Tourist Attractions in Pisa

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Pisa

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Pisa

The small Italian city of Pisa is world-famous for its falling tower. Almost all organised tours of Italy include a visit to this unusual landmark, which has been at risk of falling for centuries and has only survived thanks to constant strengthening work. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is located in the Piazza dei Miracoli (“Square of Wonders”). There are several other architectural masterpieces here. The ensemble of the square is on the UNESCO list.

There are other equally interesting and picturesque places in Pisa. Popular is the city quarter Borgo Stretto, which is an example of medieval buildings, typical for Western Europe XIII-XIV centuries. A must-see in Pisa should be its wonderful museums, where you can admire the works of sculptors and artists who created during the Middle Ages and New Age.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Pisa

Leaning Tower of Pisa

 4.7/5

144073 reviews

Pisa’s most famous landmark, world-famous for a construction error. It is part of the architectural complex of the Cathedral of Pisa and is its bell tower. The tower was built during XII-XIV centuries according to the project of B. Pisano. Pisano. Almost immediately the building began to deviate from the vertical axis, because of which the work was constantly suspended. The defect was never corrected, but the inexorable fall of the tower was stopped by fixing the tilt at 3.54°.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Cattedrale di Pisa

 4.8/5

10310 reviews

The cathedral church of Pisa, located in Piazza del Duomo. The architectural complex includes the cathedral building itself, the bell tower (the famous falling tower) and the baptistery. The ensemble was built in the period of XI-XIII centuries in the “Pisan” Romanesque style, which combined elements of the Lombard, Byzantine and Islamic style of construction. White and black marble was used in large quantities for the façade and interior.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 – 6:00 PM

Battistero di San Giovanni

 4.6/5

2495 reviews

A magnificent Gothic building from the 12th to 14th centuries, designed by the architect Diotisalvi. The Baptistery is considered the largest in Italy. The height of the building reaches 55 metres, the diameter of the ring of walls is 34 metres. According to the original project, the building was planned to be built in Romanesque style, but the duration of construction work of almost 200 years allowed to add more elegant features of the Gothic style.

Open time

Camposanto

 4.6/5

725 reviews

A 13th century necropolis located in the northern part of the Piazza dei Miracoli. A church was supposed to be built on the site of the cemetery, but the project was changed during the works. Campo Santo is a rather unusual place, as the burials are located in a stone wall under the arches of an arched gallery that surrounds the courtyard. There are three chapels within the cemetery. Until the 18th century, this necropolis was used to bury the upper classes of Pisa.

Open time

Church of Saint Michael 'in Borgo'

 4.6/5

340 reviews

Historic urban district located in the centre of Pisa. Architecturally, it is a classic “stone bag” with narrow streets, houses characterised by blank medieval walls and small picturesque squares. Nowadays, the Borgo Stretto is home to numerous street restaurants with excellent Italian cuisine, souvenir shops, coffee shops and delicatessen stalls.

Open time

Piazza dei Cavalieri

 4.5/5

10019 reviews

For many centuries, the square was an important public place where decrees of the authorities were announced, victories were celebrated and the political situation was discussed. The piazza was built during the Early Middle Ages on the site of a former Roman forum. It is surrounded by palazzos and administrative buildings erected mainly in the XVI-XVII centuries. In 1406, the independence of Pisa was declared in the Piazza of the Knights.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Palazzo della Carovana

 4.6/5

131 reviews

A sixteenth-century structure that formerly served as the home of the Knights of the Tuscan Order of St Stephen. The building was designed by architect D. Vasari. Nowadays the palace is home to an institution of higher education. Visiting the palazzo is possible only when there are no lectures. The façade of the building is painted in sgraffito, depicting the signs of the zodiac and symbolic figures surrounded by vegetal ornamentation.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Sinopie Museum

 4.1/5

693 reviews

The museum displays fragments of frescoes (or, more precisely, sketches for frescoes) that formerly decorated the walls of Campo Santo. After the Second World War, during restoration work, these images were discovered under the top layers of plaster. In addition to the fresco blanks, the museum features a model of the Campo Santo cemetery from previous eras and an installation dedicated to the problem of fortifying the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

 4.6/5

420 reviews

The museum’s collection consists of works of art that formerly adorned the walls of the Cathedral of Pisa and the Baptistery of St John. The exhibition is housed in a twelfth-century building formerly used as a seminary and academy of fine arts. The museum houses valuable sculptures created by T. Di Camaino and D. Pisano in the 13th century, bronze doors made in the 12th century, as well as frescoes, paintings, clothes and other exhibits belonging to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Open time

National Museum of San Matteo

 4.4/5

483 reviews

The exhibition is located in the monastery of the same name. It is dedicated to the cultural history of the Middle Ages and contains priceless works of art created by Tuscan masters in the XII-XVII centuries. San Matteo exhibits works by D. Pisano, B. Berlingieri, B. Buffalmacco, S. Aretino and other sculptors. It also houses Donatello’s famous work, the bust of San Lussorio. In the museum you can look at medieval manuscripts dating from the XII-XIV centuries.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Palazzo Blu

 4.5/5

4838 reviews

Palazzo Blu is an art museum housed in a historic fourteenth-century mansion, which has changed hands frequently and belonged to various families in the past. Up until 2001, the building was home to the noble Giuli family and was then handed over to the cultural authorities. After the renovation, the palazzo is now home to an exhibition of works by D. Battista, J.-B. Desmarais, D. Bezzuoli, F. Bellonzi and other artists.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

 4.5/5

3260 reviews

A 19th century church built in Gothic style on the site of an old church from the 13th century. The church facade is characterised by rich decoration and an abundance of elegant details. The interior looks rather modest compared to the exterior decoration. The most important relic of Santa Maria della Spina is the guardian of gifts, which, according to Christian belief, once in the XIV century stored a thorn from the crown of thorns of Jesus.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

San Paolo a Ripa d'Arno

 4.6/5

397 reviews

A temple of Romanesque architecture, the first mention of which dates back to the 10th century. Earlier it played a rather important role in the religious life of Pisa, so the church was given the unofficial name “Duomo Vecchio”, which means “old cathedral”. Inside the church there are several ancient relics: a Roman sarcophagus from the 2nd century, a crucifix created in the 13th century, and frescoes from the 13th to 14th centuries painted by B. Buffalmaco.

Open time

San Piero a Grado

 4.7/5

1112 reviews

A 9th (10th) century temple built on the site of an early Christian chapel. Even earlier, it was the site of Roman residential neighbourhoods. The Apostle Peter celebrated his first mass on this very spot in the year 44. The church is located in the town of San Pietro-a-Grado, which belongs to the municipality of Pisa. The paintings on the interior walls of the basilica date back to the 14th century and later. The church is a valuable monument of Romanesque architecture.

Open time

Torre Guelfa

 4.3/5

59 reviews

A 13th-century structure built on the embankment of the Arno River. The citadel with its adjacent tower was formerly part of the city’s defences. At the beginning of the 15th century it was home to the military garrison of Pisa. For many centuries the citadel fulfilled its defence function. During the Second World War, the building was severely damaged by bombardment. In 1956 it was restored to its original appearance.

Open time

Ponte di Mezzo

 4.5/5

3511 reviews

A small central bridge over the Arno River near Santa Maria della Spina. It is used by all tourists travelling from Pisa’s central station to Piazza del Duomo, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa is located. The bridge offers magnificent views of the river, embankments and ancient houses. The structure itself is modestly designed without any architectural excesses.

Open time

Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours

Pisa

 0/5

A waterway of Tuscany that originates in the Apennines and flows into the Ligurian Sea. The river flows through Florence and Pisa. The Arno is 248 kilometres long. It flows through the picturesque plains, hills, vineyards, cypress groves and fields that make up the pastoral landscapes of this part of Italy. Periodically the river overflows its banks as a result of floods. The largest natural disaster was recorded in 1966.

Botanical Garden and Museum

 4.3/5

3388 reviews

The garden was founded in the 16th century by botanist L. Ghini at the expense of the Tuscan ruler Duke Cosimo I. It is considered one of the oldest botanical gardens not only in Italy, but also in the world. In 1595, a building was erected here to house an institute for plant research. The plant diversity of the garden brings together about 550 species collected from different parts of Europe and the world. The Arboretum is managed by the University of Pisa.

Open time

Monday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Giardino Scotto

 4.4/5

3496 reviews

The garden is located on the southern bank of the Arno on the territory of the Citadelle Nuova fortress, which was founded in the 15th century. The landscaped park was laid out in the nineteenth century, designed by D. Caluri. The Scotto Garden hosts various public events such as concerts, theatre performances, museum exhibitions and film screenings. The park is planted with picturesque Mediterranean vegetation. It is an ideal place for quiet strolls.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Parco Regionale Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli

 4.4/5

10035 reviews

Regional park of the province of Tuscany, created in 1979. There are several ecosystems within the reserve: marshes, sand dunes, a lake, and a coastal zone. The park is home to a wide variety of birds. Within the reserve there are the towns of Torre del Lago and Massaciuccoli (the composer D. Puccini lived here for a long time). The administration is located in a 19th century villa, which is also a local landmark.

Open time

Monday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday: 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM