Pisa is one of Italy’s most famous cities – mostly because of its leaning tower, but also for its long and interesting history.
Even though the leaning tower is a big reason why you should visit the city, I can tell you that there is much more to see besides the tower. There’s everything from lovely churches and historic squares to cozy restaurants and shopping in this beautiful Italian city.
Down below you can read more about the city and its various attractions, as well as useful information before your visit:
Table of Contents
Pisa’s best attractions
There are many things to do in Pisa and several attractions worth visiting during your stay. The Santa Maria Assunta cathedral, the baptistery, the leaning tower, and the cemetery at Piazza dei Miracoli are some of the most visited attractions in the city.
Santa Maria Assunta
This is a landmark that often ends up in the shadow of the famous Leaning Tower. However, it’s one of Italy’s most beautiful buildings, which makes it a must to visit.
The cathedral was built during the 12th century and is adorned with both pillars and arches made of stone and marble. On the front of the cathedral you can have a look at many beautiful details, including three grand bronze doors.
A visit to this cathedral isn’t complete without seeing the inside which is just as beautiful. The inside is decorated with pillars, arches and gold decorations, as well as the impressive frescoes in the dome.
Photo: Shutterstock
Baptistery
The baptistry is one of the biggest and most popular attractions in the city. This building was completed in 1063 and has a Romanesque architecture at the bottom and Gothic style at the top. The building is 54 meters in height and 34 meters in width.
It’s a historic beautiful building worth visiting to see both the outside and inside.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The city’s main attraction is, of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which stands on Piazza dei Miracoli. It’s a beautiful building famous for leaning as it’s built on an unstable foundation. The tower is about 55 meters high and leans 3.97 degrees.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been on UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987 along with the cathedral, baptistery, and cemetery.
Photo: Shutterstock
More attractions and things to do in Pisa
- Stroll along the Arno river
- Visit Campo Santo
- Go shopping at Corso Italia
- See the church Santa Maria della Spina
- Visit Piazza dei Miracoli
- Stroll around at Piazza dei Cavalieri
- Visit the market at Piazza Delle Vettovaglie
- Eat Italian ice cream
- Visit the National Museum
Recommended restaurants
- Strittendfud Cibi di Strada
- Il Ristoro della Pe’
- Ristorante alle Bandierine
View this post on Instagram
Travel to Pisa
You can either get to the city by train or plane. From Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa you can take the train to Pisa Centrale, which is in the center of the city.
If you want to travel to Pisa by train, you can travel from nearby cities like Siena, Florence, Lucca, and Livorno, as well as major cities like Rome and Genoa.
The easiest way is to take the train to Pisa Centrale, but you can also hop off at San Rossore where you can take a bus into old town.
Best time to travel to Pisa
June to September is the peak season in Pisa, which means it will be warm and lots of tourists. This is a time of the year that I recommend avoiding if you want to avoid the big crowds and long queues to the various attractions.
October to March is low season in Pisa, and during these months it’s the least tourists visiting and the prices are generally lower. Temperatures can drop down to around 5 degrees Celsius in December and January and it is also common with rain during these months.
April to May are the months that I can recommend you to visit. During these months there are less tourists but it’s still warm and pleasant weather to explore the city.
Recommended hotel
Rinascimento Bed & Breakfast is a nice and affordable hotel located in central Pisa within walking distance to all the attractions. It’s cozy and pretty decorated and serves a good Italian breakfast.
Click here for more information, price and pictures
More about Pisa in Italy
Pisa is an university town in Tuscany and is home to about 90,000 inhabitants. The city is best known for its leaning tower, but also for being one of the oldest cities in Italy.
There are many beautiful places to visit in the city, including the cathedral, the cemetery, the baptistery and the leaning tower of Pisa, all of which have been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1987.
Famous people from Pisa include writer Antonio Tabucchi and physicist Galileo Galilei.
How to get around
In central Pisa it’s best to get around by foot. The sights are within walking distance and therefore you do not need to use buses or take a taxi between the city’s various attractions.
Map of Pisa
Here you have a map of the city where its attractions are marked on the map:
Day trips from Pisa
Thanks to Pisa’s location in Tuscany, there are several beautiful places to visit nearby. Below you have a few recommendations on cities and destinations that you can visit via a day trip from Pisa.
- Florence
- Lucca
- San Miniato
- Chianti regionen
- Montecatini
- Cinque Terre
- Bologna
- San Gimignano
- Portovenere
Do you have more questions about Pisa in Italy? Leave a comment below!
Leave A Comment