Italy

Pisa and Lucca (Tuscany)

To end the summer of 2021 in style, we chose to spend a few days in Italy and visit one of the country’s best known places: the Cinque Terre.

2 September 2021

To end the summer of 2021 in style, we chose to spend a few days in Italy and visit one of the country’s best known places: the Cinque Terre. As the nearest airport is Pisa, we decided to drop our bags in this must-see Tuscan city on the way there and on the way back.

From Paris, a few low cost airlines make the trip to Pisa. We flew with Easyjet (from Orly) for 118€ per person (with a cabin baggage supplement). On arrival, you have to take the PisaMover, an automatic shuttle, to reach Pisa’s central station in about ten minutes. The journey costs 5€ per person: tickets are bought directly from machines at the entrance to the shuttle platform.

What to see in Pisa

The Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli)

When you think of Pisa, you immediately picture its famous leaning tower! The Tower of Pisa is in the north west of the city, on a gigantic square surrounded by ramparts, the Square of Miracles. This is where the vast majority of tourists gather, and they often stay confined to this square. So you’ll come across a lot of people there! We therefore bought a full Pass at the ticket office of the Museo delle sinopie (also available online): the ticket costs 27€ and gives access to the Museo delle sinopie, the baptistery, the Camposanto, the cathedral, the Opera del Duomo museum and finally the Tower of Pisa (time slot to be booked). Without the tower, the ticket only costs 10€: the price of entry to the Tower is therefore very steep but… you may as well visit the tower when you’re in Pisa!

The Museo delle sinopie

This museum is quite small and consists of two big rooms where the frescoes of the Camposanto, right opposite, are displayed. These frescoes were discovered after a bombing in 1944 and were therefore restored. The museum didn’t dazzle us; we were able to discover other frescoes afterwards in the Camposanto.

The baptistery

It’s probably the visit that disappointed us the most. Impressive from the outside, the baptistery is fairly small inside and most of the walls were covered in scaffolding.

Circular marble baptistery set at the end of the lawn

Carved portal and dome of the baptistery seen from below

Brown dome of the baptistery above a brick wall

The cathedral

Opposite the baptistery stands Pisa’s cathedral, entirely clad in marble. It’s the most majestic monument on the square, both for its exterior architectural details and its interior decoration. Entry to the cathedral is free but requires a ticket to be picked up at the museum ticket office.

Cathedral and leaning tower lined up behind the mown lawn

Colonnaded facade of the cathedral, walkers on the path

Pisa cathedral seen from the wall of the monumental cemetery

Baptistery, cathedral and leaning tower together in the frame

Carved pulpit borne by marble columns and lions

Gilded coffered ceiling above the striped nave

Nave of the cathedral towards the apse and its golden mosaic

Painted dome and hanging chandelier seen from below

The Camposanto

This monumental cemetery houses the tombs and funerary monuments of prestigious professors from the University of Pisa and of members of the Medici family. Very large frescoes are also still visible on the walls, depicting in particular scenes from Dante’s Comedy.

Gothic arcades opening onto the grassy courtyard of the Camposanto

Woman in a purple dress in the inner courtyard of the Camposanto

The Tower of Pisa

The highlight of the show that closes the visit of the Square of Miracles! Before going to the Tower at the time shown on your ticket, you first have to leave all your belongings in a secure cloakroom, as a safety measure. The climb is exclusively by stairs (slippery ones!). From the top, the view is panoramic over the Square of Miracles, the city of Pisa and the surrounding mountains: it’s worth it. The timed visit only lasts half an hour but that’s plenty to go round and take photos. Verdict? The tower really does lean!

Woman in a purple dress at the top of the tower, the square below

Baptistery and rooftops of the city seen from the top of the tower

Leaning tower of Pisa rising above the lawn

Streets and rooftops of Pisa unrolling all the way to the hills

Cathedral and lawn seen from above from the bell tower

Woman posing in front of the leaning tower and the cathedral

Cloister with tiled roofs glimpsed from the top of the tower

Tight low angle view of the arcaded storeys of the tower

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

But one of the finest perspectives on the Tower of Pisa remains the view from the garden of the Opera Museum (entry included in the Pass). Here, you won’t have anyone in your photos! The museum itself is also worth the visit and the price, with a fine collection of sculptures, paintings from the modern era and liturgical books. There’s also a café on the first floor, with a stunning view of the Tower.

Leaning tower and cathedral behind a lawn planted with shrubs

Walker on a path lined with terracotta pots

Woman in a purple dress on the lawn at the foot of the tower

The historic centre

Contrary to what many people may think, the Tower of Pisa isn’t the only thing to see in Pisa! The historic city centre is also worth visiting and holds many well preserved monuments and typical lanes. From the station runs the Corso Italia, a long pedestrian avenue lined with shops, restaurants and above all beautiful old buildings.

Unusual! Don’t hesitate to go into the H&M on the Corso Italia, not to do any shopping, but to admire the period ceilings and glass roofs.

Stained glass ceiling above the display stands of a shop

Painted coats of arms in a row above a staircase with an iron rail

Clothing rails set up beneath a frescoed ceiling

Marble staircase climbing towards a coloured glass roof

Once you’ve crossed the river, you have to get lost in the lanes to discover squares like the Piazza delle Vettovaglie, the Piazza Martiri della Libertà or the sublime Piazza dei Cavalieri where we were staying. The city centre is fairly small, everything can easily be done on foot in a day!
We have only one regret: not having been able to visit the ramparts of Pisa. Unfortunately, they’re only open at the weekend… remember to plan ahead if you want to do this visit, which must offer lovely views over the city. It starts from the Square of Miracles, to the left of the Camposanto.

Palace with an ornate facade and a pale church on a paved square

Long brick wall bordered by an avenue of trees and dry grass

Leaning tower glimpsed at the end of a square lined with terraces

Narrow street between ochre facades, a medieval tower at the end

Arcade framing a courtyard with a statue and a clock

Narrow strip of sky between two facades with green shutters

Bronze statue from behind in the middle of a colourful square

Facade decorated with sgraffito, a statue and flags on the balcony

Shopping street beneath the arcades with its cafe terraces

Along the river Arno

The river Arno runs through Pisa and cuts the city in two at its centre. Several bridges span it, such as the Ponte di Mezzo or the Ponte Solferino, which offer lovely views of the palaces built along the banks. Don’t miss the Santa Maria della Spina church, the Palazzo Blu, the Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Reale di Pisa… We went to the east of the city as far as the Cittadella Nuova, a 15th century fortress that holds gardens where you can wander.

Buildings lined up along the quay beside the Arno

Woman in a purple dress on the bridge, the Arno stretching away

Palace and small church reflected in the green water of the river

Street lamp and roadway running along the parapet of the Arno

Pastel houses and crenellated tower at the river's edge

The Arno moving away towards the hills between its two quays

What to see in Lucca

As we had an afternoon and an evening free in Pisa, we decided to add a visit to Lucca to our programme! So we took the regional train at Pisa central station: the journey takes 27 minutes and costs 7.60€ per person. Lucca’s station is close to the ramparts and the city centre, which is very handy for getting around. We hadn’t really organised this visit so we simply wandered through the streets and along the ramparts of Lucca.

While Lucca (Lucca in Italian) is less well known than Pisa, it is nonetheless a magnificent city with fine heritage at every street corner. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Lucca is a fortified city that has kept its walls and its gates. Its medieval centre is also intact with many squares, including the oval square of the Amphitheatre, the best known.
Don’t miss the San Michele in Foro church, the Duomo di San Martino, the Torre Guinigi, the San Frediano Basilica… or else just get lost in the lanes!

Arcaded facade and bell tower of Lucca cathedral

Brick tower crowned with trees above the rooftops

Passer by crossing the square in front of a Romanesque church

Bell tower of the cathedral framed by a narrow lane

Path winding at the foot of the grassy ramparts of Lucca

Church with tiers of small columns on a square in Lucca

Bastion and grassy glacis seen from the rampart walk

Oval square lined with yellow facades and terraces

Narrow canal running along the houses at the foot of the ramparts

Large golden mosaic on the gable of a basilica

Loggia of a palace overlooking a garden and tiled roofs

We stayed in Lucca until the early evening. So we were lucky enough to admire a magnificent sunset from the ramparts. The view over the surrounding mountains is worth a look at this time of day!

Avenue of trees on the ramparts at sunset

Ramparts and lawn illuminated at blue hour

If you’re looking for an idea for a getaway from Pisa, easily reachable by public transport, Lucca really is a good idea! Enough to get a taste of Tuscany or to go deeper into this region, which looks magnificent.

Our accommodation in Pisa

We unearthed a gem to stay in on our arrival and our departure in Pisa! So we dropped our bags at La Lu Cozy Rooms, right in the centre of Pisa: in room 2 (72€ a night) on the first day and in room 3 (88€ a night) on the last day. The rooms have recently been renovated and you feel as if you’re in a hotel (breakfast is even included at a café not far away). The real plus is arriving and leaving completely independently; you can even leave your luggage there in a dedicated room.

Our favourite places to eat in Pisa and Lucca

Tuffo 13 gelateria in Pisa: excellent ice cream shop on the banks of the Arno, next to the Palazzo Blu, offering organic ice creams and original flavours. We went three times: special mention for the pear sorbet with chocolate chips and the pineapple and ginger sorbet. 2.50€/3€ a tub
Gelateria De’ Coltelli in Pisa: very good ice cream shop along the Arno too, with seasonal sorbets (excellent saffron/rose ice cream). 2.50€ for two flavours
We Love Pasta in Pisa: very good place to eat pasta on the go (takeaway or eat in, with no service charge), a stone’s throw from the Square of Miracles. 6€ for a generous portion of pasta
Il Gufo Bistrot_Wine Bar in Pisa: excellent bistronomic restaurant between the station and the city centre, with a pretty lit up terrace. We went twice, thanks to la Fourchette (50€ discount) : remember to check on the app!
La Bottega del Gelato in Lucca: excellent artisan ice creams (2.50€ for two flavours); special mention for the peach/lavender flavour.

Tub of chocolate ice cream held up in front of the Arno quays

Two plates of pasta on a terrace table in the evening

Mango ice cream resting on a parapet facing the facades

Plate of cured meats, melon and cheese shared at the table

Two scoop ice cream held up in front of a marble church

What we thought of Pisa

Despite everything we had read about Pisa, we really liked the city! Whatever you do, don’t limit yourself to a quick visit to the Square of Miracles and posing in front of the Tower of Pisa. Pisa deserves far more than a short half day, which is what many tourists passing through Tuscany do. Don’t hesitate to venture into the historic centre and to walk along the river Arno: this is where you’ll see the true soul of Pisa. So we advise you to spend more than a day there to really soak up the city. Go for Pisa as a starting point to visit Tuscany or to head to the Cinque Terre as we did! Pisa is also a good destination idea for a three day weekend, for example.

Woman from behind on a bridge, palace and summer sky of Pisa

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Thank you for your comment! Marie & Romain

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