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If you’re looking for an exciting day trip in Italy, consider visiting Pisa! Pisa is only about an hour from Florence, so if you’re visiting Florence, you can make Pisa an easy day trip! During our 30 day trip to Europe, we stopped in Pisa while on our way to Antibes, France. The main reason we stopped in Pisa was to see the famous tower leaning 4 degrees. Seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa is likely on a lot of people’s Italy bucket lists, so here’s everything you need to know about visiting the Pisa Italy.

Day Trip to Pisa Italy: Top Things to Do in Pisa

Square of Miracles

The iconic leaning tower isn’t the only structure leaning in the Square of Miracles! The baptistery and Duomo are also leaning because of the inadequate foundation; however, the bell tower has the most recognizable tilt. If you’re paying a visit to the tower, take some time to visit the baptistery and Duomo as well. They’re both decorated in the same Romanesque-Gothic style and feature beautiful artistry. The entire grounds are beautiful, but full of tourists taking photos of themselves holding up the leaning tower. So take the tourist shot, you won’t be the only one!

Leaning Tower of Pisa: A Brief History

Constructed the 12th-14th century, the tower was already leaning because of the poor foundation. Over time, the tower continued to lean; however, stabilization efforts have been made to preserve the structure. With its Romanesque style and 207 arches, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is a piece of history that might not survive continuous restoration. With its unstable foundation, the Leaning Tower could crumble with time. Restoration efforts thankfully have been able to preserve it for our generation to enjoy.

You can climb the tour if you’d like! Definitely purchase tickets ahead of time. The site gets so busy you don’t want to waste time waiting in multiple lines! If you purchase tickets for the Leaning Tower, you can also couple your ticket with the surrounding museums and cemetery. The museums, Leaning Tower of Pisa, and cemetery require tickets. Take note that there are age and physical ability restrictions for the Leaning Tower because you must be able to climb the 251 steps to the top! The entire Square of Miracles is beautiful and full of history, so if you’re in Italy consider spending a day exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site!

Surprisingly, the Square of Miracles isn’t located in the city center of Pisa, instead, it’s located at the edge of the medieval city walls. These walls are very intact so pay them a visit too! The Duomo was constructed first in 1063 on the remains of an ancient Roman temple. Inside the church, you can see beautiful mosaics and a grand bronze chandelier. The baptistery construction began a century later, but wasn’t finished for another 200 years! If you go inside the baptistery, you can experience the amazing acoustics. If you whisper on one side of the building, another person can hear you on the other side!

Other Exciting Things to Do in Pisa, Italy

Pisa has more to offer than the leaning tower! If you’re a fan of wine, Pisa is located in the heart of the Tuscany region, which is known for its wine!

The city is full of history and culture that you can explore through museums and the other churches of San Zeno, Santa Caterina, and San Francesco.