Half Day tour of Pisa & The Leaning Tower (up to 8 people)

Description

HIGHLIGHTS

Half Day private tour of Pisa & The Leaning Tower

• 4 hour private tour with a professional, licensed guide
• Timed entry to climb the leaning tower of Pisa
• Square of Miracles: Entry to Cathedral of Pisa, Baptistry and Camposanto
• Tomb of Fibonacci
• The swinging lamp that inspired Galileo’s experiments
• Arno River views
• Keith Haring Mural
• Santa Maria della Spina Church
• Square of the Knights
• Numerous hidden gems along Pisa’s medieval streets

TOUR ITINERARY
A visit to Pisa is often inspired by the architectural wonder that is the leaning tower, but the city has so much more to offer its visitors than this one attraction. A city of artists, scientists and merchants, Pisa was a powerful maritime Republic that rivaled Florence in its prime. On this half day tour, you’ll not only experience history as you climb the leaning tower, you’ll get a taste of real Tuscan life in this university town on the Arno river.

Begin with a stroll through the medieval streets where the contradictions begin: you’ll see a massive street art mural by Keith Haring, the delicate church “Santa Maria della Spina” perched on the banks of the Arno river and the house where Galileo was born not far from where he’d later perform his gravitational experiments. Medieval porticoes and churches contrast with the bustle of Pisans shopping at casual outdoor markets in the morning or heading for aperitivo with friends in the evening.

You’ll always find students in the Square of the Knights with its famous university founded by Napoleon and the tower of Count Ugolino, found in the furthest reaches of hell in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Numerous Popes, Galileo, the 20th century physicist Enrico Fermi and even singer Andrea Bocelli received their educations in Pisa. This square speaks to the Academic tradition of thinkers and scholars that have made Pisa a center of innovation for centuries.

No visit to Pisa is complete without a thorough exploration of the square of miracles. The grand cathedral is a magnificent example of the perfection and grandeur of Romanesque architecture. If we time our entry to the baptistry just right, you’ll hear the ethereal echo effect of singing voices before visiting the tomb of the great scientist Fibonacci in the monumental Camposanto cemetery full of beautiful statues and frescoes. (This is also the location of the famous swinging lamp that inspired Galileo’s experiments.) Last, but certainly not least, you’ll learn the secrets and circumstances behind how the tower of Pisa got its lean and how engineers have worked for centuries to maintain it before climbing its 297 steps for a spectacular view over the Square of Miracles.

Lastly, I encourage you to take advantage of your time in this corner of Tuscany by combining your tour of Pisa with any of the following: a visit to the walled city of Lucca, Leonardo’s birthplace in the town of Vinci, tastings in a local winery, shopping in Pisa or enjoying a relaxed lunch or dinner on the coast or the countryside.