There are many incredible day trips to take from Florence if you have the time to explore more of what Tuscany has to offer beyond this amazing city. Pisa is a very popular excursion due to its proximity, ease of reaching it, and the iconic monuments there. While you could definitely find interesting activities there to fill your time for a few days, like many travelers, we also chose to take a Pisa day trip because there were just too many things we wanted to do in Florence. Here’s what we got up to in Pisa for a day!
Getting Between Pisa and Florence
Getting between Pisa and Florence is very simple by train. This is what we opted for because it was the cheapest and most efficient option for us. We showed up at the Firenze Santa Maria Novella station between 6 and 7a.m. and bought our train tickets upon arrival. You can check timetables and also buy tickets in advance on TrenItalia, ItaliaRail, or other rail sites. We’d recommend getting tickets in advance if you’re visiting in the busy summer season and have a specific train in mind. In general, it takes 1-2 hours to get to Pisa, depending on the train.
You could also take a bus. We didn’t opt for this because the departures weren’t as frequent as the train and the pick-up and drop-off spots weren’t convenient for us – some routes will drop you at the Pisa airport. You can find various routes through sites like Omio or direct through companies like Flixbus.
If you’d like a fully planned and structured visit to Pisa with transport taken care of, you can take a tour from Florence. These are definitely more expensive, but often include other towns or activities in the itinerary. You can find various options on Get Your Guide and Viator or individual operator websites.
Lastly, you could also rent a car. We wouldn’t recommend this just to go to Pisa because it’s generally more expensive than public transport when you factor in the price of the car rental, gas, and parking. The heart of Pisa is also best explored on foot. However, this is a good option to consider if you’re planning to explore other more remote areas of Tuscany where public transport isn’t as effective and you don’t want to take a tour.
Our Pisa Day Trip Itinerary
Alright, let’s get into how we spent our day in Pisa! As mentioned above, we left Florence fairly early with the intention of arriving at the Leaning Tower of Pisa before it opened and the plaza became crowded. Upon arriving at Pisa Centrale, we walked directly to the Piazza del Duomo.
Pisa’s Piazza del Duomo Monuments
If you choose to come to Pisa, it’s likely because you plan to see the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is the most popular attraction in the city, and millions of people come to see it each year!
We started with a visit to the Leaning Tower as we had a timed ticket to enter right as it opened. We climbed the steps to the top and took in the views over the surrounding city. The building and the views were both beautiful! After the tower, we visited the Camposanto, cathedral, baptistery, Opera Museum, and Sinopie Museum. These were also gorgeous buildings and we really enjoyed learning more about the history of Pisa and the tower. Read more about visiting the Piazza del Duomo monuments in our other post!
Cost: €27 to visit the monuments and tower, but there are additional ticket options for those who don’t want to visit all the monuments.
Souvenir Plaza
After spending the first half of the day exploring the monuments, we grabbed lunch, then set out to see more of Pisa. Just outside the west side of the Piazza del Duomo are a variety of souvenir shops and stands. We didn’t get anything here, but we strolled among the booths for a short bit. If you’re wanting a Pisa souvenir, stop by to take a look! They have leather goods, hats, totes, magnets, shot glasses, and other typical souvenir items.
Walk around the Heart of Pisa
Pisa is a pretty city with interesting architecture, bustling plazas, and neat little side streets to wander down. Around the Piazza del Duomo, you’ll see sections of the old walls of the city with multiple ‘gates,’ like Porta a Lucca. As we headed south from the northern wall, we just wandered, going into various shops along the way. There were lots of stores and restaurants along Borgo Stretto, a long and bustling street in the historic center.
Some notable landmarks to stop by include Bagni di Nerone – the ruins of old Roman baths that sit near Porta a Lucca, Palazzo della Carovana that sits on Piazza dei Cavalieri, Torre del Campano, and Church of Santa Caterina d’Alessandria.
Walk Along the Arno River
As you head south from the areas mentioned in the previous section, you’ll eventually reach the grand Arno River. This river runs from deep in the Tuscan Apennines – through Florence, Pisa, and many other Tuscan cities – and out to the sea near Pisa.
The views along the river are beautiful, with the historic warm-toned buildings lining it and scenic bridges stretching over the water. It was a warm, sunny day, so we enjoyed strolling along the river, stopping to take in the sights along the way. Take note of the palaces and pretty Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina as you walk along the river.
Palazzo Blu
Also just along the Arno River sits Palazzo Blu, which stands out among the other buildings because it is blue. This medieval building houses a collection of Italian art and tells a little of the history of the city and house. There are also various temporary exhibitions held here. The museum takes 1-2 hours to go through.
Cost: €5 per adult
Walk down Corso Italia
On the south side of the Arno River, there are also many beautiful streets to wander down. The most popular one for visitors is Corso Italia. This is another historic street with tons of shopping and eateries in the buildings that line it.
At the southern end of it sits Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, a bustling plaza that often has a carousel in it. Tuttomondo, a large mural by Keith Haring, sits just by the plaza. This was the last mural he created before his death.
After our day of exploring Pisa, we headed back to Pisa Centrale and caught a train back to Florence for the night.
Extra Activities to Consider for Your Pisa Day Trip
If you don’t visit all the Piazza del Duomo monuments like we did, or some of the other activities we did don’t sound that interesting to you, here are some other options to consider adding to your Pisa day trip itinerary!
- Botanical Garden: This is the first university botanical garden in the world! The study of plants from multiple continents has taken place here since the 1540s.
- Take a tour: There are various tours available in Pisa, including food tours, golf cart tour to see the highlights, and more. Options can be found on sites like Get Your Guide and Viator.
- Museums: In addition to Palazzo Blu and the museums at the Piazza del Duomo, there are various other interesting exhibits in Pisa. Some to consider include the Museum of Human Anatomy, Museum of Ancient Ships, National Musuem of the Royal Palace, and the Plaster Cast Gallery of Ancient Art.
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