that goes from Terminal 1 to Milan Central Station and there you can combine with another means of transport.
• Instead, if you want to get to La Scala Theater by bus, there are several bus services that go from both terminals to the Central Bus Station in Milan.

Here is a list of the best things and places you can enjoy during your visit to La Scala Theater:

• Horseshoe Room: where the performances and plays take place. This is undoubtedly the star of the visit and the main place that everyone wants to know.
• The Foyer of the Theater: It is more like a baroque palace.
• The Theater Auditorium: It is a huge space full of luxuries and details that will leave you speechless. The material of its construction is wood with red velvet, an exquisite combination. As if this were not enough, the decorations in golden tones give the final touch to its elegant and imposing style. Crowning this scene, you can find a huge crystal chandelier composed of 383 light bulbs in the middle of the room.
• Museum of the Teatro alla Scala: You will be able to find a variety of paintings and costumes related to opera that are truly incredible. In fact, when you take into account their age and state of preservation, they will surprise you even more. They also have a part dedicated to an exhibition of portraits of the most representative artists of Italian opera and a large bookstore.
• La Scala Square: On the outskirts of the Theater you can delight yourself with the square that receives the same name. It is worth enjoying its surroundings and take a picture with the statue of Leonardo Da Vinci.

The guided tours last 1 hour, but you can stay in the vicinity of the Theater and the Museum as long as you wish. If you prefer to do the visit on your own, I suggest you also dedicate about 1 hour of your day of sightseeing in Milan.

But if you are going to enjoy a play, keep in mind that the theater usually opens its doors about 3 hours before the start of the performance. Plays have an average duration of 2 hours.

A visit to La Scala Theater with the little ones is one of the things to do in MIlan with children, among others.

If you make the visit on your own, the tour is totally suitable for the family, where they can walk around the vicinity of the Theater and the Museum without any problems. In addition, children will love to see different corners of this monument, and the costumes and paintings of the Museum will keep them entertained all day.

If you take the guided tour you do not have to worry either, as it is a very enjoyable and short tour.

Regarding the plays, although they do not have an age restriction, it may be that the formality of the events and the duration of the shows are things to keep in mind to go with children.

• At the opening performances and shows, women are required to wear dark formal attire and men are required to wear a suit and tie. In the rest of the presentations it is possible to participate simply in casual attire. In any case, elegance is appreciated when you enter the venue.
• To attend the Prima della Scala, every December 7 on the occasion of the opening of the season, it is mandatory for men to wear a tailcoat and for women a long evening dress.
• If you are planning to attend a particular play, buy your tickets well in advance as they tend to sell out very quickly. Many people from all over the world are waiting for their chance to see one of these shows.
• If you are not a fan of opera or ballet, I recommend that you read and inform yourself beforehand about the show you are going to see. This way, it will be much easier for you to understand it and you will be able to enjoy it much more.
• But if you don't really feel like this musical genre, also keep in mind that going to a show is much more than that. It is an experience in itself. In addition, the acoustics of the Theater is one of the best in the world.