home chevron_right Włochy (Italy) chevron_right Routes

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

Nearby: Piza
Country: Włochy

Region:

Włochy (Italy)

straighten 2.3km

timer 39min

north_east 34m

south_east 34m

Easy - Suitable for everyone, no terrain difficulties

Route Map

The route runs flat, with no inclines
Route for stroller (small wheels)
Restaurant or bar nearby
Store nearby
Access by train possible

Are you passing through Pisa and have a few hours to explore the city? Or maybe you just want to know what to see first? You've come to the right place - we have prepared for you a tourist "must-see" list, a main sightseeing route leading from the central station to the most important landmarks of the city - the Square of Miracles and the Leaning Tower. If you're short on time, you can take bus line number 4 from the central station to Campo dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles with the Leaning Tower.

Corso Italia Promenade

This is the main tourist artery of the city. It is lined with exclusive shops, dining options, and local establishments. The promenade starts just behind the train station, branches off from Piazza Emanuelle II, and stretches all the way to the Arno River embankments. It is undoubtedly the best route if you are on foot and don't want to walk along streets with cars. If you like murals, you will find one right next to Piazza Emanuelle II.

Arno River Embankments

The Arno River flows through the city, adorned with rows of buildings along its embankments. Interestingly, Pisa used to be a port city located right by the sea, and it was even a maritime power rivaling Venice! Its fleet conquered and plundered many cities in the Mediterranean basin. However, the silt carried by the river caused the city to become cut off from the coast. Currently, Pisa is located about 10 kilometers from the sea. During our tour, we only cross the river by crossing a bridge, but walking along the embankments is not very pleasant as it is one of the main streets of Pisa.

Borgo Stretto

After crossing the Arno River, we walk along another promenade of the city - Borgo Stretto street. Borgo Stretto is the area of the medieval market in Pisa surrounded by arcades. Currently, the small square and the adjacent street are a lively maze of alleys and streets with shops, cafes, restaurants, and ice cream parlors.

Piazza dei Cavalieri / Knights' Square

This small and quiet square used to be the main and most famous square in the city - it was the center of political life in medieval Pisa. Pay attention to the richly decorated Palazzo della Carovana, which once housed the university founded by Napoleon, and the building with a clock. In the past, there was a separate tower here, which was described in Dante's Divine Comedy - it was in the dungeons beneath this tower that the local archbishop imprisoned Count Ugolino with his children and grandchildren, condemning them all to death by starvation.

Tower Torre della Muda described in Dante's Divine Comedy

From Knights' Square, a promenade leads to the Leaning Tower through Santa Maria street

Square of Miracles / Campo dei Miracoli

It is on the Square of Miracles that the most important landmarks of Pisa are located: the famous Leaning Tower, the cathedral, the baptistery, the defensive walls, and the cemetery.

Leaning Tower

It is a bell tower built next to the cathedral! At the beginning of the construction of the tower, the builders made a mistake and poured too small foundations, placing the building on soft ground. The tower began to lean already during the construction of the second floor. The construction of the tower began in 1173 and took place at 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, as the soil had time to stabilize during that century.

A ticket to the Leaning Tower in Pisa is probably the most expensive tower ticket in Europe - the current price is 20 euros (February 2023). Tickets are sold for specific time slots.

Cathedral

It's worth knowing that entrance to the cathedral is free - you just need to pick up a free ticket at the ticket office. Entrance to the cathedral is for a specific time slot.

It was the spoils plundered from maritime expeditions that were used to build the cathedral - that's why you will find many different styles mixed together here.

The columns between the nave and the apse come from a mosque in Palermo.

Interior of the cathedral and columns from a mosque in Palermo

Pisa is the birthplace of Galileo. Allegedly, as a teenager, while bored, he observed the chandeliers hanging from the ceilings of the cathedral in Pisa and noticed that the periods of their swings depended on the length of their ropes. In the cathedral, you can see a brass chandelier called the "Galileo Lamp." However, Galileo made his observations in 1580, before the current chandelier was placed in the cathedral, and the chandelier he observed is located in the Camposanto Monumentale cemetery.

Baptistery

A baptistery is a building used for the sacrament of baptism. In the Middle Ages, cathedrals and baptisteries were often built separately. The baptistery in Pisa is the largest in the world! The interior of the building has amazing acoustics. During the tour, you can hear a demonstration of singing in the baptistery every half an hour.

Defensive Walls, Cemetery, and Lion Gate

Pisa (like many other medieval cities in Europe) was once surrounded by defensive walls, which were 11 meters high. A fragment of the walls near the Square of Miracles has been preserved to this day - the walls are open for visitors. Near the square, there is also one of the main gates leading into the city - the Lion Gate. Important personalities and official representatives used this gate. Adjacent to the walls is the Campo Santo cemetery, which means "holy field" in Italian. It is a type of cemetery with a courtyard surrounded by open cloisters containing tombs.

View of the Leaning Tower and the Square of Miracles through the Lion Gate

Botanical Garden in Pisa

Near the Leaning Tower, in the heart of the city, there is a botanical garden - you can visit it if you have some time after exploring the main landmarks. It is a nice place to relax among greenery, away from the hustle and crowds. The garden itself is not large, so exploring it won't tire you out.