10 Best Things To Do In Pisa, Italy

Are you wondering what are the best things to do in Pisa, Italy? I visited the Tuscany region during our 2-week train ride backpacking trip around Europe. One of the most well-known cities in this part of Italy is Pisa, a legendary place. Pisa is frequently visited by tourists en route to Florence, but it is a wonderful city to stay in and offers much more than just its fabled leaning tower.

I wrote another article about the Best Things to Do in the Tuscany Region, Italy to know more about this charming region of Italy.

Pisa gained notoriety and developed into one of Italy’s major maritime republics starting in the eleventh century. The city’s population increased, and money was invested in building its still-standing, internationally renowned monuments and improving its infrastructure.

Pisa participated in many battles during the Middle Ages and was crucial to the wars and disputes between the Ghibellines and the Guelphs. The city still maintains its ports today, contributing significantly to its economy. Additionally, Pisa has a well-established tourist infrastructure thanks to iconic structures like the Leaning Tower.

Read more: Beautiful Places To Visit In Italy For The First Time

Here are some of the best things to do in Pisa, Italy:

1. Leaning Tower of Pisa

This is, by far, the most popular attraction in Pisa, a well-known building worldwide. The Campanile, or bell tower, of the Pisa Cathedral, is a stunning building in and of itself, but it is well-known for its apparent tilt.

The loggia-like tiers of the foundation were modeled after the cathedral facade, and the foundation stone was laid in 1173 when Pisa was the most influential maritime republic in Italy. Halfway through the third story, the tower’s south side started to sink alarmingly. Construction was stopped when counterweighting the north side and slightly raising the height of the south walls failed to work.

After almost a century, construction picked back up, attempting to correct the tilt by angling the upper stories vertically. Tommaso Pisano added the open bell chamber to the white marble tower between 1350 and 1372.

Tourists used the spiral staircase’s 294 steps to reach the top platform until 1990, but it was predicted that the tower would collapse by 2000 because the tilt angle was growing by one millimeter a year. The tower was shut down in 1990 to make room for an expensive restoration program after rotational movement around the axis was also discovered, increasing the risk.

The 5.5-degree tilt had been reduced to approximately 3.99 degrees when the tower was reopened in 2001, leaving the top 3.9 meters out of line. The tower also has a slight curve, which was an attempt by several architects to correct the tower’s tilt during construction.

2. Piazza del Duomo

A collection of well-known monuments can be found in Piazza del Duomo, which is situated in a sizable green area. The cathedral, the baptistry, the campanile (the “Leaning Tower”), and the cemetery, four of the greatest examples of medieval architecture, significantly impacted monumental art in Italy from the 11th to the 14th century.

Pisa Cathedral

The Pisa Cathedral, built by Buscheto in 1064, is situated in Piazza dei Miracoli. The cathedral is a prime example of Pisan-Romanesque design.

The four-part facade, made up of arches and colonnades, serves as the exterior’s defining feature. The architect’s tomb is in the left arcade, and 1180-era bronze doors can be seen outside. You must see the Pisano pulpit, the mosaics in the apse, and the tomb of the Camaino Emperor in the Duomo.

The Pisa Baptistery

The free-standing baptistery, located west of the cathedral, was built in 1153, nearly a century after the cathedral but still during Pisa’s heyday. By employing the same construction material, patterned with various shades of stone, blind arcading, and dwarf galleries, it replicates the cathedral’s design.

But as construction continued for more than 200 years, it started to demonstrate the change from Romanesque to Gothic between the lower and upper levels. Nicola Pisano assumed control of the undertaking in 1260, and his son Giovanni took over in 1285–123. The four pillars and eight columns supporting the conical dome give the space a sense of lightness and solemnity.

Like the cathedral, the free-standing marble pulpit, a masterpiece by Nicola Pisano and one of the great masterpieces of Romanesque sculpture, is undoubtedly the baptistery’s crowning achievement. Relief panels that are exceptionally artistically detailed are used to decorate it.

3. Iglesia de Santa Maria della Spina

Of Pisa’s smaller churches, the Church of Santa Maria della Spina is undoubtedly one of its most beautiful and is located on the left bank of the Arno. It was once a small oratory situated directly on the river, but after suffering serious foundation damage, it was pulled down piece by piece and raised higher up in 1871.

The ornate Gothic church received its name from a thorn (spina) brought to Pisa from the Holy Land and was part of Christ’s crown of thorns. Two doors and three distinct gables, each with a tiny rose window, are on the west front. A row of arches surrounds the doorways and windows on the church’s south side, and a niche with statues of Christ and the Apostles is located higher up.

The building’s tabernacles, some of which have been replaced by replicas and are now on display in the Museo Nazionale, are topped with statues. The Madonna del Latte inside the church is a replica; the original is located in the museum.

4. Camposanto

Local lore holds that Archbishop Ubaldo dei Lanfranchi brought back several shiploads of Golgotha’s earth from the Fourth Crusade so that the people of Pisa could be interred in sanctified ground. To house it, the Camposanto (Sacred Field), a sizable rectangular cloister with an open gallery of arches with Gothic tracery, was built in 1278.

The cloister’s floor is covered with the graves of Pisan patricians, and Roman sarcophagi line the sides. The walls were decorated with frescoes from the 14th and 15th centuries, but in 1944, a fire brought on by artillery bombardment melted the lead roof, severely damaging or obliterating the frescoes.

The discovery of the original artists’ sketches in red pigment on the walls below was a positive outcome of this tragic loss.

The sinópie, which detailed every aspect of a composition, was the artist’s most significant contribution to a fresco; students and assistants were frequently used to complete the actual painting. In the Museo delle Sinópie, these sinópies are currently on display along with copies of the corresponding frescoes. Over the years, those preserved frescoes underwent painstaking restoration before being returned to the cloister.

5. Piazza del Cavalieri

The second-most significant square in Pisa, after the more well-known Piazza dei Miracoli, is Piazza dei Cavalieri.

The square served as the seat of government in antiquity, but in the second half of the 16th century, Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici ordered it to become the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen.

Palazzo della Carovana

Palazzo della Carovana, also known as Palazzo dei Cavalieri, is a palace with a beautiful facade in Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knights’ Square) in Pisa, between Palazzo dell’Orologio and the Church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri. Since 1846, Scuola Normale Superiore has occupied the Palace of the Order of Saint Stephen.

Giorgio Vasari’s 1562–1564 Palazzo della Carovana transformed the medieval Palace of the Elders (Palazzo degli Anziani). The palace’s sides show remnants of the old building. Napoleon abolished the Knights of Saint Stephen in 1810 and gave the building to his university, Scuola Normale Superiore.

Giuseppe Marchelli built the double-flight marble staircase in 1821, and Giovanni Girometti added the rear section between 1928 and 1930 to revive Scuola Normale. Using architecture, sculpture, and painting, Vasari straightened the medieval facade. Sgraffiti with allegorical figures and zodiacal signs, designed by Vasari and executed by Tommaso Battista del Verrocchio and Alessandro Forzori between 1564 and 1566, along with marble busts and coats of arms, animate the facade.

The decorations look great today, but they were repainted in the 19th and 20th centuries and are fragile and prone to fading and detachment due to atmospheric agents.

6. Giardino Scotto

Visit the renowned Giardino Scotto, one of the top things to do in Pisa. The Florentines constructed a fortified citadel here (1440–75) to keep an eye on the city’s citizens after taking Pisa in the 15th century.

During a Pisan uprising in 1495, the fortress was partially destroyed. After the second Florentine conquest, Antonio da Sangallo used some of the earlier building materials to construct a bastion on the banks of the Arno and a new star-shaped fort to the south, both of which are still visible today from piazza Guerrazzi.

When the fortress was demolished in 1785, a mansion bearing Domenico Scotto’s name was erected in the place of the bastion. Behind the house, a portion of the fortress was converted into a private garden. The final heirs gave the park to the people of Pisa in 1936, when the palazzo became the Regia Questura.

7. Visit Various Museums

Additionally, Pisa has intriguing museums and galleries that are worth visiting. Include these must-see locations on your tour if you’re planning a weekend in Tuscany.

National Museum of San Matteo

In addition to the famous Campo dei Miracoli attractions, Pisa has a variety of lesser-known sights and activities. The National Museum of San Matteo in Pisa, which displays artwork from the Tuscan schools from the 12th to the 15th centuries, is housed in the former Benedictine Convent of San Matteo.

The sculptures from various Pisan churches brought here to preserve them from weather and environmental damage and replace them with copies are particularly fascinating. Look out for the famous Madonna del Latte (circa 1340) from the Church of Santa Maria della Spina and the original Giovanni Pisano statues from the baptistery.

Many artists from the 12th and 13th centuries painted religious scenes, and there are wonderful examples of illuminated books and manuscripts.

Museum of Ancient Ships

Construction workers in Pisa made a startling discovery while renovating the San Rossore train station. Pisa was a significant port and was located closer to the sea than it is today for a large portion of its history. Additionally, they discovered remarkably well-preserved remnants of Roman and medieval ships that served as witnesses to this time in Pisa’s history when they dug into the ground beneath San Rossore train station.

The Museum of Ancient Ships in Pisa now houses these incredible vessels. This museum, one of the most fascinating in Pisa, preserves amazing ships and ancient artifacts from the city’s lengthy and fascinating history. This is unquestionably one of Pisa’s best museums if you have an interest in the past, and best of all, admission is free.

National Museum of the Royal Palace

Like the nearby city of Florence, Pisa was once ruled by the illustrious Medici family, who called the Royal Palace on the banks of the Arno their residence. The impressive museum occupying this 16th-century structure houses the personal effects of the most influential families in Pisa’s past.

The enormous collection of ancient weapons and armor that depicts warfare throughout the ages and the Medici tapestry are both noteworthy items. You also get a look at commonplace items that will make you wonder what it must have been like to live the lavish but turbulent lives of Pisa’s ruling family.

Museum of Veterinary Anatomy

The Department of Veterinary Sciences at the university is where the Museum of Veterinary Anatomy in Pisa is situated. Animal remains that have been embalmed, stuffed, and preserved in alcohol, as well as skeletons and preparations made for educational purposes, are preserved with great skill so that visitors and scholars can learn about the evolution of particular species.

The early 1800s-founded museum is intended for experts who can find the ideal encyclopedia for studying the anatomy of these living things here and simple enthusiasts and families who can enjoy a visit and learn a ton of interesting facts about the animal kingdom.

Museo Nazionale della Certosa Monumentale di Calci

The Carthusian order was housed in the atmospheric surroundings of the National Museum of the Certosa di Calci in Val Graziosa from the 14th to the 20th century. The monks lived by the strict Carthusian rule based on prayer, meditation, and study.

With the help of the national museum staff, visitors can enter the rooms devoted to hermit life and the spacious cloister, whose wings are home to 15 monks’ cells, one of which is open for visits. Then, it will be possible to tour the church, the numerous chapels, the common areas like the chapter house and the refectory, and the areas used for hospitality like the Grand Duke’s guesthouse.

Ludoteca Scientifica

Over fifty interactive exhibits and games covering topics like gravity, fluid dynamics, optics, electricity and magnetism, sound waves, energy from light, and hydrogen can be found at the Scientific Ludoteca. The tour lasts about an hour and is always led by one of our animators.

Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa

The Museum of Natural History is one of the oldest museums in the world and one of the top science museums in Pisa. It is located at the University of Pisa. This museum, housed in a former monastery, has a fantastic collection of artifacts dating back to 1596 worldwide.

It has the largest freshwater aquarium in the nation and the largest collection of whale skeletons in Italy. One of the few complete blue whale skeletons on display worldwide is in this museum. The reconstruction of Chauvet Cave’s prehistoric art in France offers an intriguing window into the minds of early humans.

8. Enjoy the Outdoors

There is no getting around the fact that Pisa’s summers are hot. After sightseeing, going to the shore is a good way to cool off. The Arno River empties into the Mediterranean Sea just west of the city center of Pisa. From the port south to Tirrenia, the coastline is dotted with a string of sandy beaches. Here are some of the beaches you may want to visit.

Parco Regionale Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli

The Migliarino San Rossore Massaciuccoli Park includes 9,000 hectares of the marine protected area and 30 kilometers of beaches from Viareggio to Calambrone. Together, these features create an environment in the process of natural evolution, complete with dunes, tree-lined strips, the mouths of the two most significant rivers in Tuscany, and numerous rare plant and animal species that attest to the park’s natural beauty.

To ensure that our children can enjoy these landscapes, an ecosystem must be protected, the issues of coastal and plastic erosion addressed, and the value of living in nature and nature respect raised. Additionally, this region has bathing lidos, free natural beaches, integral reserves, and some of the last Mediterranean dunes and woods.

Bocca D ‘Arno

The typical wooden buildings, known as “retoni,” that are situated on the man-made cliffs with the Gombo coast and the breathtaking Apuan Alps in the background give the Arno river estuary, in the shape that it has had since the seventeenth century, significant landscape values.

The seaplane factory’s sheds, which were later turned into car parts, were the site of the tourist port, which opened in 2013 and was built with consideration for the estuary and coastline. The Arno river estuary, in the shape it has had since the seventeenth century, has significant landscape values because of the typical wooden structures, or “retoni,” that are perched on man-made cliffs overlooking the Gombo coast and the breathtaking Apuan Alps.

The Adventure Park Pineto

Since opening in 2014, the adventure park has been continuously improved and expanded with the goal of ensuring that visitors have as much fun as possible while remaining completely safe and to protect the forest in which the park was constructed.

A steel lifeline that is always secured with at least one carabiner ensures safety on paths through the trees. On higher paths, a continuous lifeline is installed with an impossible-to-unhook carabiner.

9. Enjoy the Beaches

Visit one of the nearby beaches along the coast to inject a little fun and relaxation into your cultural excursion to Pisa. Pisa is close to the ocean and provides a wide range of options. Here are some of the closest beaches.

WWF Dune di Tirreniathe

One of the more than 22 bathing facilities in Pisa is the beach Tirrenia – Oasi Wwf, located in Tuscany, Italy. These include swimming holes, shorelines, and outdoor swimming pools where you can unwind and enjoy the sun. Additionally, the neighborhood has dining options for those who want to end their day there. For five years, the EU rated the water quality as “excellent.” Therefore, nothing prevents enjoying a bath.

Orange Beach, one of the most well-liked beaches by visitors, is visible inside the WWF oasis. The beach is beautiful and immediately stands out for its order and cleanliness, beginning with the restrooms. The open area is set up with brand-new materials in positions that ensure adequate spacing and compliance for the greatest number of people. They also have fantastic food.

Pearl Beach is an additional beach. Families enjoy the beach because it shields them from the ocean. There are numerous bathing establishments and restaurants along the coast, and the beaches are sandy and pebbly. The visitors also give high marks for the service.

10. Casa Ammannati  ( Birthplace of Galileo Galilei)

The Ammannati House, which bears the maiden name of Galileo’s mother, has been identified by modern scholars as the location of what they believe to be his birthplace.

Galileo was born in a house close to the Fortress church, according to historians who determined this during the 300^th-anniversary celebrations of his birth in 1864. However, historians did not consider that only soldiers’ children were born in this region.

According to recent research by historians who have gone over old records, Galileo is thought to have been born on Via Giusti in a house that belonged to his mother, Giulia Ammannati.

2020 saw the installation of a bronze statue of Galileo Galilei in Largo Ciro Menotti, a short distance from the eponymous scientist’s childhood home. Although the house is not accessible to the public, it is a significant Pisa landmark.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Everything Zany

Travel Blog

Everything Zany Travel Blog exploring the UK and beyond. Sharing travel guides, tips, history, and culture. Our travel media brand is founded by travel and hotel industry expert – Ryazan Tristram, a Dual Citizen (British – Filipina) based in Birmingham, UK. Everything Zany is a reputable and award-winning travel blog. Our work and contributions have been featured in Huffington Post, CNBC, Discovery Channel, GMA, Readers Digest, and Lonely Planet. Our missions are to build a great travel community and resource of travel tips, visas, and travel guides for travelers. Join us as we travel around the UK and beyond with a mission to share the best of the world.