Pisa is undoubtedly one of the most famous places in the world! Interestingly, its fame is due to a builder's mistake, which caused the leaning of the bell tower. Although there are many more beautiful towers and many leaning ones, everyone knows this one! The Leaning Tower of Pisa is undoubtedly an iconic symbol of Italy and one of the most photographed objects in the world! And Pisa itself? Some people are enchanted by its tourist atmosphere, while others recommend avoiding the "city where there is nothing but the tower" altogether. In reality, it's worth visiting and forming your own opinion, especially since you can walk from the airport to the city center!

Pisa - How to Get from the Airport to the City Center?

The most convenient and often very cheap way to get to Pisa from Poland is by plane. The phenomenon and great advantage of Pisa is its airport located very close to the city - about a 20-minute walk from the center (and the train station) and a 50-minute walk from the Leaning Tower. This is a nice and economical option if you have a light backpack. There are also PISAMOVER trains from the airport to the city center, which depart after the arrival of the plane and run until around midnight. The fare is 5 euros (as of February 2023).

To get from the airport to the train station, you can take bus line number 3, and from the train station to Campo dei Miracoli, where the Leaning Tower is located, you can take bus line number 4.

Near the Leaning Tower, there is also a train station - Pisa S. Rossore (you have to transfer at Pisa Centrale if you're coming from the airport). You can easily plan your connections using the website of the Italian railways: www.trenitalia.com

Pisa - Sightseeing Route

If you have a day or even a few hours to visit the city and you start from the airport or the train station, you can use the tourist route we have prepared. It connects the train station to the Leaning Tower, passing through the main attractions and pedestrian streets.

Easy

directions_walk child_friendly

Pisa in a Few Hours - Sightseeing Route from Pisa Centrale Station to the Leaning Tower

straighten 2.3km

timer 39min

north_east 34m

south_east 34m

Pisa - What to See?

Pisa is a city in northern Italy located on the Arno River. Interestingly, Pisa used to be a port city located right by the sea. However, sediment carried by the river caused the city to become cut off from the coast. Walking through the old town and seeing the main attractions (without going inside, visiting museums, etc.) will take you about half a day. If you have more time, you can also visit the botanical garden located near the Leaning Tower. On hot days, you will find some peace, greenery, benches, and blissful shade there.

Campo dei Miracoli - Leaning Tower, Baptistry, and Cathedral

On the grassy square, you will find the most important landmarks of Pisa: the famous leaning bell tower, the baptistry (a place for baptisms), the cathedral, and the cemetery. The area is partially surrounded by walls, which can also be visited. During the tourist season, it can get really crowded, and everyone tries to get the "unique and one-of-a-kind" shot of supporting the monument. It can be safely said that the monument survives to this day thanks to the support of millions of tourists ;)

Entry to Campo dei Miracoli is free.

Leaning Tower

This is the iconic leaning bell tower built next to the cathedral. Its construction lasted for 199 years! Already at the beginning of the construction, a fatal mistake was made - the foundations were poured too small on soft ground. The tower started leaning during the construction of the second floor. The construction of the tower began in 1173 and took place during a time when Italy was divided into independent city-states. Its construction was interrupted for 100 years during the war with Lucca, Genoa, and Florence. Paradoxically, thanks to this, the tower still stands because the soil had time to stabilize during that century.

A ticket to the Leaning Tower of Pisa is probably the most expensive tower ticket in Europe - the current price is 20 euros (as of February 2023). Tickets are sold for specific time slots. There are 297 steps to the top of the tower. When you're inside, you don't feel that the tower is leaning!

Cathedral

It's worth knowing that you can visit the cathedral for free - you just need to get a free ticket at the ticket office (entrances are at specific times).

As you already know, Pisa used to be a port city, and moreover, a maritime power competing even with Venice! Its fleet conquered and looted many cities in the Mediterranean basin. The loot brought from Palermo was used to build the cathedral, for example, the columns between the nave and the apse were carved from a mosque in Palermo.

A curiosity in the cathedral that is worth paying attention to and will probably appeal to students and children is the large brass chandelier called the "Lamp of Galileo." According to an anecdote, as a teenager, Galileo noticed that the periods of oscillation of the chandeliers hanging from the cathedral ceilings depended on the length of their strings. In reality, Galileo made his observations as early as 1580, before the current chandelier was placed in the cathedral, and the chandelier he observed is located in the Camposanto Monumentale cemetery.

Baptistry of St. John

A baptistry is a building used for the baptismal rite. In the Middle Ages, cathedrals and baptisteries were often built separately. The baptistry in Pisa is the largest in the world! The interior of the building has incredible acoustics. During your visit, you can hear a demonstration of singing in the baptistry every half an hour.

City Walls, Lion Gate, and Cemetery

Pisa was once surrounded by defensive walls that protected access to the city for centuries. The walls were 11 meters high, and their total length reached 7 kilometers, making it one of the largest enclosed cities in Europe at that time. A fragment of the walls near Campo dei Miracoli has been preserved and is open to visitors. There is also one of the main gates leading to the city - the Lion Gate. Important personalities and official representatives used it. Right next to the walls, behind the gate, is the Campo Santo cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Europe.

Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knights' Square)

This square is located in the center of Pisa and was once the most famous square in the city - it was buzzing with political life in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, it is calm and quite quiet. The decorated Palazzo della Carovana, once housing the university founded by Napoleon, is impressive. The building with a clock is also worth noting - it used to be a separate tower and two buildings. The tower was described in Dante's Divine Comedy - it was here that the local archbishop imprisoned Count Ugolino with his children and grandchildren in the dungeons under the tower, condemning them all to death by starvation.

Arno River Promenade and Santa Maria della Spina Church

The Arno River flows through the city, and its embankments are adorned with rows of houses. However, walking only along the embankments is not very pleasant, as they are crossed by busy streets. While on the embankments, it is worth paying attention to the small, white church of Santa Maria della Spina. It was built in 1230, and it used to house relics in the form of a thorn from Jesus' crown - hence the name of the church, as "thorn" is "spina" in Italian. However, the church is very rarely open to visitors.

Promenades and Alleyways

One of the main pedestrian streets in Pisa is Corso Italia - it will lead you almost from the train station to Campo dei Miracoli. There are exclusive shops and restaurants here. It is undoubtedly the best route if you are on foot and do not want to walk along the streets with cars.

In the old town, there are also many narrow alleyways where you can leisurely get lost. However, in our opinion, their charm is far from that of other neighboring cities, such as Lucca.

Botanical Garden in Pisa / Orto Botanico di Pisa

If you are tired of the crowds at Campo dei Miracoli, and the heat is already getting to you, and you would like to escape to a green corner, keep in mind that there is such an oasis of greenery near the Leaning Tower - the Botanical Garden in Pisa (Orto Botanico di Pisa). You can see a bamboo forest and banana flowers here. There are several small greenhouses and a museum in the garden. However, the garden itself is not large, and exploring it will not tire you out.

Botanical Garden in Pisa / Orto Botanico di Pisa

The botanical garden in Pisa where you can see a bamboo grove, greenhouses, banana plants, and many other botanical curiosities. ...

Our Impressions of Pisa

We have been to Pisa for the second time - the first time, we visited the city for a few hours before our flight in the summer. We were very tired then because of the crowds and cars. This time, we decided to give it a second chance, and we had a whole day of peace after arriving. However, it didn't change our perception of the city much. Yes, it's worth visiting and seeing the famous landmarks, but we definitely wouldn't want to spend a longer vacation here - it's simply not cheap, and there are so many more beautiful cities and places in the surrounding area, such as nearby Lucca, where accommodations are cheaper than in Pisa, and also the nearby La Spezia and the stunning Cinque Terre.

Undoubtedly, Pisa's proximity to the airport and excellent rail connections make it possible to explore various attractions in the region.

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Author: adelina
Publish Date: 2017-12-30