Pisa is more than the Leaning Tower, though the tower is inevitably the reason most people come. The Campo dei Miracoli — the grassy square holding the tower, cathedral, baptistery, and cemetery — is a concentrated cluster of Romanesque architecture that genuinely impresses beyond the famous tilt. The rest of the city is a working university town with a handsome river frontage, good restaurants, and a pace of life unbothered by tourism once you step away from the tower. We think Pisa works best as a base rather than a day trip, it has an airport, decent accommodation, and easy access to the Tuscan coast and Lucca.
Why Stay in Pisa
- Campo dei Miracoli: The tower leans, but the cathedral is the real achievement. a massive Romanesque building with a Giovanni Pisano pulpit. The baptistery has remarkable acoustics demonstrated by guards at intervals. The cemetery (Camposanto) has faded frescoes and Roman sarcophagi. The whole complex is more rewarding than photos suggest.
- University town: Pisa's university dates to 1343. The student population keeps the restaurants and bars lively and the prices honest. The area around Piazza dei Cavalieri and Borgo Stretto has a local buzz that the Campo dei Miracoli area lacks.
- Transport hub: Pisa Galileo Galilei airport has extensive European connections. Lucca (30 minutes), Florence (1 hour by train), and the Versilia coast are all easy to reach. As a base for western Tuscany, it's practical.
- Lungarno: The River Arno through Pisa is lined with coloured palazzi and has a different character from Florence's more famous stretch. The church of Santa Maria della Spina, a tiny Gothic jewel on the riverbank, is one of the city's highlights.
