Pisa Travel Guide
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Pisa Photo: Blue Planet Studio/Shutterstock.com Pisa is strategically located in the central part of Italy, at only 12 km from the Ligurian Sea, 20 km from the harbour of Livorno and the ferries heading to the Elba Island, Sardinia and Corsica, and 80 km from Florence. This city is closely associated with the Leaning Tower, but it also preserves, along with the whole complex of Piazza dei Miracoli - UNESCO World Heritage Site - and its medieval centre, numerous masterpieces of architecture and medieval history. The area around Pisa is also excellent for farm holidays, trekking, beaches and water sports on the Versilian coast. RossHelen/Shutterstock.com Top 5 Pisa Cathedral and Baptistery Pisa Baptistery (Battistero di San Giovanni) shares grounds with Pisa Duomo ... Via Aurelia (Aurelia Stree... This street played an important role in times of the ancient Roman Empire, t... The Leaning Tower Elena Korn/Shutterstock.com One of the most outstanding architectural structures of medieval Europe (par... Botanical Garden and Museum The Botanical Garden and Museum (Orto e Museo Botanico) was established in 1... Camposanto The Italian word "Camposanto" (Holy Yard) - which is a synonym of "cemetery"... Virginia Schianini/Shutterstock.com Updated 10 May 2021 Destination: Pisa Publishing date: 2021-05-10 THE CITY km), Volterra (65 km), San Gimignano (80 km) and Florence (105 km). DO & SEE arkanto/Shutterstock.com You say Pisa and you immediately think of the Leaning Tower, one of the most famous FredP/Shutterstock.com monuments in the world. But Pisa is much more than just its tower, it is also home to the The boat service in Pisa will let you enjoy the extraordinary complex of buildings known as the architectural scenery of the Lungarni, or the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), with its natural beauty of the nearby San Rossore magnicent cathedral and baptistery. Step away Natural Park, in which several important from the tower and you’ll discover the old town racecourses and dressage competitions take with Renaissance palaces, medieval place. tower-houses, churches in Romanesque and Gothic style, the Botanic Gardens (one of the Pisa celebrates traditional events such as the oldest in Europe, recently restored), and the fascinating “Luminara” (a candlelight festival), River Arno, which you can admire by walking the historical "Regata" (a boat race on the River through old streets called Lungarni. Arno) and the “Gioco del Ponte” (an ancient contest on the Ponte di Mezzo). The three of Pisa was the birthplace of Gailileo Galilei and them take place every year in June. hosts an important university, founded in 1338, and the Scuola Normale Superiore, opened in An alternative could be a festival of international 1813. As an Etruscan settlement and a Roman sacred music called “Anima Mundi”, taking place town, Pisa formed part of the Longobardo between September and October in the Kingdom, and then of the Carolingio Empire Cathedral and Monumental Cemetery. before becoming part of Italy after 1861. The Pisa Cathedral and Baptistery medieval period coincided with the peak of Pisa’s economic and political power. Pisa was one of Pisa Baptistery the four Italian coastal republics until it was (Battistero di San annexed to the Ducato of Tuscany in 1406. Giovanni) shares grounds with Pisa Duomo (where Pisa is the starting point to discover the the Leaning Tower is province, with its unspoilt and well-preserved located). It took more landscape. Do not miss a visit to San Miniato (50 than two centuries to complete. This amazing Destination: Pisa Publishing date: 2021-05-10 marble Baptistery is the largest one in the whole and continued for over two centuries. This of Italy, and dates back to the 12th century. Pay miscalculated eight-story building is over 55 your visit in the early morning to experience the metres high and leans at an angle of 5 degrees. amazing acoustics. Without any doubts, this popular tourist attraction is a "must" when visiting the city. The Cathedral is an incredible work of art with Don’t forget the camera, since this is a perfect more than a thousands years of history, and its place to take some amusing photos. design inuenced many other buildings in the whole country. Photo: Guzel Studio/Shutterstock.com Address: Piazza del Duomo, Pisa Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 (Open all year round) Photo: f11photo/Shutterstock.com Phone: +39 050 83 50 11 Address: Piazza del Duomo, Pisa Internet: www.opapisa.it Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 Email: [email protected] Phone: +39 050 83 50 11 Internet: www.opapisa.it Email: [email protected] Botanical Garden and Museum The Botanical Garden and Via Aurelia (Aurelia Street to Rome) Museum (Orto e Museo This street played an Botanico) was established important role in times of in 1544 as the rst the ancient Roman university botanical Empire, to connect the garden in Europe, by the cities of Pisa and Rome famous botanist Luca Ghini. The garden is and to enable trouble-free divided into sections containing the botanical and eicient movement of defensive forces and school, gardens, ponds, greenhouses and various goods between them. Today, the drive along the buildings. Major collections include herb Liguarian coast might not be the fastest gardens and arboreta, as well as the old botany anymore, due to heavy traic at times, but it for institute of late 16th century, with a façade sure is one of the most beautiful rides in Italy. ornamented with sea-shells. Photo: StevanZZ/Shutterstock.com Photo: s74/Shutterstock.com Address: Via Aurelia, Pisa Address: Via Luca Ghini 13, Pisa Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (from 1 October to 31 March) / The Leaning Tower 8.30-20.00 (from 1 April to 30 September) Phone: +39 050 221 1310 One of the most Internet: www.sma.unipi.it/it/orto-e-museo-botanico outstanding architectural Email: [email protected] structures of medieval More Info: Other address: Via Roma 54, Pisa Europe (partly due to human error during construction), the Leaning Tower is today the most famous landmark of Pisa. It is the bell tower of the Cathedral whose construction began in 1173, Destination: Pisa Publishing date: 2021-05-10 Camposanto National Museum of the Royal Palace The Italian word The Royal Palace was "Camposanto" (Holy built, as commanded by Yard) - which is a the House of Medici, in synonym of "cemetery" - the late 16th century, and was rst used with became the National reference to this Pisan Museum in 1989. Today, building. According to the legend, it contained it hosts numerous works of art belonging to the soil which was seen as miraculous due to its courts of the city government, such as the origins in the Holy Land. You will nd this Medici, Lorena and Savoia, as well as some peaceful place with amazing frescoes, mosaics private collections. The building still keeps the and statues on the same site as the Leaning appearance of an aristocratic residence, with Tower, the UNESCO World Heritage site Piazza ttings and furniture from the 17th to 19th del Duomo di Pisa. centuries. Photo: Patryk Kosmider/Shutterstock.com Photo: sailko/Wikimedia Commons (image cropped) Address: Piazza del Duomo 17, Pisa Address: Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti 46, Pisa Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 Opening hours: 9:00-14:00 (Monday to Saturday) Phone: +39 050 83 50 11 Phone: +39 050 92 65 73 Internet: www.opapisa.it Internet: www.polomusealetoscana.beniculturali.it/index.php Email: [email protected] ?it/202/pisa-museo-nazionale-di-palazzo-reale More Info: Closing days: Tuesday and Sunday Opera del Duomo Museum The Museum of Cathedral Knights' Square Works (Museo dell’Opera The beautiful Knights' del Duomo) opened in Square was the political 1986 to showcase the art centre of the Pisan and sculptures of Pisa. Republic. During the 16th Today, its collection century, it was radically includes works which previously adorned the transformed by Giorgio buildings in the Piazza dei Miracoli. After the big Vasari and became the seat of the new military three (the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral and the order of the Knights of St. Stephen. The square Baptistery), this is the fourth major landmark to is dominated by the Palazzo della Carovana, t into your time schedule. You will nd this whose façade is completely covered in graiti interesting museum behind the Leaning Tower. and that, today, hosts the Scuola Normale Superiore, founded by Napoleon in 1810. Photo: Gianni Careddu/Wikimedia Commons (image cropped) Address: Piazza del Duomo 23, Pisa Photo: robertonencini/Shutterstock.com Phone: +39 050 83 50 11 Address: Piazza dei Cavalieri, Pisa Internet: www.opapisa.it Email: [email protected] Destination: Pisa Publishing date: 2021-05-10 The Lungarnos The Wine Road of the Pisan Hills Lungarnos are quays that Take a tour along the run along a river; Pisa's roads of wine in the ones, with their beautiful stunning area of Chianti, palaces and romantic one of the most famous bridges over them, have districts in Tuscany. You been the heart and soul of decide which vineyards to the city for centuries. Today, it is possible to visit and make your stops wherever you like. It is walk along them to admire river Arno and its also possible take a break from wine and local surroundings and, especially if the weather is food tastings to visit the museums that you will good, to stop and eat an ice cream or get a drink nd along the road, such as the one dedicated to in one of the several cafes along them. the iconic Vespa. Either you feel like going by car or bike, the road is easy to follow since it is Photo: StevanZZ/Shutterstock.com well marked by signs.