Pisa: Beyond the Tower Self-Guided Bike Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the main entrances to the historic center of Pisa, between the central station and the city's most frequented streets. In the center is the monument dedicated to the first king of Italy. Vivace is a point of passage for residents, students, and travelers, allowing easy access to Borgo Stretto, the Lungarni, and the shopping streets, uniting daily Pisa with monumental Pisa.

   Passes by

2. Pisa is one of the most famous historic cities in Tuscany, developed along the Arno River and a protagonist in the Middle Ages as a powerful Maritime Republic. The city also preserves palaces, churches, and promenades that tell centuries of history, art, and commerce.

   Passes by

3. The Lungarni of Pisa tell of the deep link between the city and the Arno. Along its banks, historic palaces, churches, and bridges line up, testifying to the river's commercial, political, and cultural role. Walking here means crossing the heart of the most authentic Pisa, between architecture, daily life, and memory. Even today they offer some of the most elegant and recognizable views of the city.

   Passes by

4. The Church of San Michele degli Scalzi is one of the most evocative places in Pisa, famous for its leaning bell tower, less known than the Tower but equally curious. Overlooking the Viale delle Piagge, it has medieval origins and testifies to the religious and architectural evolution of the city. Away from the busiest paths, it offers a look at a more authentic Pisa and is ideal for a short stop during a walk along the Arno.

   Passes by

5. Piazza dei Cavalieri tells the story of the civil and political power of Pisa. Heart of medieval public life, it was transformed in 1558 by Giorgio Vasari at the behest of Cosimo I de' Medici and became the seat of the Order of Santo Stefano. The statue of the grand duke and the monumental buildings express discipline, prestige, and control, creating a solemn atmosphere very different from the religious one of the Piazza dei Miracoli.

   Passes by

6. Piazza dei Miracoli is the monumental heart of Pisa, a place designed to amaze where the medieval city concentrated the best of its religious, artistic, and political ambition. In this extraordinary space are the Leaning Tower of Pisa, born as the bell tower of the Cathedral and made famous worldwide for its tilt, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a masterpiece of Pisan Romanesque and a symbol of the power of the maritime republic, the Baptistery of St. John, famous for its monumental dimensions and surprising acoustics, and the Monumental Cemetery, a place of memory enriched over the centuries with tombs, frescoes, and stories linked to medieval spirituality. More than a square, it is a marble story that summarizes the greatness, faith, and prestige achieved by Pisa in its most splendid period.

   15 min

7. Santa Maria della Spina is one of the most evocative Gothic jewels of Pisa, overlooking the Arno. Founded in the 13th century as an oratory, it took its current name after housing a relic believed to be a thorn from the crown of Christ. In the nineteenth century, it was dismantled and rebuilt higher to protect it from the river floods: a delicate building in appearance, but capable of surviving thanks to an extraordinary intervention.

   Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Know before you go

How it compares in Pisa

• Its from-price is 83% below the median of the 316 experiences we list in Pisa.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Pisa

Pisa is a Tuscan city on the Arno, famous for its Leaning Tower and for the white marble cathedral, baptistery and cemetery that stand around it.

In the Piazza dei Miracoli, a broad lawn at the north end of the old town, four white marble buildings stand together: the cathedral, the baptistery, the cemetery known as the Camposanto and the Leaning Tower, which is the cathedral's bell tower. Building began in 1173, and the tower started to lean before it was finished because it stands on soft ground. Engineers stabilised it at the end of the 20th century.

Top-ranked sights in Pisa: Leaning Tower of Pisa, Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa Cathedral (Duomo).

See all 316 experiences in Pisa