Pisa What to see and do in the beautiful city of the leaning tower?

Pisa is a small city in the Italian region of Tuscany and the capital of the homonymous province. It is world famous for its leaning tower, which is located in Piazza dei Miracoli. But beyond this square and its famous tower, the city of Pisa, although small and can be covered in a single day, has much more to see and do.

The essentials of Pisa

The Leaning Tower

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the best known and most visited monuments in Italy and an essential stop for those who visit the city. This tower is actually the bell tower (campanile) of the Duomo or cathedral, since in Italy it is very common that it is not integrated into the church building, and it is located on the east side of the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles ). The tower, together with the baptistery and the cemetery, was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Torre inclinada de Pisa

Many people believe that this tower would be one of many if it were not for its inclination, and perhaps it is true, but it is still a true work of architectural art. The tower began to lean in 1173, just at the beginning of its construction , due to the clay soil and the shallow depth of the foundations. It took almost 200 years to build its 8 floors and the bell tower, which reached a height of 56 meters . As a curiosity, in 1990 the tower was closed to stabilize it and it was not until 2011 that it was reopened to the public.

Currently you can climb the tower to enjoy its views , although it is advisable to reserve your ticket in advance because there are a limited number of tickets per day.

Everyone takes a photo playing with perspective and pretending to hold the tower. But we challenge you to be much more original, do you accept the challenge?

The Duomo

In the heart of Piazza dei Miracoli , around which there are several religious buildings, stands the Duomo of Pisa or cathedral. Its construction began in 1064 with a Pisan Romanesque style, although byzantine and Islamic influences can be seen inside.

El Duomo o catedral de Pisa

The most remarkable thing is its pristine white and gray marble facade, in addition to its huge solid bronze door. Its interior is lined with black and white marbles, it also has two rows of Corinthian columns, a wooden ceiling, mosaics, decorations and the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano, which is its great jewel.

The baptistery

Right in front of the cathedral is a large circular white marble building, the Baptistery. It is the largest in Italy at almost 55 meters high and 36 meters in diameter. It was built in 1152 and combines the Romanesque style of the base with the Gothic style of the upper part. Its interior may seem small despite its large size because there is only a baptismal font in the center and a pulpit, both from the 12th century. Despite this, we recommend visiting it and, above all, climbing the side stairs to have magnificent views of the Duomo and the leaning tower.

Monumental Cemetery

The Camposanto or Monumental Cemetery is one of the best known places for Pizza dei Miracoli. Its construction began in 1278 and lasted until 1464. This peculiar cemetery impresses with its long wall with 42 blind arches and some very interesting painted frescoes that close the square to the north. In addition, it has a rectangular Gothic style cloister where, over the centuries, it has housed everything from Roman sarcophagi to more modest graves.

Camposanto Monumental de Pisa

Other points of interest

Piazza dei Cavalieri

Although many people stay alone in Piazza dei Miracoli to see the leaning tower and the places we mentioned earlier, Pisa has much more. The Piazza dei Cavalieri or Knights Square is the second most important in the city and we recommend visiting it if you have time.

This square was a political and civil center in ancient times until it became the headquarters of the military order of the Knights of Saint Stephen. Now it is surrounded by very important and impressive buildings, such as the Palazzo della Carovana, the Palazzo dell’Orologio, the Palazzo del Consiglio dei Dodici and the church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri. Right here is also the statue of Duke Cosimo di Giovanni de ‘Medici.

Church of Santa Maria della Spina

The Church of Santa Maria della Spina is located next to the Arno River and is one of the most beautiful in the city. It was built in 1230 in a Gothic style but later, in 1875, it had to be rebuilt because the terrain on which it was built was very unstable.

Iglesia de Santa Maria della Spina en Pisa

Although its interior is quite sober despite having the sculpture of the Virgin of the Rose, the exterior part draws attention for its ornamentation with sculptures of Christ and the apostles.

Historical Center

The true essence of Pisa is found in its historic center. The starting point can be the Piazza delle Vettovaglie, where every morning there is a fruit market; to continue to Piazza Garibaldi, which is always very lively; and enter some of its beautiful churches, such as Santa Caterina, San Paolo all’Orto, Santa Cecilia or San Matteo, which is currently the National Museum.

Don’t forget Borgo Stretto, which is the most charming alley in the historic city center . Here, that medieval aroma is still maintained with exclusive shops and its 14th and 15th century buildings. In addition, there is the Salza pastry shop, with its chocolate and coffee cakes, and the beautiful Ghibellina bookstore.

Corso Italia and Ponte di Mezzo

So that not everything is monuments and buildings, we recommend going to the Ponte di Mezzo, which is where Corso Italia or the commercial street of Pisa begins . This is the ideal place to go for a walk, look at the shops, fall in love with the beautiful shop windows and enter one of its many cafes to rest a bit.

Of course, we recommend, before you start shopping, make a short stop to see the colorful Pisan-style houses on the banks of the Arno River .

Río Arno, en Pisa

Festivities in Pisa

Festivities

The patron saint festivities are celebrated in honor of San Rainiero on June 16 and 17. The first day the Luminara takes place, at which time thousands of colored lamps and candles illuminate the houses around the Arno River . And at night a fireworks show takes place on the banks of the river .

The following day the historic regatta is held with four boats . Each one represents one of the main neighborhoods of Pisa.

Bridge game

The last Saturday in June is the Gioco del Ponte, a battle of medieval origin in which the different neighborhoods of the city face each other. On the Ponte di Mezzo a cart is mounted that has to be pushed by the opponents until the flag above it falls.

Historical Regatta of the Maritime Republics

Every four years a regatta is held in the city in which Pisa, Venice, Genoa and Amalfi, which are the former Maritime Republics, participate. Although, in reality, this regatta is held annually, only that the cities rotate.

Typical dishes of Pisa

In Tuscany, and obviously also in Pisa, some soups are very typical, such as zuppa di pesce (fish soup), minestra di fagiolibianchi (white bean soup), bordatino alla pisana (corn and cabbage soup) and la pappe al pomodoro (tomato soup). Also very common are the bavettine sul pesce (pasta with fish sauce), the pici (a kind of spaghetti very typical of Tuscany), the risotto d’Arselle (clam risotto) and the pappardelle al coniglio or alla teal (pasta with rabbit or duck).

Although within the gastronomy of the area, two traditional sweets stand out above all: the co’bischeri de pontasserchio , which is a delicious chocolate cake; and the castagnaccio , which is a cake made of chestnuts with pine nuts and raisins.

Co’bischeri de pontasserchio

A good meal can be accompanied by a Chianti , a wine with Designation of Origin from the Tuscany Region.

With all this we mean that Pisa is a city with much more than meets the eye. Although the leaning tower is a must-see, this city has more interesting and beautiful places. In addition, its small size allows you to visit it and get to know it in one or two days. Perfect for a weekend getaway!