Pisa attracts bus after
bus of tourists every day of the year to see
its most famous attraction.
The leaning
tower of Pisa has
become an Italian symbol, much like
Pizza and Pavarotti!
The city has put a lot of effort into the
tower and it is again safe to visit. Many
people may be surprised to hear that the
tilt is actually intentional, after
architects concluded that the stories of the
accidental tilt were most probably just that
– stories. Accidental or not, the fact
remains that it is one of the most
beautiful, unique buildings in the world – a
view shared by the Italian government who
spent $80 million on restoration
in the early
nineties.
Bookings are essential and only 30 people
can go up per half hour so make your booking
and be on time!
There is so much more to
Pisa than the tower and you will need plenty
of time to explore what is on offer. The
Cathedral houses one of the
first and finest examples of
Pisan Romanesque.
Bonanno, one of the leaning tower of Pisa
architects contributed to the cathedral,
including the fabulous bronze doors towards
the south of the building. A fire in 1595
destroyed much of the original art but one
of the most impressive pieces - the great
mosaic of
Christ Pantocrator
luckily survived. The pulpit, a work by
Pisano displays an array of Christian and
classical elements, unique to its time
period. Opening hours vary throughout the
year so check times and days of opening
before hand.
Close to the cathedral is
the Museo
delle Sinopie. It
houses many sketches of the frescos
destroyed in the Campo Santo fire – the
sketches are works of art in them selves and
give a great impression of what the finished
pieces looked like.
The Museo Del Duomo,
also close by contains pieces of the
cathedral façade, along with some unique
pieces like the griffin from the cathedral
top. Giovanni Pisano’s ugly gargoyle style
face sculptures stand out along with more
pleasant works by Nino Pisano
and Camaino. Both museums
are open year round with admission fees
payable on arrival.
Pisa has no ‘centre’ as
such, so you will find the city’s
attractions scattered all over. Other
highlights throughout the city include the
Palazzo della Carovana
and
Palazzo dell’Orologio.
To the west of here you will find the
beautiful botanical gardens, to the south
the University of Pisa
(established 1330) and east of the
university are the lively markets of
Piazza Vettovaglie.
The
Galileo Galilei airport is
only 3km away, with regular cheap buses
linking the airport to the city. Once in the
city, all buses
depart
from the Plaza
Vittorio Emanuele II,
near the stazione centrale. Bus tickets are
cheap (less than €1 for 1 hour’s unlimited
bus riding) and cover routes for wherever
you need to go. There are so many more
cultural things to do in Pisa than shop, but
it is a great place for souvenir tackiness –
every variation of colour of the leaning
tower of Pisa you can think of! You can’t
fail to find an exquisite place to eat in
Pisa, everything from Tuscan and Sardinian
specialities at Il Nuraghe, to dishes
elsewhere that even the chef is not sure of!
With budget airlines
flying to Pisa from throughout Europe many
people opt for the DIY style break here.
Pisa is just one of a wide selection of
Tuscany destinations. TipTopVillas has a
wide range of
