Pisa travel guide

Perfection is overrated in this little city.

Pisa is a refined city with much more to offer than just its claim to fame, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is the birthplace of Galileo Galilei -- without Pisa, we might still think the universe revolved around the Earth! Take a stroll along the shimmering Arno River by night while enjoying a gelato or trace the ancient Roman walls that surround the old city center and find the best pizza in Pisa. Almost a thousand years old, the Leaning Tower serves as the intricate bell-tower of the mammoth Duomo, which gets less press than the tower. The Piazza dei Miracoli, or "Square of Miracles," houses the marble tower, the Duomo, a baptistery, and a cemetery. The square is quite a view by night. Pisa is only an hour away from Florence by train and has a coastline along the Ligurian Sea. The small coastal city of Viareggio, a popular beach destination, is a very short train ride away. Ryanair, which claims to fly out of Florence, actually uses Pisa's Galileo Galilei Airport. The trains out of Pisa are as dependable as Italian trains can be, connecting travelers to all the major Italian destinations.