With iconic sights, great museums, nature, and fun attractions, the things to do in Pisa are incredible.
Pisa is a beautiful Italian city to explore and what’s great is that there are many fun activities you can do in the city! From seeing the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa to doing something unique, there are lots of options.
I’ve been to Pisa many times before and I always enjoy my time in this city. To help you make the most out of your trip, I made this Pisa things to do guide with a large variety of activities. Food, nature, sights, museums, I covered it all in this guide!
Best Things To Do in Pisa
Take Photos at the Leaning Tower of Pisa
One of the most iconic things to do in Pisa is going to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is a tower that you can find on Cathedral Square together with several other historic buildings.
The building was built in the 12th century.
It was accidentally built on ground that was too soft to hold the tower. Because of that, the tower began to lean for several centuries.
This lean makes the tower very iconic. Nowadays, work was conducted to stabilize the tower.
When you are doing a trip to Pisa, you can take a photo while you pretend to be holding the tower. This is a very popular type of photo that serves as a great memory of your trip!
Do a Food Tour of Pisa
The city of Pisa has so much to offer food-wise and this food can be great to explore when you are visiting the city.
A great way to get to know Pisa’s cuisine is through a food tour in Pisa.
This is a guided walking tour during which a local guide will take you to various eateries in the city center of Pisa.
In total, you’ll visit 5 stops where you can sample great dishes.
Also, you’ll learn about the city’s culture and history during this walking tour. That’s because the guide will give you a lot of information while walking from one place to the next.
Through this, you can also see some of the beautiful historic buildings of the city.
Go to the Botanical Garden and Museum of Pisa
Want to see beautiful nature when you are going to the city of Pisa? Then, you should definitely check out the Botanical Garden of Pisa.
This is a botanical garden that is part of the University of Pisa.
The garden was created in the year 1544.
What’s special about the garden is that it is the first botanical garden of a university on the continent of Europe.
Nowadays, the garden is open to the public to visit.
There are many different sections of the garden. For example, there are greenhouses where you can see tropical plants.
Also, there is a herb garden, there are ponds, and there’s much more to see here.
You can for a relaxing walk at this place and have a great time!
Address: Via Luca Ghini, 13, 56126 Pisa PI
Do a Self-Guided Bike Tour of Pisa
If you want to see more besides the most famous landmarks in the city, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you can do a self-guided tour of Pisa by bike.
This is a tour that you can completely do by yourself and at your own pace.
You use a smartphone app that will guide you to all kinds of places in the city of Pisa. For example, you’ll see a lot of very beautiful historic places in the city center.
Furthermore, the route guides you to the best places to have food and fun in the city.
In total, the tour takes about 2.5 hours, but the actual time depends on you.
Go to the Camposanto
The Camposanto Monumentale di Pisa, or simply the Camposanto, is one of the highlights in Pisa that you can find on Cathedral Square.
This is a beautiful place that is part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the building was constructed in the 12th century.
The Camposanto is a burial ground that you can find inside the ruins of a church.
The church is very beautiful and features a lot of stunning arches that are great to see.
Also, you can find a lot of sarcophagi here from the Roman Empire. And there are many sculptures and urns, that are very impressive and interesting to see when you are here.
Address: Piazza del Duomo, 17, 56126 Pisa PI
Go to the Battistero di San Giovanni
The Battistero di San Giovanni, or the Baptistery of St. John, is also a great historic sight that you have to check out when you are visiting the city of Pisa.
This is a building that is located next to the Duomo di Pisa and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The baptistery building was constructed in the year 1153.
If you like architecture, this building can be very interesting to check out. That’s because the building features an amazing Romanesque and Gothic style. It combines various architectural styles, which is very beautiful.
Also, there are a lot of amazing decorations with figures on them that represent important people from the bible.
Furthermore, when you go inside the baptistery, you can see very beautiful decorations as well.
Climb to the Top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Besides taking a photo with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you can go to the Leaning Tower of Pisa for more.
You can also go to the top of the tower.
There is a spiral staircase that goes around the tower through which you can get to the top.
From the top of the tower, you can enjoy a wonderful view of the city and other historic sights on Cathedral Square.
Also, it can be great to see the beautiful architectural details of the tower when you walk inside it.
In total, there are about 300 steps that will take you to the top.
Also, you could do a guided tour of the tower, and walk to the top together with a guide. During this, you’ll also learn a lot about the history and architecture of the tower, which is one of the most interesting activities in Pisa.
Visit the Sinopie Museum
The Sinopie Museum is another very interesting museum to visit.
There, you can see rough sketches that were used to design the Composanto.
There are many different types of these sketches and they are very impressive to see.
Although they don’t feature a lot of details and colors, you should check out the sketches anyway, as the history behind them is very impressive.
Also, when you visit the Composanto after going to this museum, you’ll enjoy the beauty of that place even more!
Go to the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa
You can learn about natural history when you are in the city of Pisa.
For this, you can go to the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa.
This is a museum where you can find a very interesting collection of all kinds of specimens.
For example, you can find a large collection of all kinds of marine animal specimens here.
Also, the collection of seashells of this museum is very significant and very interesting to see.
You can find a variety of permanent exhibitions at the museum through which you can learn about the planet of the earth.
For example, there is also an exhibition that focuses on dinosaurs.
Two other exhibitions that are great to see when you are here are exhibitions about the evolution of humans and birds.
Besides that, there is a very large aquarium at the museum where you can learn about all kinds of animals.
Address: Via Roma, 79, 56011 Calci PI
See Art at the Gipsoteca di Arte Antica
The Gipsoteca di Art Antica is a museum where you can find a lot of interesting archaeological objects.
For example, you can find many interesting Greek and Roman objects at this place.
The collection of the museum includes very beautiful and rare objects.
Besides that, you can also attend a variety of events at the museum and these can also be great if you’re looking for Pisa things to do.
For example, you could do a guided tour at the museum through which you can discover the highlights of the collection together with a guide.
Also, there are sometimes temporary exhibitions, performances, and other types of events.
Address: Piazza S. Paolo All’Orto, 20, 56126 Pisa PI
Learn New Things at the Museo degli Strumenti per il Calcolo
The Museo degli Strumenti per il Calcolo is a very interesting science museum.
At this museum, you can learn about the history of the computer.
The museum has an interesting collection through which you can learn about all parts of the story of the computer.
For example, you can learn about the first type of computer here.
Also, you can find more modern machines here.
Besides that, the museum contains all kinds of other objects that relate to computers that are very interesting to see.
See Pisa Cathedral
The Pisa Cathedral is one of the best landmarks in Pisa.
You can find this building on the same square as where you can find the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the baptistry of the city.
The cathedral is a very beautiful building that was constructed in the 11th and 12th centuries.
The building featured a beautiful Romanesque architectural style.
The exterior of the building is very impressive to see because it is very large and features many amazing details.
Also, you can go inside to see a very beautiful interior.
Inside, there are a lot of arches that are interesting to see.
Also, you can see beautiful works of art here, and the material of the church is amazing to see too.
Do a Guided Walking Tour of Pisa
Want to get to know the city? Then, you can explore the city on your own. It is a very walkable city and you can find all the sights very near to each other.
However, you could also do a guided walking tour of Pisa to learn even more about it.
During a guided walking tour, you’ll visit many of the places of Pisa together with an expert guide.
For example, you’ll go to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Baptistery of Pisa, and the Pisa Cathedral.
At each sight, the guide can give you a lot of information, which is great.
Furthermore, you can choose to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa during this tour if you buy a ticket for that when booking this tour.
Check out Piazza dei Cavalieri
The Piazza dei Cavalieri is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city.
It is one of the main squares of the city and during the Middle Ages, the square was very important. It was the political center of the city-state of Pisa.
On the Piazza dei Cavalieri, you can find some very historic buildings.
Also, there is a statue of Cosimo I de Medici that is very interesting to see.
Besides that, you could find the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen at this square.
You can go for a walk in the city center and check out this square at the same time. The beautiful historic architecture and the history behind the square make it a great place to hang out!
See the Santa Maria della Spina
The Santa Maria della Spina is a lovely church that you can find in the city of Pisa.
This church was constructed at the beginning of the 13th century and it features a Pisan Gothic style like several other buildings in the city.
You can find the church next to the Arno River, and you can combine checking out the church when you are walking along the river.
In the past, the church used to house a relic. The church supposedly housed a thorn of the crown of thorns of Jesus. However, the thorn is no longer housed in the church.
See Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici
The Palazzo Vecchio de’ Medici is a palace and one of the best attractions in Pisa.
The palace features a beautiful Gothic revival style and you can find the palace on Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini.
In the 16th century, the palace was the residence of Cosimo I de Medici.
If you like architecture, you have to check out this building for sure. Also, the history behind the palace makes it great to visit.
Address: Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini, 7, 56127 Pisa PI
See Palazzo Blu
The Palazzo Blu is a unique building that you can find in the historic center of Pisa.
It is a palace that features a Renaissance architectural style.
Moreover, what makes the palace unique is its blue color that you can find on the exterior.
Inside, you can find a permanent exhibition that consists of various sections.
This exhibition contains artworks from many periods in time. There are works from the year 300 till the year 1800.
Moreover, you can see works by some very famous artists here.
Address: Lungarno Gambacorti, 9, 56125 Pisa PI
Learn About History at the Arsenali Medicei
The Arsenali Medicei is a former shipyard that dates back to the 16th century.
It is a museum where you can see a lot of historic ships and objects. This also includes objects from the Roman Empire.
The objects that you can see here all relate to ships and the sea.
Furthermore, there are often temporary exhibitions at the Arsenali Medicei Pisa.
If you want to learn about maritime history, you should go to this place for sure.
Address: Lungarno Ranieri Simonelli, 14, 56126 Pisa PI
Roam the Palazzo della Sapienza
The Palazzo della Sapienza is a historic building that you can find in Pisa.
The building dates back to Roman times, and the building has a very beautiful design.
For example, what’s great to see here about the design is the many arches that make up the building.
When you are in the city of Pisa and like architecture, this is a building that you should miss out on for sure!
Address: Via Curtatone e Montanara, 15, 56126 Pisa PI
Explore the National Museum of San Matteo
Another one of the best things to do in Pisa is to explore the National Museum of San Matteo.
This is a museum that you can find inside a monastery from the Middle Ages. This monastery is very beautiful and has a lot of amazing design elements. For example, there is a courtyard here.
At the museum, you can find a great collection of all kinds of objects from Pisa.
For example, you can see paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and many other objects here.
This diverse collection is very interesting to see.
Also, what’s great is that the museum covers a period of about 300 years. This makes the collection even more diverse and interesting to see.
What’s great about the museum as well is that you can find many works by famous artists here.
Address: Piazza San Matteo In Soarta, 1, 56127 Pisa PI
See a Movie at the Lanteri Cinema Caffè
You can also check out the Lanteri Cinema Caffè when you are visiting the city of Pisa and are looking for a great place to enjoy entertainment.
This is a movie theater that you can find in the city, which has a very nice atmosphere.
It is a one-screen cinema with a beautiful design.
Also, the movie theater has a cafe inside of it where you can have a drink and food when you are going here.
Address: Via S. Michele degli Scalzi, 46, 56124 Pisa PI
See the San Piero a Grado
The San Piero a Grado is a church that you can find about 4 miles or 7 kilometers from the city center of Pisa.
The church was completed in the 12th century and it has a beautiful architecture.
The exterior is made from stones and the parts of it were made in various places in the world.
Also, the inside of the church is very beautiful. Here you can see a fresco, an altar, various works of art, and other historic objects.
Address: Via Vecchia di Marina, 5, 56010 Pisa PI
Go to the Opera del Duomo Museum
The Opera del Duomo Museum is a very interesting museum with a variety of rooms where you can find hundreds of works.
The works that you can find here vary a lot.
For example, you can see historic sculptures that are very beautiful.
Also, you can see a crown, a scepter, and many other objects here.
So if you want to learn about history, you can go to this museum.
Furthermore, what’s great is that there is a cafe at the museum. Here, you can have a drink with a view that is very beautiful.
Go to the National Museum of the Royal Palace
The National Museum of the Royal Palace in Pisa is a museum that you can find inside a historic palace in the city of Pisa.
The palace was created in the 16th century and the building has a beautiful design.
At the museum, you can find many interesting historic and beautiful objects.
For example, the museum has a collection of sculptures, decorative arts, paintings, and much more.
Also, what’s great is that you can see personal objects by Eleonora di Toledo, the wife of Cosimo I de Medici, here.
Furthermore, you can find the museum on the Arno River. So when you go for a walk along the river, you can check out this place as well.
Address: Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, 46, 56126 Pisa PI
See Modern Art at the GAMeC CentroArteModerna di Pisa
You can go to the GAMeC CentroArteModerna di Pisa which is a great activity in Pisa if you like modern art.
This is a historic exhibition space that dates back to the year 1976.
You can often see great temporary exhibitions of art here.
It is a small place with a wonderful atmosphere where you can often see very beautiful works.
Also, there are other events related to art that take place at the gallery.
Address: Lungarno Mediceo, 26, 56127 Pisa PI
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Pisa Things To Do Tips
If you’re wondering what to do in Pisa, it’s great to know that the city of Pisa is very walkable, and the city center is very small. Because of this, it is very easy to combine many of the activities on this list.
I recommend choosing all the things that you want to do, adding them to a map, and then going for a walk in the city to these places. That way, you’ll have a fun day packed with all sorts of activities.
These were my favorite things to do in Pisa. I hope I helped you find some great activities for you!