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Historic buildings lining the Arno river embankment in Pisa under a clear blue sky.
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PisaTravel Guide

Italy5 stories

Home to the world's most famous engineering mistake, Pisa pairs the miraculous white ensemble of tower, cathedral and baptistery with a lively riverside university town most visitors never bother to meet.

Is Pisa right for you?

When to come

Spring and early autumn

Around 30°C by day in August, 12°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Cheap by regional standards — eating, sleeping and moving around all cost little.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a full day here planned hour by hour. Longer stays are covered by subject rather than by route.

Pisa is inKind to a budgetDeepest in EuropeAncient wonders
When to go
January: around 12 degrees by day, 3 at night, 68 millimetres of rain, some rain.
February: around 13 degrees by day, 3 at night, 63 millimetres of rain, some rain.
March: around 16 degrees by day, 5 at night, 60 millimetres of rain, some rain.
April: around 19 degrees by day, 8 at night, 65 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
May: around 23 degrees by day, 12 at night, 62 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
June: around 27 degrees by day, 15 at night, 41 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
July: around 30 degrees by day, 18 at night, 32 millimetres of rain, some rain.
August: around 30 degrees by day, 19 at night, 41 millimetres of rain, some rain.
September: around 26 degrees by day, 15 at night, 100 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
October: around 21 degrees by day, 12 at night, 129 millimetres of rain, wet. We recommend this month.
November: around 16 degrees by day, 8 at night, 131 millimetres of rain, wet.
December: around 12 degrees by day, 4 at night, 88 millimetres of rain, wet.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

Spring and early autumn

Average daily highs, recorded at Pisa, 1991-2020 normals.

Where this comes from

NOAA; WMO Climate Normals 1981-2010 (via Wikipedia 'Pisa')

Budget level

Budget

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Florence69 km

    an easy day trip · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mid)

  • Cinque Terre74 km

    an easy day trip · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mid)

  • Siena87 km

    an easy day trip · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mixed)

  • Bologna110 km

    an easy day trip · both good in April, May, June · a different price level (mid)

Plan itWhere to stay in Pisaad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Pisa

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Pisa

The Baptistery, cathedral and Leaning Tower of Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli seen across the terracotta rooftops of the city
01
Stays

Where to Stay in Pisa: The Areas to Book, and the Ones to Skip

Pisa has two centres of gravity — the marble spectacle in the north and the living student city on the Arno — and which one you sleep in decides what kind of trip you get.

Italy · 10 min
A hand holds a gelato cone topped with cream, with café tables and orange buildings in an Italian piazza behind.
02
Food

North Bank, South Bank: Where Pisa Eats, from the Market to San Martino

Pisa's cooking hides in five small quarters on either side of the Arno, and knowing which bank you are standing on is most of the battle.

Italy · 9 min
The Leaning Tower of Pisa tilting over the Piazza dei Miracoli under a deep blue sky with scattered clouds, visitors crossing the square below
03
Destinations

Pisa for First-Timers: The Complete Guide

Yes, climb the Leaning Tower. But the white marble square around it, and the riverside student city beyond, are what turn a photo stop into a real visit.

Italy · 2 min
Inside the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa, the delicate Gothic stone tracery of the cloister arcade framing the sunlit lawn of the inner courtyard and the small domed chapel on the far side.
04
The List

Pisa for Culture Lovers: The Best of Its Art and History, Beyond the Tower

The Leaning Tower is the beginning, not the point. Medieval frescoes, a Vasari-designed square and a Keith Haring mural: Pisa's cultural riches, ranked.

Italy · 2 min
The Lungarni of Pisa at blue hour, two lines of street lamps running along the ochre palazzi of both embankments and doubling as long gold reflections in the still surface of the Arno.
05
Itineraries

Sunrise to Midnight: A Full Day in Pisa

Most people give Pisa two hours. Give it one whole day — from an empty Piazza dei Miracoli at first light to student bars by the Arno — and meet a different city.

Italy · 2 min
In pictures

Pisa, framed

A cyclist riding down Pisa's arcaded old-town shopping street, between ochre palazzi and cafe awnings
Photo: Margarida Afonso / Unsplash
Field of Miracles, Pisa
Photo: alexey turenkov / Unsplash
Field of Miracles, Pisa
Photo: Andrea Cevenini / Unsplash
Field of Miracles, Pisa
Photo: JOE Planas / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Pisa

See and do

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Italy

Money

Euro (EUR)

Language

Italian; English is spoken in hotels and tourist businesses but thins out quickly in smaller towns

Power

Type C/F/L, 230V 50Hz (Type L is the Italian three-pin)

Getting around

Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains link the major cities in a few hours; in town you buy a local paper ticket such as Rome's €1.50 BIT and validate it as you board.

Tipping

Service is included and tipping is uncommon — a few euros for genuinely good service is plenty, and the coperto on the bill is a cover charge, not a tip.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, although restaurants will normally bring bottled.

Driving

Right-hand side; a UK or EU photocard licence is accepted, though hire companies commonly require an International Driving Permit as well.

Emergency

112 (single European number; the old 113, 115 and 118 route to it)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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