If you book a villa in Tuscany and decide on one destination – a vacation rental on the Tuscan Coast, for example, or a holiday rental in Florence – but you also want to see the famous city of Pisa on a day trip, then that is pretty easily arranged. Tuscany is a diverse, fascinating, and large enough region but not so big that day trips between different cities or areas is overly challenging. What can be more difficult, however, is if you want to see as much of the region as is possible and you only have a day to spend in any one destination. In this case, what do you prioritise? Well, we’re here to help with our handy guide of what to do if you only have a day (12 hours) in Pisa!
8am – Arriving early means that you can avoid the worst of the tourist crowds. Of course, if you come during the height of the summer tourism months, there will be large numbers of tourists at the city’s most famous attractions for much of the day. If you are in the city outside these times of the year, this will be much less of an issue. I was once in the city to see the Leaning Tower with my family in mid-September and there was no real crowd to speak of. But, if you are coming in the summer, try and arrive early in the day. Maybe skip your breakfast at your villa in Tuscany and instead grab a delicious coffee and a fresh pastry at a nearby café in Pisa before heading directly to the Leaning Tower and the Piazza dei Miracoli.
9am – Admire the buildings of the Piazza dei Miracoli and take your pictures in front of the Leaning Tower. We recommend forgoing going up the tower itself as really you want to admire it from afar anyway so why line up for something else and waste a chunk of your day? Of the other buildings in the Piazza dei Miracoli: they are worth seeing if you have lots of time in the city but if you’re only in town for one day, maybe just visit the Cathedral or simply walk around the piazza to take in the buildings before heading on to see more of Pisa.
11am – Wander through the historic streets of Pisa, towards the Arno River. Stop here and admire the view along the banks and bridges before crossing over to the Palazzo Blu. Pisa’s leading art gallery, the Palazzo Blu has both an incredible and rich permanent collection of Italian art from the 4th to the 19th century (with works by the likes of Francesco da Volterra, Agnolo Gaddi, Taddeo di Bartolo, Benozzo Gozzoli, il Cigoli, Orazio Gentileschi, Artemisia Gentileschi, and more) as well as hosting an exciting schedule of temporary exhibitions each year. Most recently, they have had an exhibition of avant-garde masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art including works by Matisse, Picasso, Mondrian, Duchamp, and more.
1pm – Grab lunch at a local restaurant and try to snag a table outside so that you can people-watch and take in the city.
3pm – Head along to the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele to see Keith Haring’s incredible Tuttomondo mural. Painted in 1989, on the side of the old convent of S. Antonio, it is bright, striking, and rich in meaning. In fact, it’s well worth prolonged study so why not try and grab a seat at the Keith Café across the road and enjoy a post-lunch coffee or glass of wine while you admire the artwork and soak up the local atmosphere.
4pm – Strolling back towards the Arno, to you pop in to visit the charming gothic Church of Santa Maria della Spina. Small but mighty, this is a famous little jewel box of a church.
5pm – If you’re only in town for one day during your vacation in Tuscany, then join the locals in enjoying an aperitivo at a bar or cafe ahead of a great dinner. Order a spritz and enjoy with some of the small accompanying snacks as you chat with your travel companions.
6pm – Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.
8pm – Sample a gelato as you head back to your car or to take a train to return back to your wonderful villa in Tuscany after a perfect day in Pisa!
