Pisa attractions

Pisa's sights are unusually easy to plan because almost all of them stand in one square. The Piazza del Duomo — inscribed by UNESCO in 1987 — holds the cathedral, the circular baptistery, the Camposanto Monumentale, two museums and the Leaning Tower, and a combined ticket from the Opera della Primaziale covers everything except the tower, which is sold separately as a timed admission.

Only one of them needs deciding in advance, and it needs deciding early. The tower is a timed slot booked up to 90 days ahead, with no late entry, no refunds and no children under eight. Everything else in the square can be walked into on the day, which means the sensible order is to fix the tower first if you want it and treat the rest as flexible.

Beyond the square, Pisa's interest is a city rather than a monument: Piazza dei Cavalieri, the arcades of Borgo Stretto, the daily market at Piazza delle Vettovaglie and the Arno embankments are all within a fifteen-minute walk and carry a small fraction of the crowd.