Pisa, italy
Attractions Guide

Pisa is home to one of the top attractions in Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which is an iconic symbol of the city. Apart from the Leaning Tower and the adjacent Pisa Cathedral complex, Pisa only has a handful of attractions. Most tourists only visit Pisa for a few hours to see the tower, or at most stay overnight.

Pisa is very well-connected to several large Italian cities, and acts as a major transit hub for the region, with many trains passing through the city. By train, Pisa is about 1 hour from Florence, 3 hours from Rome (via Florence), 3.5 hours from Venice or Milan (both also via Florence), and 1.5 hours from La Spezia (near Cinque Terre). Due to its proximity, Pisa is an extremely popular day-trip for many travelers.

It’s important that you know where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located, as some tourists can’t find it since it’s to the north of the city center, quite far from Pisa Central Station (about a 20 minute walk). From Pisa’s smaller San Rossore Station it’s only about a 10 minute walk, however the walk from the Central Station is much more scenic.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, along with the Piazza del Duomo square it sits on and the Pisa Cathedral together make up an incredible UNESCO world heritage site.

The Leaning Tower is famous for its tilt of 4 degrees, which is due to the soft ground below the heavy tower. Amazingly, the tower was constructed in the 12th century and had been slowly titling for centuries before finally being stabilized very recently, at the turn of the millennium. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a very elegant structure made of white marble and stone, rising up about 186 feet (57 m) above the piazza below.

Purchasing Tickets in Advance

Many tourists aren’t aware that it’s also possible to climb the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which offers fantastic views over the Piazza del Duomo. This is a very popular activity however, and so you’ll want to book your tickets for this ahead of time.

When buying your ticket be sure to get a combination deal with the other structures of the piazza, including the Baptistery, Camposanto, and Opera Museum. The tickets also come with a free visit to the Pisa Cathedral, which is also extremely popular for tourists.

Pisa’s Piazza del Duomo is home to most of the city’s top attractions, which along with the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto, and the Leaning Tower make up the large religious complex of the Pisa Cathedral. In fact, the Leaning Tower is the campanile tower of the Pisa Cathedral.

Pisa Cathedral

The Duomo di Pisa (or Pisa Cathedral) is a majestic church built in a highly ornate architectural style called Pisan Romanesque. The cathedral is almost 1,000 years old, with its exterior covered in lavish marble stripes to create a stunning visual effect. Additionally, the exterior is highly embellished with many details such as columns and loggias.

Inside the Pisa Cathedral is a decadent display, with intricate wooden ceilings covered in gold leaf and giant marble columns. The cathedral also hosts complex mosaics and medieval frescoes.

Pisa Baptistery

Another gorgeous structure of the cathedral is the Pisa Baptistery, a large rounded structure with many elegant gothic details. Similarly to the Pisa Cathedral, its Baptistery is constructed of lavish marble. Especially marvelous is the view of the Baptistery’s dome when looking up inside the structure, which is encircled by striped arches. Interestingly, the Pisa Baptistery also has a slight tilt compared to the ground, making it uneven.

Camposanto

Pisa’s Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) is located behind the Pisa Cathedral and consists of a massive rectangular building with wide hallways. These hallways encircle the building, and in the center of the Camposanto is a long open courtyard surrounded by gothic-style window arches.

Museo dell’Opera Museum

Similar to the Florence Cathedral, the treasures and sculptures of the Pisa Cathedral are housed within a museum to preserve them, called the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Although small, the museum hosts an impressive collection of elaborate sculptures created by the great Nicola Pisano and his son, Giovanni Pisano.

Pisa Walls

Along the northern side of the Piazza del Duomo are the preserved medieval Walls of Pisa, which actually stretch across most of the northern side of the historic city center, as well as much of the eastern side of the city. The best place to admire these walls however is behind the large grassy fields of the Piazza del Duomo.

Pisa’s main historic square is the Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knight’s Square), which is surrounded by several Renaissance-era buildings, the most prominent being the Palazzo della Carovana. This exterior of this stunning palace is decorated in elaborate artworks and figures called sgrafitti. Also on the plaza is the lovely Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri with its decadent ceiling.

San Michele in Borgo Church

A few blocks south of the Piazza dei Cavalieri near the river is the Church of San Michele in Borgo, which is over 1,000 years old. This church displays a stunning Romanesque-Gothic style and is quite impressive.

The same Arno River which flows through Florence continues downstream to Pisa, running through the center of the city. Lining both sides of the river are many lavish historic structures mixed with colorful rustic buildings. Many of these are beautiful old palazzos, such as the Palazzo Agostino.

Ponte di Mezzo Bridge

Pisa’s most popular bridge spanning the Arno River is the Ponte di Mezzo, which offers scenic views looking down the river at the many colorful rustic buildings along it. The views from the bridge are especially pleasing at sunset.

Palazzo Blu (Blue Palace)

Pisa’s top attraction outside of the Piazza del Duomo is the gorgeous Palazzo Blu (or Blue Palace), named for its distinguished deep rustic blue color. This medieval palazzo is especially beautiful as it sits along the Arno River. Within the Palazzo Blu you’ll find a museum containing a collection of fine Italian art, stately apartments with historic furnishings, and various temporary exhibits.

Santa Maria della Spina Church

Further west along the Arno River from Palazzo Blu is Pisa’s next most popular attraction outside the Piazza del Duomo, the Church of Santa Maria della Spina. This tiny riverfront church is known for its elaborate gothic exterior, which displays many complex architectural elements and statues. Both the inside and outside of the church are covered in lavish striped marble.

On the eastern side of Central Pisa is the Cittadella Nuova, a large citadel fortress built in the 15th century which is located along the Arno River. Today only the shell of the medieval walls of the citadel remain, which surrounded a park and gardens. Around this citadel you’ll find many photogenic spots, and you can even walk along parts of the walls of the fortress.