Pisa, the ideal destination for a excellent afternoon

Pisa is never a bad idea, especially if you are in Florence for a few days. Do not reduce your trip to Piazza dei Miracoli, try to explore the city. The first thing I learned during my visit there was that Pisa is not homogeneous at all in terms of architecture, which makes it even more interesting. The Romanesque buildings intertwine with the Gothic churches and the Italian traditional style of Renaissance piazzas.

Exploring the city

If you decide to stop by, you will soon discover that Pisa is a very beautiful and relaxing town. On the streets you’ll spot many locals and only a handful of tourists. And that is not because they are not there, but because all the tourists are usually gathered in Piazza del Duomo, taking thousands of photos and sitting at the cafes there. Don’t misunderstand me, this Piazza is also a must-see place, but please, visit the city first!

The Arnor River passing through Pisa conveys the city a freshness that reminds you of Rome.

Just take a walk by the river. You will come across Santa Maria della Spina Church, one of the most beautiful places of worship I’ve ever seen: small, stylish and unique thanks to its Pisan-Gothic architecture. If you like this kind of inspirational places, I recommend you take a whole afternoon to admire the churches of Pisa. All those buildings are very well maintained and have an uniqueness of architecture that makes them remarkable. Visit San Pietro in Vinculis, San Martino, San Sisto, San Zeno, Santo Sepolcro, San Michele in Borgo and finish your tour at Pisa Cathedral. Doing so, you will have the opportunity to take long walks and enjoy the streets and the other beautiful buildings of the city.

Campo dei Miracoli

Yes, it’s a miracle that the Leaning Tower is still standing! 🙂 But even more important is the fact that the whole square with its monuments was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

The area is a worldwide recognized center of European medieval art. The architectures, the details and the greatness of the buildings surprised me.

One you are there, you can also visit The Cathedral, whose construction started in 1064. Just look at the huge bronze doors! Inside, among the many works of art and other curiosities, you’ll find Galileo’s Lamp.
The Duomo is the largest baptistery in the whole Italy. It has an acoustic inside that will give you goose bumps!
The Leaning Tower is the Campanile that was built in 1173. It is 60 meters tall and it was designed to have seven main bells with different sounds. They are huge, the biggest one weights 3,620 kg!! You can climb the 296 steps till the top of the tower to admire the city from above.
In the square, you can also admire the Monumental Cemetery, the Opera Palace and the New Hospital of Holy Spirit – in which you’ll find Sinopias Museum and Cathedral Museum.