I'll be traveling to Italy solo in a few weeks - Venice-Florence-Cinque Terre-Rome - I'm so excited! I would like to stop in Pisa as I travel from Florence to CT but I'm concerned about the logistics. My main goal is to see the Leaning Tower. The luggage storage sounds great but can I walk to the Leaning Tower or do I need to transportation? Does anything need to be reserved ahead of time? How much time is required for the Leaning Tower? I only have train reservations for two legs of my trip - Venice to Florence and CT (La Spezia) to Rome to I'm winging the rest! Thanks for any advice/information!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32214 posts
Sue,
You can walk to the Leaning Tower but it's about a mile, so using a Bus or Taxi would be preferable. I believe you'll have to get a reservation if you want to climb the Tower (details in the guidebook). How much time to spend there will depend on how long you want to spend there.
Regarding the rail tickets from Firenze SMN to Pisa Centrale, many of the trains on that route are Regionale, so it's just as easy to buy the tickets locally, either at a Kiosk or staffed ticket office (usually long queues). For the segment from Pisa Centrale to whichever of the Cinque Terre towns you're staying, some of the trains will be InterCity or Freccia, which means compuslory seat reservations and tickets which are specific to train, date and departure time. If you're not sure how long you want to spend at the Tower, you could just buy your tickets at Pisa Centrale after you've collected your luggage.
Posted by
California 🦋
5225 posts
Sue,
If you plan to climb the leaning tower, it's a good idea to book your ticket in advance, otherwise you may have to wait a while.
This is the website you will need: http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Turisti
Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
OP
Ypsilanti
146 posts
Thanks for the information! That sounds great!! I'm staying in Monterosso in CT so I will likely buy that train ticket after I spend whatever time I want in Pisa.
I do see that you have to book a specific time to climb the tower ($18) so I guess that I will have to make some solid plans as to when I leave from Florence, when I arrive, and how long it will take to store luggage and travel to the Tower. Thanks!
Posted by
OP
Ypsilanti
146 posts
It looks like the train from Florence to Pisa is only about an hour so probably I'll have to build in another hour or so before I book a time to climb the Tower. Thanks again!
Posted by
Tennessee USA
30 posts
We did this a couple of weeks ago at the beginning of June. We didn't buy the tower climb ticket ahead of time, but just bought our ticket when we arrived in Pisa. We were in Pisa a total of about 2 hours and saw "the sights" including climbing. It seemed pretty busy that day, but I guess that's all relative. Enjoyed it and would do it again. FYI When you arrive, there is a place to buy tickets on one end that had a much longer line than the place to buy tickets back in the corner.
Posted by
OP
Ypsilanti
146 posts
Thanks for the info. I'm leery about buying tickets ahead of time in case something happens with my train travel so it's good to know that it might still be possible to buy tickets on the day I get there. I'm planning on about 2 hours here as well!
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Pisa has another train station (San Rossore) that's much closer than the Pisa Centrale. From the station walk to the back of the train station building, turn right and walk about 3 minutes then down the stairs which leads you to a pedestrian walkway beside the road. That will lead you straight into the little town where you'll see the entrance gates to the Field of Miracles on your left across the street. Super easy.
Posted by
California 🦋
5225 posts
Sue,
As Tim mentioned, Pisa S. Rossore train station is closer to the Field of Miracles, however, there is no luggage storage at this station.
Here is the website for left luggage at Pisa Centrale, it's in Italian but easy to understand: http://www.depositobagaglipisa.it/