What to visit in Pisa: the main attractions you should to see yourself. Description, walking route, prices in hotels and on excursions 2023. How to get to Pisa on your own, where to stay, where to go on holidays nearby – found out good Time for Trip.
You can visit Pisa in just 1 day! Most travelers think so, and it’s pointless to blame them – there are not so many famous sights in the Tuscan city.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is well known and could become an Internet meme – if it hadn’t been well known about it for 500 years. Not so famous, but literally magnificent is the local cathedral. Because, alas, it was built qualitatively, and the building didn’t shrink.
What else? 9 out of 10 tourists, even those who have been to Italy before, will find it difficult to answer. Or they mumble something like “how beautiful” about the old town.
This, of course, will not prevent them from moving on until the end of the day. As it’s no secret that Pisa most often becomes the starting point for exploring Tuscany. Since the planes of low-cost airlines land at local airport.
Bearing, by the way, the name of Galileo Galilei.
The Top Sights of Pisa
Read about the history and current state of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which has not been falling for a long time, but simply tilted, in our separate material. Here we will simply note that it’s possible to climb the curious structure today. Since it stopped dangerous movement towards the earth, having received a significant recharge of the medieval foundation.
A ticket to the cathedral and the tower costs 20 €, the visit lasts no more than half an hour, the official website: www.opapisa.it/en/tickets/prices.
Cathedral and Piazza dei Miracoli
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the most monumental structure in Pisa. And the best example of the Romanesque style in Italy – so say art historians.
It began to be built in the XI century, during the time of the powerful trading republic. Well, by the scope and abundance of marble, you will easy understand for yourself how much money was invested there.
For a visit to the temple and the museum at it, where everything that didn’t fit in the cathedral itself is stored, you need to pay 7 €.
The Bapsisterium, a conspicuous round structure with a red-tiled roof and the Campo Santo are two more must-see attractions of Pisa. They are located in Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles.
In the Bapsisterium was once baptized Galileo Galilei. And the Campo Santo (Holy Field) is something like a mausoleum for the famous citizens of Pisa. The land for it was taken directly from the Palestinian Calvary during the First Crusade.
They say that tourists, among other things, need to lie for a long time on the green grass of the Square of Miracles, watching the blue sky, the white cathedral and the tower. Wondering if he should go to visit Florence or get straight to Rome. But it’s up to you…
Museum and Santa Maria della Spina
The National Museum at Piazza San Matteo, 2 in the building of the former Benedictine Convention, will not interest every traveler. For here are stored paintings and sculptures by mostly unknown Tuscan masters. The statue of the Madonna del Latte from the church of Santa Maria della Spina is an absolute gem of the collection.
But you should definitely look at the elegant church of Santa Maria della Spina in Pisa, which looks like a natural treasure chest. Fortunately, this interesting example of Gothic architecture is built right into the embankment of the Arno (Lungarno Gambacorti).
The white-pink marble with which the facades are lined contrasts favorably with the ochre walls of the houses next door. The della Spina church owes its name to a rare rarity received in the XIV century – a thorn from the crown of thorns of Christ.
The church building was erected on this site in 1871, trying as best they could to preserve the external and internal appearance of the original. Most of the statues inside and out are high-quality copies.
The original samples of medieval art are kept in the city’s National Museum. Which we have already mentioned a little above.
So, it’s time to eat some of delicious foods of the Italian cuisine, doesn’t it?
Where to Stay in Pisa
To begin with, we note that you shouldn’t count on special cheapness in local hotels – a decent room for two on the outskirts costs from 100-110 € per day (plus city taxes). You can save money only if you go to Italy at not the most popular time – for example, you can visit Florence in November.
As for Pisa proper, we are inclined to recommend you three excellent options.
La Casetta di Michela on the outskirts of the city will interest those who are by nature a motorist, traveling with family and after a short stop will go further. The apartments, that is, in fact, a large private house with a usable area of 90 m2, have a kitchen and free private parking.
Another worthy mention and not too expensive place, AMA Casa, is located a few kilometers from the Square of Miracles. But, conveniently, a 15-minute walk from the train station, from which you can easily go, say, to Florence. Well, or in general (3 hours on the way) you will go to see Rome.
Noticeably more expensive (from 130-140 € for two per night), but is located right next to the Pisa Cathedral La Torre Garbata. Which in the reviews is boldly called “almost perfect” mini-hotel. By the way, it is situated (read reviews) outside of ZTL-zone, and for a fee you can park your car here.
What to Visit in Pisa on the Second Day
To have time to see all the most interesting places in the town, you should plan at least 1 overnight stay. Otherwise, you will be incredibly tired and unlikely to be able to have fun.
So, in addition to the above, Pisa has such attractions as:
Palazzo della Carovano
The monumental building of the XVI century in the Piazza dei Calleri (Knight’s Square), whose walls are painted in a rarely seen sgraffito technique, was built in the Medici era. The author is the famous Florentine architect and artist Giorgio Vasari.
Which guided the reconstruction of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence and designed the famous Vasari Corridor, along which the Medici went to work every day.
Palazzo della Carovano was intended for the knights of the Order of San Stefano. Today, the elite Scuola Normale Superiore, founded in 1810 by Napoleon Bonaparte, is housed within its walls. Among the graduates of the educational institution is the physicist Enrique Fermi.
Nearby is located
Church of San Stefano
that attracting attention with a simple but amazingly beautiful marble facade. Palazzo dell’Orologio (Palace of the Clock) in Pisa is also visually interesting and downright unusual. Through the arch in the building the pretty street Via Dalmazia looks through.
The Botanical Garden of Pisa
has every reason to be called the oldest still existing (it was founded in 1543). It occupies not the largest territory (3 hectares), is managed by a local university, deserves a visit for many reasons. Entrance fee – 4 € for adults.
Also remember, that in Pisa, a solid section of the ancient fortress wall and as many as 4 towers have been preserved. You can climb the walls in 4 places, the most convenient entrance is at the Square of Miracles. An adult ticket costs 3 €: www.muradipisa.it/organizza-la-tua-visita/#orari.
Beach Vacations
Pisa was once a great maritime power. Over time, the city ceased to be a port and by the efforts of nature moved away from the coast. That is, to be honest, the sea itself has moved away.
Therefore, now residents and tourists in order to swim and sunbathe have not to walk, but to drive. To places such as Marina di Piso and Tirrenia, which are considered among the best seaside resorts in Tuscany.
The first is a pretty coastal town, on the shore – the kingdom of pebbles and stones. But there are free beaches.
In Tirrenia, which is more of a village than a city, the coast is sandy. But to relax on the local beaches, you will have to rent a chaise longue and an awning.
You can get to the coast from Pisa by bus or car. Travel time – no more than 20-30 minutes.
How to Get
For many, Pisa becomes the first stop on a journey through Italy, the starting point. Because, as already mentioned, it’s at the local Galileo Galilei International Airport that direct flights of budget airlines land.
Next, to get to Pisa, you have to do a minimum of body movements. The sequence of which is clearly described on visittuscany.com/en/ideas/.
In short, you will have to use the PisaMover service – light rail, which runs every 5-8 minutes between 6 am and midnight. And gets to the Pisa train station in just 5-6 minutes.
By the way, during the season it’s easy to get from Pisa airport to Florence. And from there you can go to explore other cities of Tuscany and Italy – for example, to get to Siena.
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