Day trip from Florence Pisa
A university city 80 km west of Florence whose main sights all stand on one lawn, the Piazza dei Miracoli, an hour away by regional train.
Is Pisa worth a day trip from Florence?
Half a day. Book the tower slot.
Go, but do not give it the whole day. The tower, the cathedral and the baptistery sit on the same square and 3 hours cover them. The catch is the climb: tower tickets cost € 20, are sold for a fixed time and nobody is let in late, so buy the slot before you buy the train. Children under 8 cannot go up. Arrive before 10:00 or after 16:00 and the square is calmer. If you only want the photo from the lawn, it is free and takes 40 minutes, which makes Pisa a stop on the way to Lucca more than a destination.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 1 hfastest train 51 min; + 25 min walk to the tower · one way · Trenitalia
- Transport
- Regional train
- Self-guided cost
- € 39.60Regional train return (€ 9.80 each way) + Leaning Tower ticket (€ 20, cathedral included) · Opera della Primaziale Pisana
- Tour price
- From € 58.50Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 2–4 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- None
- Best time
- All year; before 10:00 or late afternoon. Tower open 9:00-20:00 in OctoberDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth half a dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Pisa
- 01
Leaning Tower climb
A spiral of 251 worn marble steps to the bell chamber, about 56 metres up. The visit lasts 30 minutes and you feel the tilt change as you go round.
- 02
Cathedral
The striped Romanesque church the tower was built for, with Giovanni Pisano's carved pulpit and a gilded coffered ceiling. Allow 30 minutes. Entry comes with the tower ticket.
- 03
Baptistery
The round building facing the cathedral, known for its echo. A guard sings a few notes every half hour to show it. Climb to the upper gallery for the view of the lawn.
- 04
Camposanto
A long cloistered cemetery on the north side of the square, with restored 14th-century frescoes including the Triumph of Death. Far fewer people come here. Give it 30 to 40 minutes.
- 05
Borgo Stretto and the Arno
The arcaded shopping street and the riverside palaces, 15 minutes south of the square. This is where Pisa looks like a student city again, and where lunch is better.
How to spend the day
Take the 08:28 from Santa Maria Novella and you are at Pisa Centrale at 09:28. Walk 25 minutes north across the Arno to the square. Climb the tower on a 10:15 or 10:30 slot, then the cathedral, which is included in the tower ticket. Lunch away from the square, towards Borgo Stretto. Trains back leave two to four times an hour, so leaving around 14:30 has you in Florence by 16:00. The last one leaves at 22:30.
Pisa in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustFrom June to August the lawn has almost no shade and the marble glares, so take the first tower slot or one after 17:00. From 17 June to 31 August 2026 the monuments stay open until 22:30, which makes an evening climb the smartest choice. On 16 June the Luminara lights the Arno palaces with candles and trains back fill up.
Winter
December to FebruaryDecember to February is the calm season. Tower hours shorten, so check the day's timetable before booking, and the climb can be suspended in heavy rain or ice. The lawn is half empty on weekdays and slots are available the same morning. It is still worth half a day, and easy to pair with Lucca.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Apr-Oct, 10:30-16:00, when coach groups arrive
- Quietest
- Before 10:00, after 17:00 and Nov-Feb weekdays
Coach tours reach the square mid-morning and leave by late afternoon. Book the 09:00 or 09:15 slot or an evening one, see the Camposanto while the lawn is busiest, and walk back through the centre instead of the souvenir street.
How do you get to Pisa from Florence?
Train
- Travel time
- 51 min to 1 h 20
- Frequency
- 2-4 trains an hour
- Cost
- € 9.80 each way
- Departs from
- Firenze Santa Maria Novella
Regional trains to Pisa Centrale, no reservation and a fixed price. The Regionale Veloce at :28 past the hour takes 60 minutes, slower ones stop everywhere and take up to 1 h 22. Validate paper tickets before boarding. The tower is a 25 minute walk from the station.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 5.5 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily
- Cost
- From € 39
- Departs from
- Piazzale Montelungo, behind Santa Maria Novella station
A coach half-day with a guide, sold with or without the tower ticket. It makes sense if you want the tower slot handled for you. The train is as fast and gives you more time, so this is a convenience choice.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Flat shoes with grip: the tower steps are worn smooth and slope sideways. Cover shoulders and knees for the cathedral. In summer bring a hat and water for the walk from the station, in winter a windproof layer.
What to eat
Skip the tables around the square. Walk 10 to 15 minutes to Borgo Stretto and Piazza delle Vettovaglie, the market square, for cecina, a thin chickpea flatbread sold by the slice and often tucked into focaccia. Torta co' bischeri is the local chocolate and rice tart.
What you will spend
The tower ticket is the main cost at € 20, cathedral included, on top of € 9.80 each way by regional train. The baptistery, Camposanto and museums are extra and optional. Standing on the lawn for the photo is free. The tour starts from € 39.
How to get the most out of the day
- Bags, even small handbags, are not allowed on the tower. Leave them at the free cloakroom near the ticket office 15 minutes before your slot.
- Pisa San Rossore station is a 5 to 10 minute walk from the square. Trains from Lucca stop there, which helps if you combine the two.
- Under 18s must climb with an adult. Hold younger children by the hand on the top ring, where the slope pulls you toward the low side.
- The classic propping-up photo works best from the grass on the south side before 10:00, when you are not sharing the frame with fifty other arms.
How long do you need in Pisa?
Plan 2–4 h on site, plus 1 h of travel each way from Florence.
When is Pisa closed?
None. Best time: All year; before 10:00 or late afternoon. Tower open 9:00-20:00 in October.