Last Updated on October 2, 2026

Pisa is a small city, perfect to cover on foot in one day. Everyone knows it for its Leaning Tower, but there’s more to this beautiful Tuscan city than that one photo.

PISA ESSENTIALS

✈️ Getting There / Search flights on Skyscanner. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Italy, book your train on Trainline, Pisa pairs really well with a wider Tuscany road trip or a stop on the way to Cinque Terre. Book a private airport transfer with WelcomePickups if you’re flying directly into Pisa Airport.

🚗 Getting Around / Pisa is small enough to walk in full, no need for public transport at all, it’s about 25 minutes on foot from the train station to Piazza dei Miracoli.

🎟️ Tours / The Leaning Tower climb needs a booked slot, don’t leave it to chance. The best ones to book in advance:
Pisa 2-Hour Walking Tour
Skip-the-Line Leaning Tower with Square of Miracles Visit
Guided Cathedral Tour with Optional Leaning Tower Entry

🏨 Stay / Skip the endless scrolling, these are the ones I’d point a friend toward:
Budget: Casa Carducci 33
Mid-range: La Lu Cozy Rooms
Splurge: Grand Hotel Duomo

🧳 Luggage Storage / If you’re doing Pisa as a day trip and don’t want to lug your bags around, no stress, there are luggage storage points near the station. Use this website to find one nearby.

📱 Connect / Stay connected from the moment you land with an eSIM. I use Holafly, use code TRAVELWITHPAU for 5% off.

🛡️ Get Insured / Things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for over 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

Pisa Bucket List: 16 Things to Do

1. Take a Walking Tour of Pisa

Pisa grew from a Roman colony into a powerful maritime republic long before that tower ever started leaning, and a walking tour is the easiest way to actually understand that history rather than just photograph it. A good one covers Piazza dei Cavalieri, the narrow streets of Borgo Stretto where Galileo Galilei was born, and Piazza delle Vettovaglie, an old market square the Medici turned into a Renaissance cloister. Book this 2-hour walking tour of Pisa.

2. Take Ridiculous Photos with the Leaning Tower

No shame here. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was built in 1173 as the bell tower of the Duomo, and it was built on sandy ground, so it started leaning even before construction finished. After many attempts to correct it, some of which actually made it worse, engineers finally stabilised it between 1993 and 2001, settling the tilt at its current 3.97 degrees, officially stable for at least another 300 years. Book skip-the-line entry if you want to climb the 294 steps to the top, worth booking well ahead as slots are limited. The tower is the only monument in the square you pay for separately, and it has to be booked online in advance no matter what.

3. Explore the Duomo di Pisa

The Duomo is a medieval cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, construction began in 1064 under Buscheto, though it was Rainaldo who’s credited with the impressive facade of white and grey stone. Entrance is free, but you still need to collect a free timed-entry ticket at the office in the square, it’s not a walk-straight-in kind of free. If you’ve already bought a ticket to any other monument in the complex, that covers your Duomo entry too. If you’d rather skip the ticket office altogether, book a combined Leaning Tower and Cathedral entrance ticket in advance.

4. Visit the Baptistery

The Baptistery, right in the same square, is the largest in Italy, built around the same time as the Tower. Its double dome design gives it remarkable acoustics, every half hour or so a guardian sings a few notes and the reverberation is genuinely worth the wait to hear.

5. Wander the Camposanto

The Camposanto is the monumental cemetery within the same complex, built in 1277 to give the graves next to the cathedral a more orderly setting. Mathematician Fibonacci, of the sequence you learned in school, is buried here. It’s filled with frescoes, sarcophagi, and arches, quieter and far less crowded than the Tower itself. Money-saving tip: a combined ticket covering the Baptistery, Camposanto, and the Opera del Duomo and Sinopie museums costs around €10-11, far cheaper than paying for each separately, buy it at the ticket office in the square or book it online in advance.

6. Wander Piazza dei Cavalieri

A 10-minute walk from the Tower, Piazza dei Cavalieri is the university heart of the city, free of the souvenir shops that crowd Piazza dei Miracoli. Cosimo I de’ Medici had it redesigned by Vasari in the 16th century to headquarter the Knights of St. Stephen, a Tuscan naval military order, and the Palazzo della Carovana they trained in still has the most elaborate sgraffito facade in all of Italy. The statue in the centre of the square is Cosimo I himself, dressed as the order’s Grand Master with a foot resting on a dolphin, a nod to Pisa’s old maritime power. The Palazzo is now home to the Scuola Normale, one of Italy’s most prestigious universities. If you’re here on the second weekend of the month, there’s a genuinely good antiques and flea market too.

7. Explore the Orto Botanico

The Orto Botanico di Pisa is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded in 1544, and a quiet, green escape if you need a break from the crowds around the Tower, just a few minutes’ walk south of it. Expect a botanical school, tranquil lakes, greenhouses, and a proper mix of trees, flowers, and herbs. Entry costs around €6, but it’s free on the first Sunday of every month.

8. Admire the “Tuttomondo” by Keith Haring

A few metres from the station, in Vittorio Emanuele II square, you’ll find the Parish of San Antonio Abad, home to Tuttomondo, a mural by Keith Haring painted in 1989, just months before he died. It’s made up of 30 interlocking figures representing peace and harmony in the world.

9. Admire the Architecture Along the Arno River

Follow the river past Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina, a tiny Gothic gem right on the riverbank that once housed a thorn supposedly from Christ’s crown of thorns, brought to Pisa in the 1300s (the relic itself has since moved to the church of Santa Chiara, but the building’s still worth the stop for the facade alone), Ponte Solferino (lovely views of the colourful houses), Palazzo Agostini, also known as Palazzo dell’Ussero, with its curious 15th-century brick facade, and Piazza Garibaldi. Continue to Ponte di Mezzo, overlooking Piazza XX Settembre and Pisa’s City Hall, past Palazzo Gambacorti, a 14th-century Gothic building with a clock tower and loggia, and Palazzo Blu, the dusty light-blue palace that stands out from Pisa’s earth-toned streets. Entry to the permanent collection is free, which is unusually generous, while the temporary exhibitions run around €5 for adults.

10. Have Mind-Blowing Gelato

I had the best gelato of my life in Pisa, at Gelateria De’ Coltelli by the river. I saw so many locals having gelato there, not tourists, which is why I picked it, and it turned out to be genuinely delicious, they even do a pistachio vegan flavour, which is unheard of.

11. Eat and Shop at Borgo Stretto

After visiting the Arno, walk through Borgo Stretto, one of the liveliest and most picturesque streets in Pisa, where the true charm of the city comes out. It’s also full of good restaurants and cheaper than the more touristy areas near the Tower, and it’s where Galileo Galilei was born, keep an eye out for the marker.

12. Enjoy a Proper Tuscan Meal

Try Tuscan classics like pici pasta, cecina, and cinghiale (wild boar) at L’Ostellino, Ristorante Allabona Pisa, or Ristoro Pecorino. If you’d rather have it all explained to you, book a guided Pisa food tour that works through cheeses, cured meats, pici, and gelato with a local over a few hours. For something more low-key, there’s also a wine tasting with local bites near the Tower, four wines paired with cold cuts and cheeses in a cosy wine shop just a short walk away.

13. Soak in the Greenery at Giardino Scotto

If you need a bit of green space and free wifi at the same time, Giardino Scotto is a genuine oasis of tranquillity in Pisa.

14. Visit the Basilica of San Piero a Grado

Slightly outside the centre, the Romanesque Basilica of San Piero a Grado is a true pilgrimage site that few tourists ever find, away from the crowds of Piazza dei Miracoli, with beautiful mosaics and altars inside. Take extra-urban bus 10 (towards Livorno) or 20 (towards Calambrone) to get there.

15. Make Your Own Pasta

For something a bit different, book a hands-on pasta-making class at a traditional farmhouse in the Tuscan hills, about 15 minutes outside Pisa. You knead and shape the dough yourself, then sit down to eat what you made with the day’s sauce and a glass of local wine, optionally with a walk round the farm’s own vegetable garden first.

16. Kayak Along the River Arno

For a proper change of pace, get on the water itself with a kayak tour on the River Arno. An instructor teaches you the basics before you paddle past the Benedictine Monastery, Santa Maria della Spina, and Palazzo Blu, the same riverside landmarks from the Arno walk, just seen from a completely different angle, sunset slots are the ones to grab if you can.

Best Day Trips from Pisa

Lucca

Just 20-25 minutes away by train, Lucca is one of the easiest and most rewarding day trips in Tuscany, a beautifully preserved walled city where you can walk, cycle, or just wander the ramparts that still fully encircle the historic centre. Trains run roughly every half hour, so there’s no need to book anything in advance, though you can check times and prices on Trainline. If you’d rather make the journey itself part of the day, book a self-guided bike ride from Pisa to Lucca along the Puccini Trail, a scenic route along the Serchio River, with the option to bike back or return by train.

Chianti Wine Tasting

If you want to see the Tuscan countryside without renting a car, a half-day trip into the Chianti hills covers vineyards, olive groves, and a proper wine tasting with the winery owner. Book a half-day Chianti wine tasting tour from Pisa or Lucca.

Florence

Florence is only about an hour away on a direct train, and it’s an easy one to do independently, no tour needed unless you specifically want a guide for the Uffizi or Accademia. Trains run frequently throughout the day from Pisa Centrale, book yours on Trainline. It’s usually the other way round, Pisa is normally the day trip people tack onto a Florence base, but it works both ways, and there’s a well-reviewed day trip from Florence covering Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano with lunch if you’d rather have it all sorted for you.

San Gimignano and Volterra

Nicknamed the “Manhattan of the Middle Ages” for its skyline of medieval towers, San Gimignano is best combined with Volterra‘s Etruscan ruins and Roman theatre on a single guided day out, neither is easily reachable by public transport from Pisa, so this one’s really a Florence-based add-on rather than a straight Pisa day trip. Book a San Gimignano and Volterra day trip with food and wine departing from Florence, worth it if you’re already planning a Florence stop.

Where to Stay in Pisa

Budget Accommodation

• Casa Carducci 33: A guesthouse on a quiet central street, just a 5-10 minute walk from the Leaning Tower, with a friendly host, easy self check-in, and consistently glowing reviews for cleanliness and location. Best for: anyone who wants a genuinely well-reviewed budget stay right in the centre.

Mid-range

• La Lu Cozy Rooms: A guest house owned by Luisa, a gorgeous host. It has three tastefully decorated bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and air conditioning, plus a shared room where you can relax with a coffee, tea, or herbal tea and some genuinely good cookies. Vault ceilings, a blue Smeg fridge, and views over Piazza dei Cavalieri from the windows, just a 30-second walk away. The Leaning Tower is a 10-minute walk. Best for: anyone who wants a personal, hosted stay right in the centre.

Splurge

• Grand Hotel Duomo: A comfortable, classic hotel practically overlooking Piazza dei Miracoli itself, about as close to the Tower as you can get without staying inside it.

None of these float your boat? Search all Pisa hotels.

How Long to Spend in Pisa

One day and one night is genuinely perfect for Pisa itself. The city is small enough that you can walk all of it, no public transport needed at all, and it’s about 25 minutes on foot from the station to Piazza dei Miracoli. Add a second day if you want to fit in Lucca or a Chianti wine trip from the Day Trips section below, or pair it with Cinque Terre or a wider Tuscany road trip rather than treating it as its own multi-day destination.

Getting To & Around Pisa

Search flights on Skyscanner, Pisa has its own airport (PSA), just a short hop from the centre. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Italy, book your train on Trainline, it’s often the easiest way in, especially if you’re combining Pisa with Florence, Cinque Terre, or a wider Tuscany trip.

Once you’re here, Pisa is small enough to walk entirely on foot, no need for buses or trams unless you’re heading slightly further out, like to the Basilica of San Piero a Grado.

Best Time to Visit Pisa

The best time to visit Pisa is spring (April to June) or early autumn (September to October), pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds around the Tower. Summer gets hot and busy with day-trippers, since Pisa is such a popular add-on to Florence and Cinque Terre itineraries.

Pisa FAQs

How many days do I need in Pisa?

One day and one night is genuinely enough, it’s a small, very walkable city. Most people pair it with Florence, Cinque Terre, or a wider Tuscany trip rather than staying longer.

Do I need to book Leaning Tower tickets in advance?

Yes, especially to actually climb it, slots are limited and it does sell out in peak season. Book skip-the-line entry ahead of time rather than risk it.

Is Pisa worth visiting beyond the Leaning Tower?

Yes, the Baptistery, Camposanto, Piazza dei Cavalieri, the Orto Botanico, Keith Haring’s Tuttomondo mural, and the walk along the Arno are all genuinely worth the extra time, most visitors only see the Tower and miss the rest.

Can I visit Pisa as a day trip from Florence?

Yes, easily, it’s about an hour by train, or book a guided day trip from Florence covering Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano with lunch if you’d rather have it all arranged. That said, staying one night lets you see the city in the evening and morning light without the day-tripper crowds, which is worth it if your schedule allows.

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