Visit the most famous tower in the world
A stop during your road trip through Northern Italy that you absolutely should not miss: Pisa. Pisa is known worldwide for its famous leaning tower, the Torre Pendente, which stands on Piazza dei Miracoli. We only visited the tower as a stopover on our journey from La Spezia (Cinque Terre) to Florence. If you have more time to explore this beautiful city in beautiful Tuscany, I would definitely consider spending a night here.
Piazza dei Miracoli
We visited Pisa in the middle of the high season in August. Be prepared for the big crowds and...heat! There is little shade on the Piazza dei Mircali, also known as the Square of Miracles. The Torre Pendente, also known as the Leaning Tower, is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. It is a free-standing bell tower that is part of the Cathedral of Pizza. Construction of the Torre Pendente began in 1173 and took about 200 years. The idea was to build a straight tower, but the soft ground caused the tower to lean. The tower is approximately 55 meters high on the north side and 56 meters on the south side. To preserve the tower and prevent further tilting, several restorations have been carried out over the years. In the 1990s, the tower was even closed to the public due to the risk of collapse. It is possible to visit the tower, but we skipped this due to the heat and long queue. Hereyou can buy a ticket in advance and reserve a time slot. Piazza dei Miracoli also houses the Duomo di Pisa (Pisa Cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture), the Baptistery (located next to the cathedral with beautiful acoustics) and the camposanto Monumentale (a historic cemetery). It is also possible to visit these places from the inside.
Other sights
Of course, Pisa has much more to offer than just the leaning tower. If you have longer time in Pisa, below you will find a list of the best sights. Pisa has a vibrant cultural life. Here you will find one of the oldest universities in the world. Today Pisa can be described as a lively student city with a lively atmosphere and numerous cultural events, festivals and exhibitions.
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Discover the old town: Walk through the narrow streets with historic buildings and atmospheric squares.
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Visit it Piazza dei Cavalieri:This historic square was the political center of Pisa in the past. On the square is the imposing Palazzo della Carovana, a building of the University of Pisa.
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Visit it National Museum of San Matteo: historical museum with works of art.
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The river Arno: Walk along the beautiful promenades and bridges along the river while enjoying the view.
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The Botanical Garden from Pisa: The garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Enjoy the oasis of peace and greenery among the exotic plants and flowers.
How to get to Pisa?
Pisa is easily accessible from several places in Italy. There are a number of large parking lots around Pisa where you can park for free, such as Via Pietrasantina. From here you can take a shuttle bus or walk to the leaning tower of Pisa. Avoid the center to avoid a fine, as there is an environmental zone here which makes it prohibited to enter this area with your car. This also applies to many major Italian cities!
Continue your journey
Continue your road trip the same or next day to one of the most beautiful cities in Italy:Florence!
