Pisa

Tuscany

Italy Travel Guide

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book

Getty Images/AWL Images RM

battistero duomo & leaning tower of pisa tuscany italy

Why visit Pisa

Once a maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, modern Pisa is best known for an architectural project gone terribly wrong. But the world-famous Leaning Tower is just one of many noteworthy sights in this compelling city. Education has fuelled the local economy since the 1400s, and students from across Italy compete for places in its elite university. This endows the centre of town with a vibrant cafe and bar scene, balancing an enviable portfolio of well-maintained Romanesque buildings, Gothic churches and Renaissance piazzas with a lively street life dominated by locals rather than tourists – a charm you will definitely not discover if you restrict your visit to Piazza dei Miracoli.

Meet your new travel partner

Stay connected in Pisa

Holafly eSIM provides unlimited mobile data with no hidden fees, giving you peace of mind wherever you travel. Stay connected even after your plan ends with Always On. Use code LONELYPLANET for an exclusive discount.

Get 5% off

Take your Italy trip with Lonely Planet Journeys

Pick one of our ready-to-book trips or fully customize your own with help from our local experts.

bookable trip

Island of Cannoli and Arancini: Eastern Sicily's Eats in 9 Days

9 days / 8 nights

highlights

  1. 1 Walking through history in eastern Sicily's Baroque beauties of Noto, Ragusa, and Modica
  2. 2 Learning how to make authentic Sicilian cannolis from a Taormina pastry chef
  3. 3 Tasting Modica chocolate straight from the source at one of the city’s oldest chocolate laboratories
from $3,600

per person

book this trip see trip details

Explore more trips

  • Italy: From the Heels to the Toes of Southern Italy: Naples, Amalfi, and Puglia
    Italy

    10 days / 9 nights

    Italy: From the Heels to the Toes of Southern Italy: Naples, Amalfi, and Puglia

    FROM $4,950

    per person

    See Trip Details
  • Italy: A Perfect Week In Tuscany
    Italy

    8 days / 7 nights

    Italy: A Perfect Week In Tuscany

    FROM $3,500

    per person

    See Trip Details
  • Northern Italy Dreamscapes: Dolomites, Garda, and Como in 12 Days
    Italy

    12 days / 11 nights

    Northern Italy Dreamscapes: Dolomites, Garda, and Como in 12 Days

    FROM $6,000

    per person

    See Trip Details
  • Sardinia's Spectacular Serenade: 10 Days on the Italian Island
    Italy

    10 days / 9 nights

    Sardinia's Spectacular Serenade: 10 Days on the Italian Island

    FROM $4,500

    per person

    See Trip Details
  • Italy's La Dolce Vita in Venice, Rome, and Florence
    Italy

    11 days / 10 nights

    Italy's La Dolce Vita in Venice, Rome, and Florence

    FROM $5,500

    per person

    See Trip Details
  • The Other Italy: a Grand Tour of Sicily's Taormina, Syracuse, and Palermo
    Italy

    11 days / 10 nights

    The Other Italy: a Grand Tour of Sicily's Taormina, Syracuse, and Palermo

    FROM $4,950

    per person

    See Trip Details
Want our experts to design a custom trip for you?
start planning

Top places to visit in Pisa

Discover the best attractions in Pisa from must-see sights to unexpected hidden gems.

Explore all

Travel Guides

Pisa travel tips from Lonely Planet experts

Find practical guidance from our team of contributors around the world who bring their decades of first-hand travel experience to your next trip.

Best Things to Do

The medieval city of Pisa is perhaps the most famous spot in all of Italy, thanks to its legendary Leaning Tower. Here are more top things to do in Pisa.

Read full article

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

Explore all books

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Pisa