Cheap city break Pisa

When is the best time to go?

April to June and September to October are ideal: 18 to 26 degrees, soft Tuscan light and manageable crowds. July and August are hot (often 30 degrees or more) and the Piazza dei Miracoli fills up with day trippers from Florence and the cruise ports.

To climb the Leaning Tower without a long queue, come outside high season and reserve your time slot in advance at opapisa.it. Winter is mild (10 to 14 degrees) and cheap, perfect for a quiet city break.

The best areas in Pisa

• Santa Maria The quarter around the Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower, within walking distance of every top monument and lined with quiet university streets.
• Borgo Stretto The beating heart of the centre: an arcaded street full of boutiques, cafes and Bar Salza, which has poured espresso since 1896.
• Sant’Antonio The oldest quarter, just behind the station, home to Keith Haring’s famous Tuttomondo mural from 1989.
• Lungarni The quays along the river Arno with pastel palaces, at their best at sunset.
• Stazione Around Pisa Centrale, practical and the cheapest for an overnight stay, five minutes from the airport.

Top 5 things to do in Pisa

• Climb the Leaning Tower The 56 metre bell tower leans almost four metres off vertical; a time slot costs €20 and only 40 people may go up at once, so reserve ahead.
• Piazza dei Miracoli The Square of Miracles with the Duomo (free with reservation), the round Baptistery and the Camposanto; a combined monuments ticket costs €11.
• Keith Haring’s Tuttomondo The last large mural the artist made before his death, 180 square metres of colour on the Sant’Antonio church, free and away from the tourist crowds.
• Borgo Stretto and the Lungarni Stroll through the arcades and along the Arno; grab a cecina, the local chickpea flatbread, from a street stall.
• Mercato delle Vettovaglie The historic covered market, best early in the morning for fresh Tuscan produce and a cheap lunch among locals.

Flights + transport from the Netherlands

From Eindhoven you fly direct to Pisa (PSA) with Ryanair in about 1 hour 45, with up to ten flights a week and return fares starting around €46 outside high season. From Schiphol it is usually with one stop.

Pisa has a big advantage: Galileo Galilei airport sits barely a kilometre and a half from the centre. The PisaMover shuttle takes you to Pisa Centrale in 5 minutes for €6.00, but you can also simply walk to the Leaning Tower in about 25 minutes. The city itself is best explored entirely on foot.

What does a trip to Pisa cost?

Hostels from €22, mid-range hotels €60 to 110, apartments around €85 per night. Food is good value by Italian standards: a cecina €3, pizza or pasta €8 to 12, a main course €10 to 20. A combined ticket for the Leaning Tower plus the monuments costs €27. Budget from €230 per person for 3 days including a direct flight.

Pisa as a base for Tuscany

The great advantage of Pisa is its central location in Tuscany. From Pisa Centrale you can reach Florence Santa Maria Novella in around 50 to 60 minutes by train: services run every 15 to 30 minutes and a ticket costs around 8.50 to 11 euros depending on the service (Trenitalia regional or Intercity). Buy your ticket in advance via the app or ticket machine; inspectors fine passengers without a valid stamped ticket.

Florence itself deserves a full day: the Uffizi gallery (book early, around 20 euros), Ponte Vecchio (free), Piazzale Michelangelo (free panoramic view) and the Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome (exterior free, climbing around 20 euros with reservation). Allow 8 hours for a meaningful day visit.

Lucca, one of Italy's best-preserved medieval walled cities, is barely 20 minutes away by train for around 4 euros. Siena is accessible by bus in about 90 minutes via Poggibonsi (around 12 euros return).

The Cinque Terre, five colourful coastal villages, are 1.5 hours by train via La Spezia; a day pass for the coastal trains costs 19.50 euros. Anyone who flies cheaply to Pisa and takes 3 to 4 extra days has access to the whole of central Tuscany for a fraction of the price of a direct flight to Florence Airport.

Anyone who flies cheaply to Pisa and adds 3 to 4 extra days effectively has access to all of central Tuscany for a fraction of the cost of a direct flight to Florence Airport.