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Table of Contents:
Cathedral, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Baptistery
When to travel to Pisa
Pisa is considered to be one of the most known cities not only in Italy, but in the World. The famous Pisan tower attracts a lot of tourists from all over the World every year. Meanwhile, there are quite a lot of other historical monuments in Pisa, and another 15 km from the city center is its beach part, called Marina di Pisa. Thanks to it, Pisa can be considered an all-season resort, suitable for both sightseeing and beach holidays.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Pisa. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to see there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Pisa.
If you plan to combine a beach holiday and sightseeing, then choose the period from May-June to October when the sea is warm enough to swim in it. But if you prefer only sightseeing you may choose any season of the year to travel to Pisa. As far as I know, the climate here is quite mild and suits for long distance walking at any time of the year.
How to get to Pisa
Where do you fly into to get to Pisa? The good news for tourists is that there are direct flights to Pisa from different cities of the world, and various low-cost airlines carry out transportation, thanks to which a holiday in Pisa can become very budget-friendly. The current flight timetable to any of these cities can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I usually use Aviasales when planning my trips, because it can compare a great variety of available flight options.
By train: Pisa has its own international airport named after Galileo Galilei. The airport is located 5 km from the center of Pisa and can be reached by train or by taxi. The so-called Pisa Mover trains run from the arrival terminal to the railway station in Pisa, which operate fully automatically. They operate from 6 am to midnight every day and every 10 minutes.
By taxi: If you arrive in Pisa at night, when trains do not operate, you can use a taxi service. You can order a taxi car in advance via various specialized services, for example, via Kiwitaxi service. The travel time by car is about just 10 minutes. I read the reviews of the service and most of them are positive. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: If you plan to travel a lot not only around Pisa, but also to visit neighboring cities, then it makes sense to rent a car. A car is also useful for going to local beaches, which are located 15 km from the historical center of Pisa. Car rental in Pisa is a very popular option and is in demand among tourists virtually all year round. You can rent a car directly at the arrival terminal or at one of the city offices. You can also book the desired class of car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and others. I can recommend both online services as they have a decent search with a lot of useful options to find out the best available car rentals.
To rent a car, you just need to have your passport, driver`s license and a bank card to pay for services. Below is a list of distances and route numbers between Pisa and the most popular destinations that I discovered:
| From | To | Distance | Route |
| Pisa | Marina di Pisa | 15 km (9 miles) | Route No. SP224 (map) |
| Pisa | Viareggio | 24 km (15 miles) | Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia (map) |
| Pisa | Forte dei Marmi | 38 km (23,5 miles) | Route No. A12/E80 (map) |
| Pisa | Lido di Camaiore | 27 km (17 miles) | Strada Statale 1 Via Aurelia (map) |
| Pisa | Montecatini Terme | 47 km (29 miles) | Route No. A11/E76 (map) |
| Pisa | Lucca | 18 km (11 miles) | Routes No. SS12 and SS12 radd (map) |
| Pisa | Arezzo | 160 km (99,5 miles) | Route SGC Firenze – Pisa – Livorno and A1/E35 (map) |
| Pisa | Florence | 87 km (54 miles) | Route SGC Firenze-Pisa-Livorno (map) |
| Pisa | Rome | 357 km (222 miles) | Route No. A1/E35 (map) |
Where to stay in Pisa
Pisa is a tourist city, so the hotel infrastructure here is very well developed. Accommodation options such as bed and breakfasts are particularly popular in Pisa, due to the fact that most often tourists stay in Pisa for a few nights and then move to another Tuscan city or to one of the beach resorts. However, Pisa also has a good choice of standard hotels ranging from 1 to 5 stars. There is also a certain demand for apartments, guest houses, and hostels. Please note to have access to the local beaches, it is better to stay in the shore area of Marina di Pisa, otherwise you will have to travel 15 km daily from the historical city center to the beach area. According to my research, the following hotels in Pisa are popular:
Hotel Di Stefano 3* is located 500 m from the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the main square of the city. There is a bar on site. You can stay in one, two, three or four-bed rooms. Depending on the room type, breakfast may be included in the price or paid additionally. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is available on site for an additional fee and upon reservation. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and there is luggage storage;
Hotel Bologna 4* is located in the historical center of Pisa. There is a bar on site. Guests can stay in one, two, three or four-bed rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Each room is equipped with a tea or coffee pot. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided on site for an additional fee. The front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage and bicycle rental services;
Hotel Roma 3* has a convenient location and views on the Leaning Tower of Pisa. You can relax in the garden or in the bar. You can stay in single, double or triple rooms. Breakfast is included. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided on site for an additional fee and upon reservation. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that the front desk operates 24 hours a day and offers luggage storage services.
B&B hotels are perfect for a short stay in the city. They are also located in the very center of Pisa. Among B&B hotels (bed and breakfast), the following options are in demand:
Five Roses Bed and Breakfast 3* is located in a historical building, near the Pisa train station. The hotel has a terrace overlooking the city. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Public parking is provided nearby for an additional fee. There is a luggage storage room at the front desk;
B&B Di Camilla 4* is located in a cozy place, surrounded with a garden. There is a bar at the hotel. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Private parking is provided nearby upon reservation and at an additional cost. Luggage storage service can be found at the front desk.
If you fly to Pisa specifically to relax by the sea, then it makes sense to look for hotel offers at the resorts of the Tuscan Riviera; one of the closest is Marina di Pisa, located just 15 km from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Marina di Pisa is a small cozy town with romantic open-air beach cafes. As I discovered, tourists can stay in Marina di Pisa in hotels or apartments. For example, the following hotels are popular:
Di Boccadarno 3* is located in Marina di Pisa, just 100 m from the sea. There is a bar on site. You can stay in single, double, triple or family rooms. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site. The front desk serves guests 24 hours a day;
B&B La Papaya 3* is a guest house which is located 100 meters from the Marina di Pisa promenade. Guests can stay in double or triple rooms. The hotel has a patio for relaxation and a garden. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge. Public parking is provided nearby. An ATM and luggage storage facilities can be found at reception;
Il Pescatore – is a bed and breakfast hotel that is a 5-minute walk from Marina di Pisa beach and is surrounded with gardens. You can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and is free of charge.
In the neighborhood of Marina di Pisa there are also more famous and large resorts, such as Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio; there are many more accommodation places here, and the infrastructure is considered to be more developed.
What to see in Pisa
The attractions of Pisa are all historical. The old city center is literally full of architectural monuments, and the central composition is the Cathedral, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Baptistery. In addition, in the city you can also see many medieval churches, made in different styles and belonging to different historical periods. The local palazzos are not as elegant as those in, say, neighboring Genoa, but they also have historical and architectural value. In general, in my point of view, to see the sights of Pisa, it is enough to have 1-2 days, because the town, despite its size, has a relatively small historical center.
Cathedral, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Pisa Baptistery
These three main attractions of Pisa are located on the so-called Cathedral Square, which makes visiting them very convenient, because they are all concentrated in one place. All three compositions are made of gray stone and white marble; it is difficult to define a single style, but it is a mixture of Romanesque and Byzantine heritage. And this is not surprising, since the age of the cathedral, for example, is more than 10 centuries. To my mind, the interiors of the cathedral are no less significant than its facades, so it’s definitely worth going inside. I would recommend checking out the schedule before going, because the cathedral is active.
As for the Leaning Tower of Pisa, here are a few facts about it: the height of the tower is 57 meters, and its inclination is almost 4%. Its construction began in the 12th century, and the tower does not fall because its center of gravity is located at the base, and not at the top, as it is customary in many other architectural structures.
The Pisa Baptistery is a semicircular structure located next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Cathedral, often seen in photographs and postcards, but for some reason rarely mentioned, unlike its “neighbor” – the tower. Construction of the Baptistery of San Giovanni also began in the 12th century, and its height is almost equal to the height of the tower and is 55 meters. The architectural style of the baptistery is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic styles, while the external facades look quite impressive, while the interior decoration is quite modest.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Steven Penton
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…