Things to do in Pisa: top sights and where to go
Pisa is a small Tuscan city on the Arno, an hour from Florence, famous for its Leaning Tower. Its highlights share one green lawn by the city wall, the Piazza dei Miracoli: the tilting bell tower, the white marble cathedral and the round baptistery with its echo, all UNESCO-listed. The square is 25 minutes' walk from the station, and the airport is five minutes from the station. Half a day to a day is enough.
Sights
Pisa itineraries
Pisa travel guide
What to know before you go: tower tickets, the airport and trains, where to stay, weather, food and Tuscan day trips.
Pisa on your own: the essentials
- Entry
- Schengen rules; ETIAS for visa-free visitors when it starts
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - How long
- Half a day to 1 day
- Best time
- April–June and September–October
- Food
- Cecina, Tuscan soups, cantucci
- Money
- Euro; cards widely accepted
- Airport
- Galileo Galilei (PSA) — PisaMover to the station ≈ 5 min
- Trains
- Florence ≈ 1 h, Lucca ≈ 30 min
- City tax
- Charged per person per night by your hotel
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - The tower
- Timed climb tickets; book ahead
- Time zone
- CET (UTC+1), CEST (UTC+2) in summer
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Key facts
Sourcei
UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 395Sourcei
Wikipedia, Leaning Tower of PisaSourcei
Wikipedia, Leaning Tower of PisaSourcei
Wikipedia, Galileo GalileiThings to do in Pisa
Pisa's highlights share one green lawn, the Piazza dei Miracoli: the Leaning Tower, the cathedral and the baptistery. The old centre, 10 to 15 minutes' walk away, has Piazza dei Cavalieri and the Arno riverside. Every place with its YesGo score is in the list above.
| Field of Miracles | Leaning Tower | 1 hour |
|---|---|---|
| Field of Miracles | Cathedral, baptistery | 1 hour |
| Field of Miracles | The lawn and photos | 30 minutes |
| Old centre | Piazza dei Cavalieri, the Arno | 1 hour |
Rather not plan it yourself? The list above includes a ready-made one-day itinerary.
Pisa in one day
One day in Pisa means a morning tower climb, the cathedral and baptistery on the Field of Miracles, then an afternoon stroll through the old centre to Piazza dei Cavalieri and along the Arno. Many visitors come from Florence for half a day, but Pisa in the evening, without the crowds, is worth staying for.
- Morning — the Leaning Tower, the cathedral, the baptistery.
- Afternoon — lunch in the centre, Piazza dei Cavalieri, the Arno riverside.
- Evening — the Field of Miracles lit up.
Where to stay in Pisa
Pisa is small, and almost everything is within a 20 to 25 minute walk. Staying by the Field of Miracles lets you reach the tower early, the centre by the Arno has more cafés and evening life, and the station area is easiest for trains to Florence, Lucca and the coast.
| By the Field of Miracles | Early tower slots, quiet evenings | Touristy cafés |
|---|---|---|
| Centre by the Arno | Cafés, strolls, atmosphere | Livelier and noisier |
| By the station | Trains, day trips, the airport | Less picturesque |
Pisa airport and trains
Pisa Airport, Galileo Galilei (PSA), is Tuscany's main airport and just 2 km from the centre. The PisaMover shuttle reaches Pisa Centrale station in about 5 minutes. It's also the easy way into Florence: the train takes about an hour.
| PisaMover | Airport — Pisa Centrale | ≈ 5 min |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi | Airport — Field of Miracles | ≈ 10–15 min |
| Train | Pisa — Florence | ≈ 1 h |
| Train | Pisa — Lucca | ≈ 30 min |
| Train | Pisa — La Spezia (Cinque Terre) | ≈ 1 h |
| LAM Rossa bus | Station — Field of Miracles | ≈ 10 min |
Pisa weather by month
Pisa has a mild Mediterranean climate: the sea is close, so winter days reach ≈ 12 °C and summer around 30 °C. The best months are April to June and September to October. October and November are the wettest, and in summer the marble Field of Miracles is hot with little shade.
°CiLong-term averages, °C: day and night air, sea water near the shore, rain — rainy days a month. Any given year can be warmer or cooler. Tap a month for details below. | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 12° | 13° | 16° | 19° | 23° | 27° | 30° | 30° | 26° | 21° | 16° | 12° |
| Night | 3° | 3° | 5° | 8° | 12° | 15° | 18° | 18° | 15° | 11° | 7° | 4° |
| Rain | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
Warm — 20 °C and above by dayBest time to go: April–May and September–October
- day ≈ 12°
- night ≈ 3°
- rain 8 days
Cool, few tourists.
- day ≈ 13°
- night ≈ 3°
- rain 7 days
Cool, carnival in nearby Viareggio.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 5°
- rain 7 days
Spring, warming up.
- day ≈ 19°
- night ≈ 8°
- rain 8 days
Warm, Tuscany in bloom.
- day ≈ 23°
- night ≈ 12°
- rain 6 days
A lovely month.
- day ≈ 27°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 4 days
Warm, the festival of lights.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 2 days
Hot and busy.
- day ≈ 30°
- night ≈ 18°
- rain 4 days
Hot, beach season.
- day ≈ 26°
- night ≈ 15°
- rain 6 days
Warm, still beach weather.
- day ≈ 21°
- night ≈ 11°
- rain 9 days
Mild, some rain.
- day ≈ 16°
- night ≈ 7°
- rain 10 days
Rainy, few visitors.
- day ≈ 12°
- night ≈ 4°
- rain 9 days
Cool, Christmas.
On 16 June the Luminara lights the Arno riverside with thousands of candles; on the last Sunday of June the historic Gioco del Ponte is played on the bridge.
What to eat in Pisa
Pisa's food is simple Tuscan cooking: cecina, a chickpea flatbread, thick bread soups, pasta with game ragù and almond biscuits. Skip the cafés by the Field of Miracles and eat in the old centre's trattorias and around the market on Piazza delle Vettovaglie.
- Cecina — a thin chickpea-flour flatbread.
- Ribollita — Tuscan bread and vegetable soup.
- Pappa al pomodoro — tomato and bread soup.
- Pici and pappardelle — pasta with game ragù.
- Cantucci — almond biscuits for dipping in vin santo.
- Chianti — from the nearby Tuscan hills.
Pisa sightseeing costs
Free in Pisa: the Field of Miracles, the lawn, the centre and the riverside; cathedral entry usually comes with a tower ticket or a free pass from the ticket office. You pay for the timed tower climb, the baptistery and the square's museums, best on one combined ticket.
| Leaning Tower of Pisa | 67 | 1 h | Climb paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pisa Cathedral | 47 | 40 min | Timed ticket |
| Piazza dei Miracoli | 42 | 2 h | Free |
| Pisa Baptistery | 40 | 30 min | Paid |
Tips
- Book the tower climb ahead.
- Come early or stay into the evening.
- Eat in the centre, not by the square.
FAQ
What should I see first in Pisa?
The Leaning Tower, cathedral and baptistery on the Field of Miracles, then Piazza dei Cavalieri and the Arno.
How much time do you need in Pisa?
Half a day for the Field of Miracles, or a full day with the old centre.
How do I get from Pisa airport to the centre?
By PisaMover shuttle to the station in 5 minutes, then on foot or by the LAM Rossa bus.
How do I get from Florence to Pisa?
By train in about an hour to Pisa Centrale or Pisa San Rossore.
What's the weather like in Pisa in May?
About 23 °C by day and 12 °C at night, a good month to visit.
Where should I stay in Pisa?
By the Field of Miracles, in the centre by the Arno, or near the station for day trips.
Do I need to book the Leaning Tower climb?
Yes, climbs are timed with limited places, especially in summer.
What food is Pisa known for?
Cecina, ribollita, pappa al pomodoro and cantucci.
What day trips can I take from Pisa?
Florence, Lucca and the Cinque Terre, all 30 to 60 minutes by train.
Sources and fact-check
- UNESCO World Heritage List, no. 395 — Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
- Wikipedia: Pisa; Leaning Tower of Pisa; climate of Pisa (1991–2020 normals)
- Pisa Airport — official site; PisaMover