Joe

Unfortunately, everyone focuses on the "leaning" tower and while it is unique it has become a caricature of itself. The glorious Pisan Romanesque Architecture gets completely lost. The Tower, the Baptistery and the Cathedral are awsome inside and out. Inside the Baptitery, the gaurd doesn't have to sing. He can talk in a very low tone and you will clearly hear what he is saying. Yes, there are tacky tourist tables all around the area, but you quickly walk through these and they are not on the "Field of Miracles", the beautiful expanse of lawn between and around the edifices.<BR>The City of Pisa is worth a stroll and, perhaps, lunch . The views along the Arno river and from the bridges are lovely. The old town has very few tourists and you will see well dressed locals going about the business of living. There are many very good restaurants from simple to quite elegent, again, populated by locals. Shopping is great fun because the shops have nothing to do with tourists. We loved Pisa and in fact have been there twice.<BR>Now, we have to make a case for Lucca as well. Is it Florence or Siena or San Gimignano? Of course, it is not. But it is a well preserved, old walled city with great cobblestoned streets to wander, good restaurants (da Leo is our favorite; simple, unpretentious, and wonderful; the locals will reccommend it) and a great wall to walk day or night, preferably both. Lucca is not dramatic, but it grows on you as you spend your time there. Visit the more current shopping areas outside the walled city (go out any gate) for a good opportunity to shop where the locals shop. Got some of our best buys on wine and mushrooms to bring home in these areas. We probably find something wonderful in most areas of Italy because we are so addicted, but, we really loved both Pisa and Lucca.

zz-top

-<BR>Bart:<BR><BR>Many trains depart Florence regularly for Pisa --- MOST take 1 hour for trip. A couple runs are longer, taking 1 hr, 41 min. Check on website, http://www.trenitalia.com/ (after you pull up Florence-Pisa destinations, look under 'duration' for how length of travel time). Forgot to check prices. It's inexpensive, $5 maybe? Do be aware that you get off on stop called "Pisa Centrale". There is a smaller stop on some of the runs at Pisa Rossore. I can't recall distance from train station to Tower; maybe 1/2 mile or so???? I took the bus.

Grasshopper

It was less than half an hour walk to the tower. We strolled and stopped a lot on the way. The bus takes the long route, which in and of itself is kind of interesting. Walk there, bus back for two views of the town. The bus comes on the street out the far end gate, away from the tower. The entire trip is a good half day trip. YOu can get back to Florence in time to take the #7 bus to Fiesole and watch the sun set. Two side trips in one half a day.

xxx

The train ride is one hour (EUR 4.7 one way).<BR>The most direct stroll (Pza. Vittorio Emanuele II, Pza. S. Antonio, V. Francesco Crispi, bridge, Pza. Solferino, Via Roma) from the train station to Campo dei Miracoli is a little over one mile. <BR>I'd recommend an alternate way, though. You may follow the above route till you hit the river. Turn right and visit (if it's open) the Sta. Maria della Spina church. Continue past Palazzo Gambacorti and Loggia di Bianchi and cross the Ponte di Mezzo. The church on your right (San Michele in Borgo) has a beautiful fa&ccedil;ade (transitional Pisan Romanesque-Gothic). Continue some 200 mts and branch off to your left to Pza. and Palazzo dei Cavalieri, S. Stefano church and Palazzo della Gherardesca. Take Via dei Mille into Via Santa Maria and Campo dei Miracoli.