Pisa in 2 Days: everything you need to know
Want to see Italian icons and spend an afternoon on a beautiful beach? Then Pisa, one of Italy's most famous cities, is the destination for many reasons.
Restaurant al aire libre en Pisa |©Martin Elliss
If you only have two days to explore Pisa and you think it's too little time, you're wrong! With a good itinerary of the best things to do in Pisa, you'll be able to make the most of your time in this fantastic Italian city. Not only will you be able to explore the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but the rest of the monuments and buildings around it.
Although few people know it, Pisa has beautiful beaches where you can spend a spectacular afternoon. At night the best place to have a couple of drinks and enjoy an Italian dinner is in the historic centre of the city. Make the most of your time and see the best of Pisa.
Day 1: See the Piazza dei Miracoli and its surroundings
Pisa is a city in the Tuscany region that you should explore and two days will be enough time to do so. When you arrive at Pisa Airport, I recommend you head to your hotel to drop off your luggage and have breakfast. This way you will have enough energy to face this wonderful sightseeing day.
The main destination of this first day in Pisa will be the Piazza dei Miracoli. This is where most of the most important and representative sites of the city are concentrated. Take advantage of this first day to explore each monument and building at your leisure.
Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the main activities I recommend you to do in this city. Surely you have seen this famous tower in many pictures, movies and so on. It is undoubtedly an icon not only for this town, but for all of Italy.
I recommend you to go early at nine in the morning to visit the tower. Please note that the entrance ticket indicates the time and that you must be very punctual. The average entrance fee is €20. However, you should know that with a general admission ticket of approximately €30, you can have access to the other attractions in the Plaza de los Milagros.
You can go up in groups of 40 people to see this monument declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside there is only a spiral staircase with about 273 steps leading up to the bell tower, from where you can look out over the city. There is only one door to access this site. Inside the bell tower there are two walls made of limestone and marble.
Although your visit will probably tell you this, you should know that this tower was not meant to be leaning. Instead it was intended as a straight cylindrical tower to accompany the cathedral. However, during its construction, it began to lean. It is considered a miracle to have stood for so many centuries.
Interesting details
- Location: Tower of Pisa, Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy.
- Price: around €20.
- Opening hours: from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm.
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
Don't think that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the only interesting thing to see in Piazza dei Miracoli. Another site located less than five minutes from the tower is the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. This museum was built in the 9th century and over the years has had multiple uses. It has undergone several renovations and restorations.
When you come to this museum, you will be able to enjoy an impressive collection representing the sculptural Pisa that developed between the 11th and 14th centuries. You can also learn how the Romans reused materials from their buildings. Other highlights of this museum are the models representing the buildings in the square. There is also an archaeological collection and modern paintings.
To explore this museum you must go through the Bonanno Gate leading to the ground floor. Here you will see the gallery dedicated to the Cathedral in the Romanesque period, which exhibits objects from overseas that will help you to understand Pisan art of that period.
The museum has many other parts that you will be able to appreciate better once you are there. Some of the tickets include a guided tour. If you are interested in knowing more details about each work, I recommend you to go with a guide. This way you can learn all the history and important facts about the works.
Interesting details
- Location: Piazza del Duomo, 23, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy.
- Price: around 30 €.
- Opening hours: from 9 am to 8 pm.
Lunch and visit to the Sinopie Museum
After touring the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo it will be 12 noon. At this point of the day you will probably want to have lunch. Fortunately, very close to the Piazza dei Miracoli you have several good options. One of them is the restaurant Enoteca Il Toscano. There you can taste delicious Italian food.
After a well-deserved rest and a good meal, it is time to visit the Sinopie Museum. It is located in the ancient Spedale Nuovo which was built in the 13th century by order of Pope Alexander IV. Its first function was as a shelter for pilgrims, as a reminder of Pisa's reconciliation with the apostolic see.
In this museum you will find a vast collection of medieval drawings, the largest in the world. Some of the most outstanding works are the Crucifixion, whose creation is attributed to Francesco Traini. Other highlights include the Triumph of Death, the Last Judgement and the Inferno, supposedly by Buonamico Buffalmacco.
To learn more about each work housed in this museum I recommend you go with a guide specialised in the subject. In fact, some tours in Pisa focus on the art of the city. So you will be able to get to know in depth every detail of the works of art in this place.
Interesting details
- Location: Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy.
- Price: around 30 €.
- Opening hours: from 9 am to 6 pm.
Pisa Cathedral
The Cathedral of Pisa is located right in front of the Sinopie Museum and is another must-see stop in this iconic square. Its full name is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a medieval Catholic cathedral dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Its exterior is beautifully decorated with multi-coloured marble, bronze objects and mosaics.
It also has high arches with a sharp profile in which you can see the Muslim influence in its creation. It also has heavy bronze doors and the door of San Raniero, decorated with multiple bronze sculptures depicting the stories of the New Testament.
The interior of this cathedral will surprise you. It has a gilded ceiling and the dome has a painting of the "Madonna in Glory and the Saints" by Orazio and Girolamo Riminaldi. You will also see mosaics and other similar works. Please note that you do not need to buy a ticket to visit this cathedral.
Interesting details
- Location: Piazza del Duomo, 56126 Pisa PI, Italy.
- Price: free admission.
- Hours: from 10am to 6pm.
Visit the Baptistery and the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa
Just in front of the cathedral is the Baptistery of Pisa. You can visit it with the general entrance ticket I mentioned at the beginning. The construction of this site began in 1152, but it lasted for more than two centuries. It is the largest baptistery in Italy. Thanks to the statue of St. John the Baptist on its dome, this building is 54.86 metres high, a little higher than the Tower of Pisa.
This building has a very beautiful and decorated exterior, but the most interesting part is inside. On entering you will notice that the baptistery is immense, with very good acoustics, but with little decoration. Its baptismal font is octagonal and is located in the centre. You can also see the bronze sculpture dedicated to Saint John the Baptist.
Three minutes from the baptistery is Pisa's Monumental Cemetery, a historic building also known as the "campo santo". It is believed that this building was built around sacred earth from Jerusalem. This is the origin of the custom of calling cemeteries in various Catholic countries "camposanto" (cemeteries).
Discover the Mura di Pisa and the Pisa Hebrew Cemetery
By around four o'clock in the afternoon you will have visited most of the most attractive spots in the square. Before leaving, I recommend a visit to the Mura di Pisa. The construction of this icon of the city began in 1154 and lasted for about a century and a half.
These walls were built following the natural elements, highlighting the rivers and other watercourses that crossed through the city centre. Although they remained protected and unchanged for a long time, with the expansion of the city there were several demolitions. I recommend that you visit these walls in the company of a local guide to help you understand the historical significance of this monument.
You can then move on to the Hebrew Cemetery of Pisa. This site is located next to the Mura di Pisa. This cemetery has housed the graves of the Hebrews since 1674. The burial mounds vary in style and some of them still bear inscriptions. This site is an example of the Hebrew presence in Pisa and its variety.
Visit a bar or pub
After a day full of culture and taking stunning photographs of iconic sites, I recommend visiting a pub. One of the closest options is Infinity Bar Disco Pub. You can walk for less than 20 minutes and reach the bar. If you do so, you will have the opportunity to see more of Pisa's streets and enjoy the sunset.
In case you don't want to walk, you can take a bus from Autolinee Toscane - Urbano Pisa. The closest stop to Piazza dei Miracoli is Via Contessa Matilde Itis. There you should take bus 120 and then get off on Via Brennero San Zeno. You will still have to walk about five minutes to the bar.
If you are travelling with friends, this is a great place to spend part of the evening. Take the opportunity to have dinner, drink your favourite drinks and dance a bit. After dinner you can also take a bus back to your hotel and get ready for the next day in Pisa.
Day 2: Visit the historic centre of Pisa and one of its beaches
On the second day in Pisa I recommend you to visit the historic centre during the day. Although there are not too many activities to do, it is worth taking a look at the landscape of the city and how it is divided by the Arno river. For the afternoon there is no better plan than spending time at the Marina di Pisa beach.
In the evening it is worth going back to the historical centre. Here you will find various bars, pubs and restaurants that will surely delight you. The nightlife is very lively so you will have a great time.
Corso Italia and the Scotto garden
Corso Italia is a street in the city of Pisa that I recommend you to visit on your second day in the city. There you will find different shops and citizens enjoying their day strolling around. If you haven't had breakfast yet, you can eat at places like Ars Café & Bistrot.
After a good breakfast you can head to the Scotto Garden, 12 minutes away from the café. The Scotto Garden is a historic green space in Pisa originally conceived as a fortress. You can stop by for free, see it and stroll around for a while.
Museo della Grafica Palazzo Lanfranchi, Arno river and visit to the church of Santa Maria della Spina
About five minutes from the Scotto Garden is the Museo della Grafica Palazzo Lanfranchi. It is a museum which since 2007 has been exhibiting a variety of works from the medieval period. The building in which it is located has undergone several renovations.
To enter and appreciate all the works of art you must buy a €5 ticket. After exploring this museum, you can get out and walk around for a while to see other historic buildings nearby such as Palazzo Da Scorno and Palazzo Franchetti.
You can continue walking near the Arno River until you reach the Santa Maria della Spina church. This is a small Gothic church that is worth a visit if you like Gothic architecture.
Spend the afternoon in Marina di Pisa
One of the best beaches in Pisa is Marina di Pisa. It is only half an hour from the city centre. The nearest bus stop to the Santa Maria della Spina church is S.Paolo A Ripa D'Arno. There you should wait for bus 010. Then you will have to get off at bus stop number 30, V.Moriconi.
The beach is just a few minutes from the bus stop, but before settling down you can have lunch at one of the restaurants in the area. If you are in the mood for a delicious Italian pizza, I recommend you visit Cliff Restaurant, from where you will have a splendid view of the sea.
After lunch you can spend the afternoon on the beach. Nearby you will find shops offering awning and chair rental services. Feel free to enjoy the sea and the sun on this beach near the city's harbour. I recommend staying until sunset.
Head back to the city centre for a night of bar-hopping or clubbing
After watching the sunset on the beach, I recommend you return to the historic centre of Pisa for the night. For this you can take bus 010 from the stop V.Ordine Di S.Stefano 21. To get to the bar L'Insalateria, the one I recommend on this occasion, you will have to get off at the Pacinotti 2 stop.
This bar is special because it allows you to have a beautiful view of the outside and the river. You can also take advantage of it not only to drink, but to eat as well. You can also visit other nearby bars such as The Violin Irish Pub, Bar Centro Pisa, The Lounge and more. With this last plan you will have finished your two days in Pisa and you can return home with many anecdotes and memories.
What to pack when you go to Pisa?
Pisa is a very walkable city if you have the time. Most of the places worth visiting are within walking distance of each other, so you won't have a problem with that. For this reason I recommend wearing comfortable clothes that allow you to move around freely without getting overheated. Comfortable and ergonomic shoes are essential for this tour.
Besides this, in Pisa you will be able to go to the beach, so don't forget your swimming costume. Also, your sunscreen should always be in your suitcase, whether you are going to walk around the city or spend the afternoon at the beach.
How do you get around in Pisa?
As explained in previous sections, you can take a bus to the beach. You can also use this transport system to go from your hotel to the places I recommended. The truth is that Autolinee Toscane - Urbano Pisa is a very useful means of transport that you can use for only 2 €.
In addition to this option you can order a taxi or move around using mobile applications such as Uber. However, my recommendation is to always use public transport to save money on your trip, because it works quite well.