Is Pisa worth it?
 

My husband and I (we are 55+) are leaving for Italy in less than 3 weeks. We planned to go from Florence to Santa Margherita Ligure on the train, stopping at Pisa for a look at the tower. This will entail checking baggage, then walking to the tower and back. I hope we can do it all in time to catch the train to SML at 1:45.
Here's my question : Is this worth it? Is the Field of Miracles really a "must see" or an overrated tourist attraction? Would we do better to just get to SML and have a nice glass of wine and think about the next day's Cinque Terre hike?

Sure if you want to visit Pisa then it’s worth it.

For us it was great to visit to see the tower as we were staying in Florence (short journey), but we didn’t find Pisa as scenic as Florence.

If all you plan on doing is looking at a crooked tower and then going on, I would skip it. But if you also go into the church, and see the lovely inlaid marble floors, etc., you will find it a more worthwhile experience. Perhaps if there is another train a little later you could stop for lunch in Pisa, also. The go on to the coast.

The Piazza del duomo/Campo dei Miracoli is one of the greatest sights in Italy, in my opinion. It is a little spoilt by the stalls selling some of the world's most tacky soveniers, but the combination of the tower, the Duomo, the camposanto and the baptistry are a beautiful sight.

The Duomo is well worth a visit, and ranks among my top 3 of those I have seen itn Italy (Siena and Monreale being the other 20). You can buy a combined ticket for all the sights - for which you probably won't have time, or just a duomo ticket for around €2.

There is a left luggage department at Pisa Centrale station. The walk to the tower is around 20-25 minutes, otherwise there are regular buses from outside of the station.

Nice question badsneakers, I had also gained the impression that Pisa isn't much worth visiting. I concluded this after deciding I was going to spend a night there after a week in the Cinque Terre and then started to read Fodors posts; with posters who seemed rather take it or leave it. I was reassured by some books on Pisa that complained that Pisa is often underrated and that it deserves exploring beyond the usual tourist sites. I do hope you post your experience because you go much sooner than I do.

I think it's worth a stop. Don't spend a lot of time there. The leaning tower, duomo and baptistry are all in one place, surrounded by acres of tourist booths. Get in, take the obligatory picture holding up the leaning tower, see the three sites, and get out.

Be sure to check train times before you leave the station in the morning. When you are ready to leave, you will know if you need to hurry or can waste some time browsing the tourist booths.

With the possible exception of the Taj Mahal, no tourist cliche site on the planet is as stunningly beautiful as the Piazza dei Miracoli. In fact, if it wasn't for the incompetence of 13th century structural engineers, no-one would even think of asking your question. Anyone with any discrimination would be fighting their way to gaze on this wonder and admire.

As it is, the silly gimmick about the Tower's poor building standards has taken over from the complex's extraordinary architectural achievement.

Just go and look. And mourn the fact that, for all our superior building skills, nothing to match it has been built anywhere in thge past hundred years.

Would it be a bad idea to combine Pisa with a day trip to Lucca? We would be driving from San Gimignano.

I think it's worth a visit. I greatly enjoyed viewing it and climbing it.

badsneakers....Although it is one of the worlds most famous sites...it is what it is...a place where you can tell people you went to....apart from that...I wasnt too keen on it..expensive to enter the tower..can be long lines...and tourist trap all around...but in retrospect, I'm glad I went..if that makes any sense?...Bottom line..I wouldnt go out of my way to vist Pisa...............mikek

In my view, if you are passing through Pisa on the train anyway, the logistics of getting to the tower are fairly easy and it is therefore totally worth it. As you've no doubt read, Pisa itself is nothing fantastic, but the duomo is beautifuly and the tower is incredible (it REALLY leans, I mean, really). It's such an iconic site, if you have time, I would do it.

Hi badsneakers,

the reason it's such a tourist trap is that there IS something worth seeing there. the monuments are truly wonderful - they were constructed, if that's the right word, when most english people were living in hovels made of wattle and daub.

you just have to look past the tourist tat and ignore the hawkers. [why would you by a tacky watch or fake handbag from someone you're never going to see again? it's a mystery.]

do go, if just for an hour.

regards, ann

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there. If you are worried about time, the taxi ride from the train is not outrageously expensive. We wimped out and took a taxi as it was raining torrents the day we went. Our taxi driver gave us a tip on a great restaurant when we asked if he could recommend something off the beaten track--wrote out the name and address for us so we could get a taxi there when we were done. Can't remember it, but it was off the tourist track. We had a relaxing and delicious lunch. When we came out, the rain had let up and we were an easy walk back to the station.

At least once a year this topic arises . . .
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34994709
Pisa -- Skip it?

And as you can read from the above thread on the 'is it worth it' debate, you'll get diverging opinions.

My thoughts? If you're really curious to get a first hand look at this cattywampus structure (a/k/a Leaning Tower) then do so. I'd already been to Italy on two previous occasions before I opted to daytrip to Pisa. Was it worth it? It's six of one/half dozen of the other.

The Tower looks exactly like the pictures you've seen of it. At the time I was there, it still was under repairs and we weren't able to go inside. Maybe if I had been able to trek up to the top, I may have had an epiphany . . . who knows? Like I said, as long as it's on the way, sure, do it.

That tower may "look like the pictures" but when you get UP close, those pictures pale in comparison.

Take the bus or a taxi to it from the railroad station and havea look inside ALL the buildings.

There's a reason people flock to places like the Tower and those reasons are all good.

We went to Pisa on our first trip to Italy as part of a tour group. I agree that it's really special to see the tower, after seeing pictures of it your whole life.

I also agree that you should go for an hour, take the obligatory picture holding up the tower, and leave. Our group didn't give us time to see the church, but it is beautiful on the outside.

One piece of advice: steer clear of the ladies' room in the little "restaurant" across the piazza from the church. One of my worst life experiences!

Interesting reports.
We leave next week for S. France, NW Italy and Switzerland, driving a car. 5 trips to Italy ,never been to Pisa,, so planning to drive through there briefly on the way from Cinque Terre to Pienza. I am wondering about the parking situation around the tower???

Is Carrera nice for a quick stop,,,,,the marble part is of interest to us.???
We were going to spend the night in Lucca, Changed that and hope we aren't missing much. Want to return to Pienza for a night, (we loved it on the one day 6 yrs. ago),
THEN heading back north!!!
Thanks...and hope someone can answer my question about the parking situation in Pisa!

Mari5 - search the slow travel site - at least one of the regulars there lives in or near Pisa and can give you exact details about where to park.

znstravels

I think Lucca is far nicer and more interesting. While Pisa has at least two more beautiful buildings than this field.

Given that Pisa is full of gawping tourists (oops) I would always prefer Lucca

Lucca is a wonderful place, but apart from the walls maybe lacks the "wow factor" associated with Pisa, Florenece and Siena.

It is a great place to stay for a few days soaking up the atmosphere, but I can understand why daytrippers don't understand the fuss.

Yes, Pisa is worth it.
Also buy from the vendors the "licorice flavored" chips. Only place to get them in Italy.

I certainly would score Pisa below Siena and Florence but the front of the Duomo in Lucca has to be seen

We were just at Pisa and Lucca last week, combining the two as a day trip from Florence. Yes, it's worth it, but check the train schedules, or you could end up waiting quite awhile for a train to continue onto Lucca.

We took the train from Florence to Pisa Central station, then transfered to the local train from here to Station Pisa San Rossore. From here it's just a 5 minute walk to the Field of Miracles.

Take the underpass of the tracks and get out through Piazza Fancelli. Walk straight on to Via Andrea Pisano. Turn left and go on straight ahead on until you reach Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower.

We loved Lucca and had lunch in a beautiful square, walked around the town, where they were having an art and craft show (Saturday, March 29) then rode the city walls on bicycles. They have several shops renting bikes on the northern side of the town. Train station is on the southern side. Trains back to Florence from Lucca ran about every hour with tickets costing around 5€.

Several young Italian kids were playing football in a park area just off the walls, and our grandson was invited to play with them! It was such a wonderful afternoon for him!

Have a wonderful trip!

Good tip about using the station Pisa San Rossore. It is literally 5 min away.

If you have a car, you can park it just opposite the station for 1 Euro per hour...there were plenty of spaces in the pm 3 days ago..

And I second flanners comments that the most amazing things about the tower are its columns, ornate beauty, and placement. The fact that it leans is really rather insignificant, (although that is what has brought it "mass-tourism" fame).

And all of us LOVED Lucca. It is a living town with "some" tourists, as opposed to other historic places which are now overrun. I am looking into going back for a language and history course for a few weeks later this year. It is largely pedestrian, and you get around on "bicis" (bikes) and looks like a truely liveable and comfortable ancient city with charm and sophistication.

Rouss

There are so many lovely towns near there that I would skip Pisa unless you want to see the Leaning Tower. If you are into pottery, go to Deruta which is the pottery capital of Italy

FWIW, I (we) were faced with the same question a few years ago. I had seen it on a HS trip (back when the tower was straight, lol) and didn't really want to go back. DW had never seen it, so was lobbying heavily. She won.

I'm glad she did. I can honestly say that I truly enjoyed it.

I'm going to have to start a thread about Lucca. It works as another stop near Pisa. I didn't find Lucca special.

The "wall" is more modern than I expected, it looks like a contemporary of Ft. McHenry rather than a medieval wall. Perhaps it was way ahead of it's time but I expect it's from Napolean's time. I really like the park they have made out of the wall, but not enough to consider it one of the better "hill" towns.

Inside the town is average. Although not as touristy as San Gimignano, it's also not pretty or interesting IMO.

So what gives? Why so many fans?

Well walls certainly not medieval and were introduced almost as walls became obsolete.

A number of the major buildings are decorated in the same manner as the Tower of Pisa. The city has a number of towers as per StG one of which has a large tree at the top. Looks spectacular from the walls. Then the evening stroll is more fun that in Pisa

Mari5, it has been many years since I went to Carrara, but for what it is worth, my memory is that the marble quarries are not in the town itself. You can drive up into the mountains and see the spectacular white-covered peaks that are marble rather than snow. The quarries are interesting and reachable on winding, scenic mountain roads.

I found it to be 'worth' it.

We got there very early, driving in from Florence. In fact, for a period of time we were the only ones in the tower. That was certainly worth it.

The church is also beautiful and just as impressive as the tower.

The Field of Miracles that the tower and church sit on is also very beautiful, especially if you get there before the tourist buses start rolling in.

So my recommendation is to do it while it is still open to the public and to try to get there very very early. From my perspective, spending two to three hours in Pisa is sufficient. We went to a few other churches but were extremely underwhelmed with them.

I'm checking in with a contrary opinion. In our 4 trips to Italy, the Pisa stop was the most disappointing. Lots of tacky tourist stands with aggressive salespeople. We took the requisite photograph which we now laugh at as the low point of that trip. Skip the trip, buy a postcard and use the extra time going to St. G, Siena, or on the coast.

So, FLJudi, it sounds like you didn't explore any of the buildings in the Field of Miracles. That's a shame. You missed the best parts.

I found the tacky souvenir shops very easy to overlook since I had my back to them as I stared at the buildings.

Well, it all depend on what you're into...just like the pictures, many, many tourists mulling around. Interesting for about 1 1/2 hours if it's on your way like from Cinque Terra to hill country in Tuscany, but I wouldn't alter my plans to go there. Also, and I'm sure some others will argue, Florence is also WAY OVER RATED!!! Boring art, incredibly hot in the summer and absolutely overwhelmed by tourists. Stay in the country, drink lots of wine, see some walled cities like San Giovani. Much more enjoyable!

How far is the Campo dei Miracoli from the airport (where we're dropping off a car)? Is there a bus or train to get there? I need to get back to the train station in 1 1/2 hours--can I make it?

hi niteowl,

to make it from the airport to the campo and back in 1 1/2 hours, you'd need to get a cab, and be OK about NOT going up the leaning tower.

you could easily see the basilica and the baptistry in an hour, and it's about 15 minutes drive each way.

so it's doable - but only just.

regards, ann

I don't understand the preoccupation with souvenir stands. So what? Every major attraction has these and, as has been pointed out above, the reason these are there is that there is something that draws tourists! Do the vendors pursue unsuspecting visitors, pressing upon them aprons imprinted with the tower? How are the sellers aggressive?

Lucca - "The "wall" is more modern than I expected, it looks like a contemporary of Ft. McHenry rather than a medieval wall. Perhaps it was way ahead of it's time but I expect it's from Napolean's time. I really like the park they have made out of the wall, but not enough to consider it one of the better "hill" towns."

The walls are some of the first of this design which became much more common later on. I believe they are at least 200 years earlier than Napoleonic. It is probably not a good example of a hill town as itt is on a plain.

It lacks the showpieces and splendour of Florence and Pisa, but tremains one of my favourite places in Italy.

My personal experience is that I visited Pisa because I was traveling with friends who wanted to see the leaning tower...I could easily have gone without a stopover in Pisa - I can't say it was disappointing because I didn't expect to be impressed with it in the first place. But that's just my opinion.