Pisa Travel Guide: Beyond the Leaning Tower

Pisa is primarily visited for one reason: the Leaning Tower. That’s a fair reason — the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) is genuinely extraordinary, and the tower more impressive in person than photographs suggest. But Pisa is also a university city with a lively centre, good food, and enough beyond the tower to merit a half-day rather than the two-hour coach-tour stop most visitors allow.

The Campo dei Miracoli

The Campo dei Miracoli is a large green lawn on the northern edge of the old city containing four extraordinary Romanesque buildings built in white marble between the 11th and 14th centuries.

The Leaning Tower — 56m tall, begun in 1173, began leaning during construction due to soft subsoil on the south side. It was stabilised between 1990 and 2001 (the lean reduced from 5.5° to 3.97°). Climbing the tower (294 steps, deliberately disorienting due to the lean) requires advance booking at opapisa.it. Timed entry, maximum numbers strictly enforced.

The Cathedral (Duomo) — One of the finest Romanesque buildings in Italy. The pulpit by Giovanni Pisano is exceptional. Entry is included in the Campo dei Miracoli ticket.

The Baptistery — The largest baptistery in Italy. The acoustic effects inside (a single note sustains for 10 seconds) are demonstrated by attendants on the hour.

The Camposanto — The monumental cemetery cloister, built in 1277. The frescoes inside were badly damaged in WWII; the restoration is ongoing. The earth inside was brought from Golgotha in the 12th century.

Beyond the Campo

Piazza dei Cavalieri — The second great square of Pisa, designed by Vasari for the Knights of St. Stephen in the 16th century. The Scuola Normale Superiore, one of Italy’s elite universities, is here. Borgo Stretto — the medieval arcaded shopping street — connects the Campo area to the river.