Discover Pisa: Culture, Nature and Unique Experiences

Pisa between World Heritage, Museums and Nature

Pisa combines impressive medieval architecture, important collections, botanical research and protected landscapes. If you are looking for accommodation in Pisa, you can therefore organise your trip according to your preferred focus: culture around Piazza del Duomo, museums and history, nature experiences or excursions into the coastal landscape. For initial orientation, the tourist guidance system includes interactive maps, QR codes and four themed walking tours.

Culture around Piazza del Duomo

Piazza del Duomo comprises four masterpieces of medieval architecture: the cathedral, the baptistery, the bell tower and the Campo Santo cemetery. In December 1987, Piazza del Duomo was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Campo Santo preserves fresco cycles depicting the Triumph of Death, the Last Judgment and the stories of the holy hermits. Here, you encounter both the overall architectural impact of the square and a detailed insight into the religious imagery of the Middle Ages in one place. The medieval walls also tell of Pisa’s former appearance. They were originally about 7 kilometres long, had towers spaced 300 metres apart and approximately 20 gates. At the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, you can see illuminated manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries, as well as a collection of stone sculptures featuring works from the Middle Ages to the 16th century. Palazzo Blu houses a centre for cultural activities and exhibitions created by the Fondazione Pisa. The Museo delle Navi Antiche di Pisa offers a different historical perspective. Its collection conveys a history of trade, sailors, shipping routes, life on board and shipwrecks. In connection with the museum, around 30 ships from Roman times were recovered during an excavation completed in 2016. This broadens the view from buildings and works of art to the maritime past.

Botanical Collections and Protected Landscapes

The Orto Botanico di Pisa is historically divided into seven sections. Each of these sections comprises one or more scientifically organised plant collections. Around 3,000 plants are cultivated there across approximately two hectares. The Orto e Museo Botanico offers guided tours for private visitors. The Parco di Migliarino, San Rossore, Massaciuccoli is a protected natural area with beaches, Mediterranean scrub, forests of maritime pines, holm oaks and poplars, as well as wetlands. The Tenuta di San Rossore can be explored on foot, by bicycle and on horseback. Along the coast, the WWF Dune di Tirrenia oasis also extends across 24 hectares; it is open all year round. These different landscape areas make it clear that Pisa can be experienced not only through art and architecture, but also through its coast, forests and wetlands.

Events and Regional Impressions

During the Gioco del Ponte, twelve teams push a heavy wagon along rails positioned in the middle of the Ponte di Mezzo on the Lungarni. The Gioco del Ponte takes place in Pisa every year on the last Saturday in June. If you schedule your stay for this date, you will encounter an event with a precisely defined sequence and a fixed annual date. Every fourth Saturday of the month, a farmers’ market with organic produce takes place in Piazza Cairoli. The market complements the cultural visits with a tangible insight into regional products, without requiring you to leave Pisa’s thematic setting. For onward travel and connections, the PisaMover is an important point of reference: it connects Pisa Centrale railway station with Pisa-San Giusto Galileo Galilei Airport in less than three minutes.

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