The Leaning Tower of Pisa, overrated tourist attraction or worthwhile destination? Regardless if you think Pisa is overrated or worthwhile, it still can be a lot of fun doing silly poses in front of this crooked icon of Italy. What’s even better is that a day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa can be quick and easy to do.
Table of Contents
Interesting Facts About the Leaning Tower of Pisa
It took almost 200 years to build the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The tower began leaning even before construction was finished. The upper levels of the tower were built at an angle to offset the lean. If you look closely at photographs, you can see that the tower has a slight curve to it.
There are 294 steps on the north side and 296 steps on the south side.
The tower and cathedral were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
After the collapse of a tower in Pavia, restoration efforts from 1989 to 2001 were put into place. The tower was closed to tourists during this time.
In 2008 engineers declared that the Leaning Tower of Pisa has stopped moving. The tower should remain stable for the next 300 years.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Where is Pisa?
Located just an hour away from Florence and the Cinque Terre by train, it is very easy to see Pisa from either of these locations and even easier when traveling between the two.
How to Get to the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Taking a train is the easiest way to get to Pisa. Most people visit Pisa as a day trip from Florence, leaving in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Direct trains from Florence take between 1 hour and 1 hour and 11 minutes, depending on the speed of the train. These trains run roughly every 20 to 30 minutes.
If you are traveling between the Cinque Terre and Florence, seeing Pisa on the way takes very little time. Make the one hour journey by train from Florence, visit the Leaning Tower, and then take a second train to La Spezia (at the Cinque Terre). It takes 1 hour to travel to La Spezia by train. Trains leave for La Spezia almost every 30 minutes.
While you are visiting the Leaning Tower, you can leave your luggage at the baggage storage area (deposito bagagli) in the Pisa train station.
Don’t have enough time to get off the train? You can see the Leaning Tower of Pisa (briefly) from the train while traveling between Florence and La Spezia.
After arriving at the Pisa Centrale train station, it is a 22-minuted walk to the Leaning Tower. Taxis are available to speed up your journey and cost roughly €10 one way.
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers (points of interest and the walking route). You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest. If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to “Your Places,” click Maps, and you will see this map on your list.
How Long Does it Take to Visit Pisa?
Once at the Leaning Tower, it only takes several minutes to take those goofy photos.
If you plan to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa, it takes about 30 minutes.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is just one part of the Duomo Complex, which also includes the Cathedral, the Baptistery, the Camposanto, and the Opera del Duomo Museum and Sinopie Museum.
If you plan to visit the entire Duomo Complex, your visit will last 2 to 3 hours.
If you plan to snap some photos with the Leaning Tower of Pisa and climb the tower, your visit will last 1 to 1.5 hours.
Climbing the Tower
There are 251 steps to top of the tower. Climbing the tower is not difficult but some people report feeling dizzy or getting vertigo from climbing the tight, spiral staircase at an incline.
If you plan to climb the tower, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the top.
During peak season, purchase your tickets in advance. This allows you to schedule a designated time and avoid waiting in line. If you do not have pre-purchased tickets, you run the risk of not being able to climb the tower on the day of your visit.
Tickets to climb the tower cost €20 per person. You can purchase tickets 90 days before your visit. For more information, check out the official website, which also includes a link to the online ticket center.
Children under 8 years old are not allowed to climb the tower.
If tickets are sold out for the date you will be here, you can also get a ticket through GetYourGuide or join one of these skip-the-line tours.
The Square of Miracles
The Square of Miracles is another name for the Duomo Complex. The buildings on this square include the Leaning Tower of Pisa (aka the Tower), the cathedral, the baptistery, the Camposanto, the Sinopie Museum, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
The Baptistery
Ticket Types and Hours of Operation
Combined Ticket: €27 which includes everything: the tower, cathedral, baptistery, Camposanto, and both museums
Tower: €20, which includes the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the cathedral
Complete Visit: €10, which includes the cathedral, baptistery, Camposanto, and both museums. Even though it is called the Complete ticket, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TOWER.
Cathedral + One Site: €7; for 7 euros, you can visit the cathedral plus one other site, choosing between the baptistery, Camposanto, Opera del Duomo Museum or Sinopie Museum. IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TOWER.
For more information about these tickets, and to purchase your ticket online in advance, visit the official website.
Hours of Operation
With the exception of the cathedral, the sites at the Duomo Complex open at 9 am and close between 6 and 7 pm and the tower can stay open as late as 10 pm in the summer. The cathedral is generally open from 10 am to 6 pm. Hours vary a lot by season so get updated hours for your visit on the official website.
Day Trip to Pisa from Florence
Visiting Pisa is a very popular day trip from Florence.
A day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa from Florence takes half of a day. On your own, take the train from Florence to Pisa, walk or take a taxi to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and return to Florence by train. The best time to go is in the morning, so you get to the Leaning Tower before the crowds arrive (the most crowded time to visit Pisa is from 10 am through mid-afternoon).
You can also add on Lucca for a full day trip from Florence. Spend the morning in Pisa and the afternoon in Lucca. Get the full details on how to do this in our One Day in Pisa and Lucca Itinerary.
You also have the option to join a tour. You can either take a half day tour from Florence or combine the visit to Pisa with a quick visit to Tuscany.
If you have any questions about how to plan your day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information about Italy
FLORENCE: For a list of things to do, take a look at our Florence Bucket List and learn how to plan your time with our 2 Day Florence Itinerary. We also have information about how to visit the Florence Cathedral, about the best rooftop bars in Florence, and the best viewpoints in Florence. Here are 15 day trips to take from Florence, with practical information on how to plan your day.
TUSCAN HILL TOWNS: Check out our detailed guides to Siena, Montepulciano, Pienza, Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia, San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, Lucca, Volterra, Arezzo, and Cortona. For a full list of things to do, read our article Best Things to Do in Tuscany.
CINQUE TERRE: One of the best experiences in the Cinque Terre is to hike between all five towns. If you are traveling on a budget, get our money saving tips for the Cinque Terre.
MILAN & LAKE COMO: Learn how to visit Milan on a day trip or while traveling between the Cinque Terre, Florence and Venice. Lake Como and Bellagio are two more beautiful places in Italy that are great day trip destinations.
DOLOMITES: For a list of where to go and what to do, read our article Best Things to Do in the Dolomites and Best Hikes in the Dolomites. Learn how to plan your trip with our Dolomites Itinerary Travel Planner.
We have TONS more information about Italy in our Italy Travel Guide, including Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, the Dolomites, the Amalfi Coast, the Cinque Terre, and Puglia.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.
All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc.), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.
Comments 30
Hi Julie
What is the best way to travel from: Sorrento to Positano? Sorrento to Cinque Terre ? and Cinque Terre to Venice? And can i visit Pisa on the way to any of these destinations? I’ve used all your tips for my 6 week trip around Europe, but this bit has got me confused. Thanks in advance. Jo
Author
Hello Joanne, for Sorrento to Positano, take a look at our post on how to get to the Amalfi Coast, which explains multiple ways to do it. To get from Sorrento to the Cinque Terre, you will take the train or a driver to Naples (the above post will also tell you how to do this), then a train to La Spezia (there could be one to 2 transfers), and then a local train to the Cinque Terre towns. You can add on Pisa to this journey but it will become a big day of train travel. To get from the 5Terre to Venice, take the local train to La Spezia and then a high speed train to Venice. You can also use Italiarail.com to look up train timetables. Cheers, Julie
hi
Do you know a good safe carpark we can use while visiting Leaning tower of Pisa for a couple of hours?
thanks
Justine Rudman
Author
Unfortunately, no. We took the train to Pisa so have no experience parking here. But throughout Italy, when we have parked, we haven’t had any issues with theft. Cheers, Julie
Should I purchase train tickets from Florence to Pisa and Pisa to La Spezia ahead of time, or is it pretty simple to do it day off?
Author
That’s a good question. If you are traveling during peak season (June through early September) and know your exact dates of travel, I recommend booking your train tickets in advance. You probably don’t have to but when we travel, we like to have all of that set up ahead of time. During our visit in the summer, the trains were pretty full. I’ve read that they don’t necessarily sell out but I’m personally not willing to take that chance. Cheers, Julie
Thank you. Any chance you have information on the correct site to purchase train tickets?
Author
You can use Italiarail.com (easy to use but there is a 5 euro booking fee) or Trenitalia (the official Italian website, use Italian names for the cities, no booking fee).
Are there other locations than Leaning tower in Pisa? Because I am planning a 7 day trip to Italy and one of our days is covering Pisa. So, I wanted to know about other places in Pisa?
Author
Hello Apoorv. In Pisa, I am only familiar with the Leaning Tower. There might also be a museum that you can visit on the same property (check the official website for details). Cheers, Julie
Thank you so much for the information, I will definitely look at your website for this.