Like all other Italian cities, Pisa has elegant piazzas and buzzing local streets to explore. Incredible churches showcase Pisan Romanesque architecture and the two Lungarni areas along the riverfront are charming at sunset.
The city of Pisa is extremely walkable — I did all of my Pisa exploration on foot — and my experience was all the better as nearly all neighborhoods are for locals rather than tourists. Plus, food and drink prices are shockingly low, especially compared to pricey Florence, once you tread beyond the vicinity of the Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli.
If you’re heading to Florence from within Europe, you may save money by flying into Pisa’s international airport. This is what I did from my home in Prague. You can fly into Galileo Galilei, store your luggage at the train station, explore Pisa for a few hours, and hop on one of the very frequent trains to Florence.
It’s easy — one might say Pisa-ey (oh God, I’m so sorry) — to visit this underrated Italian city.
This post was published in November 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Hannah Cooper.