Bucket list experience:
Pisa’s so-called ‘Field of Miracles’ (Campo dei Miracoli) is an elegant complex of monumental, unique buildings set on a wide green lawn just inside the northern city walls. It encompasses the iconic Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Campo Santo.
First constructed was the huge Romanesque Cathedral, begun in 1063, with an intricately-tiered marble façade. Then came the Baptistery (1152), the biggest of its kind in Italy; it has a magnificent pulpit by Nicola Pisano. Building started on the emblematic Leaning Tower (a bell tower) in 1173, and it almost immediately began to lean.
Finally came the Camposanto (‘Holy Field’) cemetery, a roofless rectangle of gleaming white marble begun in 1277. It was once adorned with fabulous frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli, but Allied bombing in 1944 caused the roof to collapse all but destroying them; today just fragments remain.
This is one of the most visited sites in Tuscany, although most people have their sights set on the Leaning Tower.
In the Cathedral, don’t miss Giovanni Pisano’s great marble pulpit dating from 1300 and full of extraordinary detail in the masterful carving. There is another magnificent marble pulpit in the Baptistery, carved by Nicola Pisano (Giovanni’s son) in 1260.
The nearby Sinopie museum is also worth a visit; it showcases preliminary sketches (sinopie) from beneath the frescoes in the Camposanto.
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Destination Guide >The site is a 30-minute walk from Pisa Centrale train station. It is much closer to San Rossore station where some local trains stop. Bus 4 runs from the train station.
There are ticket offices at the entrance to the Piazza dei Miracoli. Tickets can also be purchased online up to 20 days in advance. There are various packages starting with an accumulative ticket that includes entrance to all the monuments with the Leaning Tower (for which a specific visit time must be booked) plus the Cathedral Works Museum and the Sinopie Museum. Audio guides are available in five languages (fee).
Wear ‘appropriate’ clothing for visits to the three Holy sites (no bare shoulders or very short shorts, men must wear tops). There is quite a lot of walking outside between buildings and there is no shade.
The monuments are open all year round, seven days a week. Predictably, the summer months – June to August – are phenomenally busy and best avoided if possible. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit.
Expect long queues for the Tower, especially in high season; to avoid this, book in advance online.
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Pisa
€160 | Rating 5 / 5 [11 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Lucca, Tuscany, Italy[15.7 miles]
A comfortable hotel in Lucca’s historic centre, the Grand Universe offers four-star amenities and services and an excellent location.
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Camaiore, Tuscany, Italy[25.5 miles]
A lovely old farmhouse, set in beautiful gardens and transformed into a stylish, laid-back retreat. A great location for exploring Lucca, Pisa and the beaches of the Versilia.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Tuscany, Italy
A heady mix of incomparable Renaissance art, gorgeous palazzos, Tuscan cuisine and home-grown haute couture.
Tuscany, Italy
The astonishingly beautiful region of Tuscany has it all: art cities and ancient hill towns, high mountains and long sandy beaches, alongside luxurious hotels and some of Italy’s best food and wine.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Pisa, Tuscany, Italy[0.1 miles]
One of Italy’s most popular sights, an astonishingly beautiful but leaning belltower dating back to 1173, doomed from the outset having been built on unstable sand and clay. The still-famously titling tower still attracts millions of visitors a year, for the unnerving climb up its 293 steps.
Best for ages: 10+ | £15
Lucca, Tuscany, Italy[16 miles]
A picturesque mix of Medieval and Renaissance buildings, Lucca is a gem of a town that never gets over-run with tourists, giving it a delightfully authentic feel.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Pisa, Tuscany, Italy[1 miles]
Housed in the atmospheric, 17th-century ex-Arsenal, this archaeological museum traces the fascinating 1,000-year history of seafaring and ships in Pisa, once a great Maritime Republic. Star exhibits include the collection of restored Roman vessels, unearthed in the San Rossore area.
Best for ages: 4+ | £6
Lucca, Tuscany, Italy[16.1 miles]
On the third weekend of the month, Piazza San Martino and the surrounding streets host a sprawling antiques market with everything from furniture and pictures to coins, jewellery and vintage clothes.
Best for ages: 8+ | Free
