In September, we will be staying four nights in Lucca from where we intend to take a long day trip by train to La Spezia/Cinque Terre. We also plan to make the short train trip to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower, but have no desire to climb it. What sights near the Tower are worth seeing and what are the ticket options? I have read that entry to the Cathedral is free, but you need to get a timed entry ticket there somehow. Can anyone explain that process?
Also, is the Baptistery worth seeing?
Finally, is it best to get off at Pisa Centrale or San Rossore Station?
Thank-you.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
7229 posts
All of the buildings in the Field of Miracles are worth visiting
Official site
https://www.opapisa.it/en/
(Easily found with. Google search)
Rossore is closer to the sights
Posted by
Southeast of Seattle
732 posts
https://www.opapisa.it/en/ Official site. Great information. Different ticket choices. I even had a route for walking from the train station (main) to the grounds to see other sites in Pisa with a different return route, but my husband was not feeling well so we didn’t go.
Posted by
Saint Paul, Minnesota
1594 posts
We spent six nights in Pisa last fall (late September) and so were able to visit the various buildings in the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles) on different days. Our number one favorite place was the Campsanto (mostly for the frescoes, especially The Triumph of Death) and second was the Baptistery for the pulpit sculptures and the singing demo. Neither was at all crowded. We did not want to climb the tower, but enjoyed seeing its architecture and also watching people getting the photos they wanted to take.
I do not think our entry to the cathedral was timed --- maybe that's only in summer? We bought a pass for everything except the tower online: https://www.opapisa.it/en/tickets/prices/.
Posted by
58 posts
Just an FYI it's a long walk from the train station to the Tower.
Posted by
Sioux Falls, SD, USA
3102 posts
It's not that long of a walk from the train station to the Field of Miracles. We were there in 2022. It's probably 2K.
We arrived late in the day. We dumped our stuff and went to the Field of Miracles for the "Golden Hour" when photos are best taken. That was a good choice.
The Duomo is wonderful. We attended an early-morning mass (we are atheists), and found it to be moving and interesting. The mass is at 8:30 in a side chapel. We also did the tourist visit of the main Duomo. The building is large. We had no lines going in.
We enjoyed the Camposanto (graveyard building). The Museum of the Field of Miracles has wonderful pictures of the frescoes in the Camposanto made in 1700 which show the real colors of the frescoes. Maybe there are 40 of these pictures.
We did not climb the Tower, nor do we feel that we missed out. We did enjoy watching the silliness of the tourists taking pictures.
The Baptistry is OK, but not particularly interesting nor artistically memorable. You can visit for 10 min, and that will be well spent. We were there in late September, and did not find huge lines in Pisa.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16133 posts
Coming from Lucca on a day trip it is best to get off at the Pisa San Rossore station which is probably 10-15 minutes walk from the leaning tower.
Posted by
North Italy
395 posts
As other people have said, San Rossore is just a few minutes from the main attractions. Pisa is well worth a visit and not just for the Leaning Tower. This is what we did on a day trip there:
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2020/02/pisa-in-january.html?m=1
Posted by
US
605 posts
Several years ago we took a bus from Lucca to Pisa. Check with your hotel about the bus station in Lucca. It stopped right outside the Field of Miracles. I agree with other posters that all of the buildings there deserve a visit.
Posted by
8329 posts
I have been to Pisa twice and the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Bapistery are all worth visiting.
I loved being able to climb to the top of the tower.
There is not much else to see in Pisa.
Posted by
Living in a suburb of Los Angeles
111 posts
I was in Pisa overnight in May 2021. I got off at the Rossore station and walked to my hotel near the Field of Miracles (with my luggage). I liked walking through the neighborhood along the way and then seeing the Tower as I got closer. The walk to the Tower top was easy and worth it. I got vertigo as soon as I walked into the building, but it didn't severely affect me. In addition to the Miracle buildings, I walked through town to the river. There were a lot of shops, restaurants and a craft marketplace (leather goods, souvenirs, etc.) near the river. The central city wasn't very crowded. The train station was sparsely improved.
Posted by
21 posts
The shore and marina are really nice and not too crowded. We stayed near tirennia and it was wonderful. Pisa is a short bus ride.
Posted by
12 posts
Is there a taxi at the train station to get you close to the Field of Miracles?
Posted by
22 posts
Yes there is a taxi stand right outside the train station. Rick suggests it will cost ~10e each way but we walked to the Field of Miracles so I can not tell you if that is still the case. There is also a bus stop not too far from the train station, 1.5e each way per person. We took the bus back since we didn't feel like walking. We and another couple we didn't know had issues using credit cards at the self service kiosk so might want to have some euros if you choose the bus.