Piazza del Duomo frames four monuments in one square: the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the Baptistry, the Tower of Pisa and the Monumental Cemetery. Start there, and book the tower climb, which runs in time slots. Then walk to Piazza dei Cavalieri and the Botanical Garden, founded in 1543. The coast and the San Rossore estate are there for a day outdoors.
At a glance
- Top sights to see first: Cathedral, Baptistery, Leaning Tower and Monumental Cemetery in Piazza del Duomo
- Tower climb: about 30 minutes, 251 steps, in time slots
- Cloakroom: free, bags and luggage must be left there
- Combined tickets: Cathedral, Baptistery and Camposanto together with the tower climb
- Cathedral address: Piazza Duomo, 17
What are the best things to do in Pisa?
Piazza del Duomo and the Leaning Tower
The four “miracles” of architecture here date from the 12th and 13th centuries: the Baptistery, the Cathedral, the Leaning Tower and the Cemetery. The monumental complex also includes the Museo delle Sinopie, the Campanile and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.
The tower climb is about 30 minutes and 251 steps, with time slots. The floor is uneven and slippery, and the visit is not recommended for people with cardiovascular or motor pathologies. Leave bags in the free cloakroom and arrive at least 15 minutes before the time printed on your ticket. Animals are not allowed inside the monuments, except certified guide dogs.
Piazza dei Cavalieri
The square holds the church of the same name and the Scuola Normale, whose façade is decorated with graffito.
It makes an easy second stop after the cathedral square. Look up at the façade rather than hurrying through.
The Botanical Garden (Giardino dei Semplici)
Founded in 1543, it is the oldest botanical garden in the world and the first connected to a university. Pisa’s tourism office also describes it as the oldest in Europe.
This is a quiet break between the monuments. Pair it with the historic center on foot.
The Tuttomondo mural
Tuttomondo is Keith Haring’s last work, painted on a wall in the city.
The Lungarni and the historic center
The old center keeps case-torri (tower houses), Renaissance palaces, squares, Romanesque churches and alleys running down to the Arno. The riverside streets are called Lungarni.
In the 19th and 20th centuries the river banks were used as beaches equipped with bagnetti. Walk the Lungarni and let the alleys lead you down to the water.
The Museum of Ancient Ships
The new Museum of Ancient Ships of Pisa is at the Arsenali Medicei.
Add it to a day in the center if the monuments leave you time. Skip it if you only have a morning for the cathedral square.
Giardino Scotto
The garden is also known as Cittadella Nuova. It also becomes a cinema on summer evenings.
Plan a summer visit around those months.
When is the best time to visit Pisa for sightseeing?
January is mild at 53°F (12°C) in the afternoon, with about seven rainy days and short sun hours, so expect wet days and a slippery tower floor. February is a little warmer at 55°F (13°C), with about seven rainy days. March reaches 60°F (16°C) and April 65°F (19°C), with sunshine growing to about six and a half hours a day in April. May brings 73°F (23°C) highs and still about seven rainy days, so carry a light rain layer in spring. Outdoor events and the Scotto Garden walls belong to summer.
Beaches and outdoor things to do in Pisa
The coast has sandy or pebble beaches protected by breakwater rocks, with dunes and pine woods behind them. Tirrenia has a wide sandy shoreline with beach resorts and stretches of free beach. Marina di Pisa, Tirrenia and Calambrone receive the Blue Flag every summer. The beach of Marina di Vecchiano, inside the San Rossore park, is surrounded by pine forests. At Marina di Pisa the “retoni”, large fishing nets on stilts, are especially striking at sunset.
On the water and on land, the options include golf, tennis, horse riding, paddle board, surfing, kayak and SUP. You can try sailing at the yacht club, or spend a day at the water park. Tirrenia adds underwater fishing, beach-volley, football and golf. The Pisa Marathon runs from the city through the park to the sea, ending at the Leaning Tower. Marenia Non Solo Mare is a summer programme of coastal events, with free concerts in the squares of Tirrenia and Marina di Pisa in 2026.
A boat excursion on the Arno in the city stretch is followed by a walk on the Walls of Pisa.
- Tirrenia: wide sandy shoreline, resorts and free stretches · for a classic beach day
- Marina di Pisa: the retoni fishing nets · for sunset
For pine forest and Mediterranean vegetation, pick Marina di Vecchiano. For an evening view, go to Marina di Pisa.
Day trips from Pisa
One excursion goes from the San Rossore nature park to the sea by boat, bike, on foot, on horseback or by electric minibus. The San Rossore estate lies between the Arno and Serchio rivers, the sea and the Barbaricina district. The Terre di Pisa brochure also proposes themed itineraries: art and history, sea, nature, science and innovation, and historical traditions.
- San Rossore to the sea: boat, bike, on foot, on horseback or electric minibus · for a day outdoors
- Pisa by bike: one of the itineraries listed by the tourist office · for a flexible day in the city
- “Di Piazza in Piazza”: a city itinerary · for a walk through the squares
For a day with no car, the San Rossore route offers several ways to go without one. The city itineraries suit a shorter outing.
What to eat in Pisa
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is the food address. The European market there brings a street food area, food and wine, and local specialities, and the Terre di Pisa Food & Wine Festival has its market exhibition in the same square. Street food also returns in Piazza Don Minzoni. The Fish Festival is held in Piazza Antonio Madonna in Calambrone, and the Dinner on the Ponte di Mezzo takes place on the bridge itself.
Things to do in Pisa at night
Evenings follow the event calendar. The Sagra della Patata of Santa Maria a Monte takes place every year in August.
On summer evenings the Giardino Scotto becomes a cinema.
Things to do in Pisa with kids
The Giardino Scotto has a play area, and the water park suits a full day. On the coast, the beaches of Tirrenia and Marina di Pisa have sand and Blue Flag water in summer. The San Rossore estate can be explored on horseback or by carriage.
Pick the beach or the water park for warm days. Save the play area at the Scotto Garden for a break between monuments.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- turismo.pisa.it (https://www.turismo.pisa.it/sites/default/files/materiale-promozionale/TDP_Pisa_ENG_ESE_bassa_0.pdf), checked 2026-10-30
- turismo.pisa.it (https://www.turismo.pisa.it/index.php/en/taxonomy/term/6?page=6), checked 2026-10-30
- terredipisa.it (https://terredipisa.it/france/index.php), checked 2026-10-30
- turismo.pisa.it (https://www.turismo.pisa.it/index.php/en/taxonomy/term/128?page=1), checked 2026-10-30
- opapisa.it (https://www.opapisa.it/informazioni/faq/?am_force_theme_layout=mobile), checked 2026-10-30
- opapisa.it (https://www.opapisa.it/informazioni/accessibilita/), checked 2026-10-25
- towerofpisa.it (https://www.towerofpisa.it/it/tickets), checked 2026-10-30