TRAIN:
Roma Termini to Pisa Centrale
Travel Time: 2h 30min
Total: €92
Ticket per person: €46
Right after Vatican City, we had to go back to our Airbnb to pick up our things and get to Roma Termini to take the train to Pisa. We decided to stay in Pisa for two nights and go on two day trips to the following places: Cinque Terre and Siena. I was stuck between Siena and San Gimignano but decided to stick with Siena. Logistically, it might have made more sense to stay in Florence but Sam had already been to Florence so Pisa was the next best alternative. The Airbnb we stayed in is no longer listed on Airbnb so I have provided a close alternative (in location and in price) instead.
AIRBNB:
Two nights in Pisa
Address:
Via Conte Fazio, 4
Pisa Pl, Italy 56122
Total: $114 (for two people)
Total per person: $57
We took the local bus to Piazza dei Miracoli to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is a little cheaper to buy the bus ticket from the ticket booth inside the station but we were running a little late and just bought tickets on the bus.
LOCAL BUS:
Single Ticket: €1
Daily Ticket: €3,05
Carnet of 4 Tickets: €3,30
Ticket on board: €1,50
Single tickets are valid for 60 minutes. Please be watchful of pickpocketers! The bus drivers are usually pretty alert regarding that sort of activity and when we were on the bus at one point, the driver had refused to leave until a known pickpocketer departed the bus. Keep your backpacks in the front and just guard the straps of your handbags because they’re known to just get a knife and cut through the straps for convenience.
TIP #1:
Torre de Pisa Entrance Fee: €18
You can purchase tickets online in advance here
The ticket for the Leaning Tower of Pisa allowed us to climb up the tower and see the city from above. It was really interesting because Pisa is a fortress city so you can see clear boundaries of the city (which isn’t even all that big to begin with). Funny story – looking back on my photos to post on Instagram, I was momentarily confused as to why most of the Tower photos were slanted and then remembered that it was because the Tower was leaning (I’m an idiot).
You can also check out the Pisa Cathedral, which is free entrance with the Tower ticket. You can also purchase a ticket by choosing up to three monuments at Piazza dei Miracoli. A ticket to a monument will also provide you free access to the Cathedral if you decide to skip the Tower.
TIP #2:
1 Monument: €5
2 Monuments: €7
3 Monuments: €8
You can purchase tickets online in advance here
Aside from the monuments, you can take a stroll on Lungarno Galilei and also visit the Clock Palace.
To be honest, Pisa is a really small city so aside from what I’ve listed, there isn’t much else to do there. It’s really great for a day trip if you’re staying in Florence since by train it is only one hour away from the Santa Maria Novella station (the main train station) in Florence. We spent about 4 hours in Pisa and found it sufficient. The best time to get the iconic tourist photos of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is either to go early in the morning and beat the crowds or go closer to sunset during off-peak season. As I mentioned earlier, the Airbnb we stayed at in Pisa was no longer available but I did provide a similar alternative below.
alwayswanderlusting.com 