A Little Wander… Visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa on a Day Trip Through Tuscany

Last updated on May 17, 2026 by Shannon

What round-the-world trip is complete without a classically cheesy photo holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Although I usually record the iconic places I’ve visited with jumping shots, there’s only one pose that’s appropriate for the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

And let’s be frank: I wanted to see whether it really looked that strange in person.

Since my friends and I had just hiked Cinque Terre, and were taking the train to Florence, it made sense to spend one day in Pisa. Since the train line runs straight through Pisa anyway, it’s an easy excuse to stop for a few hours.

Here’s what you need to know about spending one day in Pisa on a stopover or a day trip.

Why Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa Lean?

OK, I know what you’re thinking: Why does it lean?

The lean comes down to bad luck and soft ground.

Construction on the Leaning Tower of Pisa began in 1173 and continued for just shy of 200 years before it was completed in 1372. Despite what you might have heard, the tower didn’t start leaning due to an earthquake or shifting earth.

Instead, the tower began to tilt during construction because the soft ground on one side of the site could not support the weight of the tower’s foundation. As soon as the builders started constructing the second story, the tower began to sink and tilt.

Builders tried correcting the lean almost immediately—adjusting column heights and reinforcing sections over the centuries—but the tower kept tilting anyway. Engineers finally stabilized it in the early 2000s by removing soil beneath the higher side of the foundation.

Getting to the Leaning Tower of Pisa

For some reason, I expected the leaning tower to be immediately visible from the station.

Hot tip: The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not near the Pisa-Centrale station.

When we left the Pisa train station, my seeking gaze was disappointed. Call it poor planning on our parts, but we had neither a map nor directions on how to actually get to the Leaning Tower (and my first visit to Pisa was way back in the pre-smartphone days). Now, it’s a cinch to activate an eSIM or buy a local SIM card when you land in Italy and then you have Google Maps ready to point you to the fastest bus route.

Without that though, and with noticeably few other tourists near the train station, it took a bit of figuring out. That’s because many travelers visit Pisa on a tour. But it’s not necessary—Pisa is an easy day trip from Florence. Or it’s a cinch to hop off the train for a few hours, visit the Leaning Tower, and then catch a train to your next stop. We stopped in Pisa for just a few hours for pictures of the tower, lunch, and then onward to Florence.

There is a great self-service luggage storage option at the Pisa-Centrale train station that didn’t exist when I first visited as a day trip. For that reason, my friends and I had our backpacks with us. With the sun beating down on us, it added a good bit of pressure for us to make quick work of sussing out directions to the Leaning Tower and get on our way.

At the time, we resorted to asking strangers for directions in a mix of mangled Italian and English. Eventually, a kind older Italian man took pity on us, walked me around the corner to the correct bus stop, and firmly pointed us toward the right route. Within minutes we were pulling into the Square of Miracles.

My cousin Helen had already visited the Tower, so she planned to spend the afternoon in a coffee shop catching up on work (like me, she works online).

Jenn and I dropped our backpacks behind Helen’s chair in the coffee shop, and then headed into the Leaning Tower complex to explore and take photos on our own DIY tour of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This site is not huge, so it’s easy to explore in an hour or two.

DIY Self-Guided Tour of Pisa

If you’re visiting Pisa as a quick day stop en route to Florence or Rome, then you’ll need about two hours to just see the first stop, the three main sites in the Square of Miracles (the Baptistery, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (which includes the tower), and the Camposanto. If you’re on a day trip or self-guided tour of Pisa, then this is what you can do with one day in Pisa.

Assuming you’ve started your day early—and you should—aim to arrive at the Leaning Tower by 9 a.m. (the tour buses and crowds descend rapidly after 10 a.m.).

Start at the Square of Miracles (Leaning Tower of Pisa)

To start, leave the Pisa-Centrale train station and make your way to the Leaning Tower of Pisa (walk 22 minutes, cab it, or take the bus). The tower is located in the Square of Miracles, which includes the Cathedral and most other notable attractions in Pisa.

The white marble is blinding in strong summer sun. And the entire area gets brutally reflective in summer—the white marble plus open lawn can feel much hotter than Florence itself by midday.

But it’s worth it. The church, the bell tower—the whole complex glows white in the sun.

Even more though, this imposing marble structure juts at a precarious angle from the ground. With the church nearby, and other tall, straight buildings showing stark contrast. The Tower seems better suited for a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum than an actual, standing monument that’s not going to tip over at any moment.

How to Get a Great Picture the Leaning Tower

If you have your heart set on a cheesy photo holding up (or knocking down) the tower, you should do this the moment you arrive. Morning light is noticeably better. By afternoon, the tower side facing the lawn gets harsh shadows and the square heaves with crowds.

If you want everyone in the shot, linger until you spot another traveler taking photos carefully—not someone rushing through with a selfie stick.

My friends and I scoped the area until we spotted two women in their late twenties chatting in English. The girl taking the picture was so committed to getting the shot right that she was kneeling on the ground even though she was wearing pristine white pants.

Now that is commitment I can respect! The photo she took of us looked great. We reciprocated and captured a great one of the two of them.

Don’t expect unlimited time for elaborate tower photos anymore—staff periodically move people along, and parts of the lawn are sometimes roped off to protect the grass.

If you’re only in Pisa for a couple of hours, then end your day here and head back to the train station.

Climb the Leaning Tower

With a full day in Pisa, book a timed-entry ticket to climb the Tower. Book tickets well in advance during the busy summer months. This is doubly true if you want one of the coveted early morning time slots, when there are fewer clouds, and the sun is at an advantageous angle for photos. The tower opens at 9 a.m., and the climb is timed and strictly controlled—if you miss your slot, staff are not especially flexible in peak season.

While I didn’t pay to go up the tower, it’s a steep climb up 294 steps for those eager to head to the top. The climb can be tiring, but the views from the top are definitely worth it.

Once inside the tower, respect the rules. You can’t bring bags up the tower, but there’s a free bag check included with your ticket near the entrance.

Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is easy to overlook beside the leaning tower, but it’s genuinely impressive inside. The striped marble, enormous nave, and intricate pulpit by Giovanni Pisano were worth slowing down for—plan even just 20 minutes there.

Enjoy the Acoustics at the Baptistery

The Baptistery is most famous for its acoustics. If you time it right, staff occasionally demonstrate the echo effect inside, and it’s honestly pretty mesmerizing. Even from the outside, the layered marble and unusual dome made it worth circling slowly before we headed inside.

Head to the Campo Santo Monumentale

The Campo Santo Monumentale is quieter than the rest of the Square of Miracles, which honestly makes it a nice final stop after the crowds around the tower.

Built in the 13th century, the cemetery is known for its Gothic cloisters, weathered frescoes, and rows of Roman sarcophagi. According to tradition, the soil was brought back from the Holy Land during the Crusades, giving the cemetery its name—“holy field.”

Even if you’re not usually interested in cemeteries, it’s worth a slow walk through for the atmosphere alone.

Other Top Things to See and Do in Pisa

Visit Keith Haring’s “Tuttomondo”

Just a few minutes from Pisa Centrale, Keith Haring’s massive Tuttomondo mural is worth a quick stop—especially if you arrive by train. It was one of the artist’s final public works and feels wildly different from the medieval atmosphere around the tower.

Wander Along the Arno

If you explore beyond the Square of Miracles, head toward the River Arno. Pisa feels calmer there—less tour-group energy, more everyday Italy. We wandered the riverbanks before heading back to the station, gelato in hand, watching the light shift over the buildings.

Walk the Corso Italia.

If you need a coffee, snack, or a quick shopping break before your train, Corso Italia is the main pedestrian street connecting the station to the older parts of town.

Grab a Meal and a Gelato

No matter how long you’re spending in Pisa, you have time for gelato. And if you’ve made this as a stopover between Florence and Cinque Terre, plan on having lunch before you head back to the train station.

On my day trip popping into Pisa, we grabbed lunch and a gelato after our time at the Leaning Tower. Honestly, Pisa is one of those places where you should just stop when a gelato case catches your eye. We did, and it worked out perfectly.

Travel Tips for Visiting Pisa, Italy

Arrive Early, or Late

Pisa gets slammed by tour groups between roughly 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The difference between arriving at 9 a.m. versus noon is enormous. Pisa feels much calmer after about 4 p.m. once many of the day tours leave for Florence again.

In summer, the Piazza dei Miracoli now stays open late on many evenings—honestly one of the best ways to see the tower without peak midday crowds and heat.

If you only care about seeing the tower, taking photos, and wandering the square, two to three hours is enough.

Which Train Station Should You Use?

Most travelers arrive through Pisa Centrale, which is about a 20–25 minute walk from the tower. You can also grab a quick taxi or local bus. The area immediately around Pisa Centrale feels a little rougher and less charming than we expected—don’t judge the city by your first five minutes outside the station.

If you’re coming from Florence specifically, look at trains stopping at Pisa San Rossore instead—it’s a tiny station just a few minutes from the Square of Miracles. Pisa San Rossore station feels dramatically easier and calmer than Pisa Centrale.

How to Get to Pisa by Train

Pisa is one of the easiest stopovers in Italy because the main rail line between Cinque Terre and Florence runs straight through the city. Check timetables at Trenitalia, or use Omio for a more comprehensive list of options.

If you’re carrying luggage during your stopover, Pisa Centrale’s luggage storage now makes the whole “few-hours-in-Pisa” plan dramatically easier than it used to be.

From Florence, trains to Pisa take about an hour and run frequently throughout the day. If you want the easiest possible arrival, look for trains stopping at Pisa San Rossore—it’s the closest station to the Square of Miracles and just a five-minute walk from the tower. Most trains, however, arrive at Pisa Centrale, which is about a 20–25 minute walk away (or a quick bus or taxi ride).

Coming from Cinque Terre, most routes funnel through La Spezia first. From there, trains to Pisa run regularly—usually every 30 minutes or so. We hopped off in Pisa for a few hours, stored our bags at the station, explored the square, grabbed lunch and gelato, then continued onward to Florence that evening.

One thing I would absolutely do again: book your onward train tickets at least a day ahead during summer travel periods. When we traveled through in August, trains into Florence were surprisingly full and the evening departures were nearly sold out.

From Bologna, expect roughly two hours with a train change in Florence. From Rome, the trip is closer to four hours, which makes Pisa feel more like an overnight stop than an easy day trip—consider the Hotel Bologna in Pisa if you need a place to sleep for the night.

Pisa Works Best as a Stopover

That’s really the sweet spot.

We stopped between Cinque Terre and Florence, dropped our bags, explored the square, grabbed lunch and gelato, then caught an evening train onward.

It never needed to be more complicated than that.

Should You Climb the Tower?

If you only have a couple of hours in Pisa, I’d skip it.

But if you’re there for most of the day, the climb is worth considering—especially early in the morning before the crowds and heat build.

Just remember that tickets are timed, you can’t bring bags up, and summer slots sell out early.

Quick Budget Reality

Prices change regularly, but expect roughly €20 just to climb the tower (cathedral included), or closer to €27–€32 for combination tickets covering the Baptistery, Campo Santo, and museums.

Is Pisa Actually Worth It?

Yes.

Even beyond the cheesy photos, the Square of Miracles is genuinely striking in person. The white marble, the strange angle of the tower, the scale of the Duomo—it all feels slightly surreal standing there in real life.

And honestly, that’s why people keep stopping in Pisa even when they know exactly how touristy it is.