Leaning Tower of Pisa
Climb the most famous bell tower in the world, a white marble cylinder that began to tilt while it was still being built and now leans over the lawns of the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Italy
Pisa & Lucca
Pisa and Lucca sit twenty-five kilometres apart on the plain of northern Tuscany, linked by a short regional train, and together they make one of the most rewarding short breaks in Italy. Pisa is the famous one.
On the lawn of the Piazza dei Miracoli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the white marble Cathedral, the round Baptistery, the vast Camposanto cemetery and the Leaning Tower stand together like pieces on a green board, and climbing the tilted bell tower is still one of the great travel experiences in Europe. Beyond the square, the real city is a lively university town of riverside palaces along the Arno, the Renaissance Piazza dei Cavalieri and arcaded Borgo Stretto. Lucca is the quiet one. Its complete ring of Renaissance walls, more than four kilometres around and planted with trees, has become a park where locals walk, jog and cycle above the rooftops, and inside them are medieval towers, Romanesque churches, an oval piazza built over a Roman amphitheatre and the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini. This guide covers what is open in November 2026, what to book, how to split your time between the two cities and where to stay.
Don't miss
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Climb the most famous bell tower in the world, a white marble cylinder that began to tilt while it was still being built and now leans over the lawns of the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Pisa Cathedral, Camposanto and Museums
One ticket for the marble Cathedral, the cloistered Camposanto cemetery with its great fresco cycle, the Sinopie Museum and the Opera del Duomo Museum, without the tower climb.
Lucca City Walls
Walk or cycle the complete ring of Renaissance ramparts around Lucca, a free, tree-lined promenade 4.2 kilometres long with views over towers, gardens and rooftops.
Piazza dei Miracoli Guided Tour with Tower and Baptistery
A two-hour small-group tour with a live guide through the Cathedral and the Baptistery, then up the Leaning Tower, with the museums and Camposanto included too.
Things to do in Pisa & Lucca
Pisa Cathedral, Camposanto and Museums
One ticket for the marble Cathedral, the cloistered Camposanto cemetery with its great fresco cycle, the Sinopie Museum and the Opera del Duomo Museum, without the tower climb.
Piazza dei Miracoli Guided Tour with Tower and Baptistery
A two-hour small-group tour with a live guide through the Cathedral and the Baptistery, then up the Leaning Tower, with the museums and Camposanto included too.
Pisa Old Town Walking Tour with Audio Guide
A morning walk with a tour leader and a multilingual audio guide, from the Piazza dei Miracoli through the historic centre to the Renaissance Piazza dei Cavalieri.
Pisa Guided Tour, Tower Entry and Wine Tasting
A three-hour small-group experience that pairs a guided visit of the Piazza dei Miracoli and a Leaning Tower ticket with a tasting of Tuscan wine led by a local expert.
Lucca and Pisa Day Trip from Livorno
A seven-hour coach trip from Livorno, the cruise port for Pisa, with a guided walk through walled Lucca, free time for lunch and a visit to the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Lucca City Walls
Walk or cycle the complete ring of Renaissance ramparts around Lucca, a free, tree-lined promenade 4.2 kilometres long with views over towers, gardens and rooftops.
1 to 2 hoursDetails →
Guinigi Tower
Climb the 45-metre medieval tower of Lucca’s Guinigi family to a rooftop garden of holm oaks, with a 360-degree view over the walls, the towers and the Apuan hills.
Lucca Cathedral of San Martino
Lucca’s Romanesque cathedral, with its lopsided arcaded façade, the venerated Volto Santo crucifix, Jacopo della Quercia’s tomb of Ilaria del Carretto and a climbable bell tower.
Puccini Museum, Birthplace of Giacomo Puccini
The family home in central Lucca where Giacomo Puccini was born, with the Steinway piano on which he worked on Turandot, original scores, letters and a Turandot costume.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Grand Universe Lucca, Autograph Collection
Piazza Napoleone, Lucca Old Town
Lucca’s most stylish address, a restored palazzo on Piazza del Giglio beside Piazza Napoleone, with a restaurant on the square, a wine cellar, a champagne rooftop and a fitness room.
Rates on Expedia →Hotel Ilaria
Via del Fosso, Lucca Old Town
A friendly four-star inside Lucca’s walls on the quiet Via del Fosso canal, with free bikes, a garden terrace, a complimentary all-day snack buffet and private parking.
Rates on Expedia →Relais dell’Orologio
Piazza dei Cavalieri, Pisa Old Town
A four-star hideaway on a quiet lane of medieval Pisa, two minutes from Piazza dei Cavalieri and a short walk from the Leaning Tower, with a garden, a terrace and breakfast included.
Rates on Expedia →Hotel Bologna
Via Mazzini, near Pisa Centrale
A well-run four-star in a Tuscan palazzo on Via Mazzini, five minutes from Pisa Centrale station, with courtyard parking, bike hire and easy access to the airport and Lucca.
Rates on Expedia →Royal Victoria Hotel
Lungarno Pacinotti, Pisa
Pisa’s oldest hotel, opened in 1839 on the Arno and still run by the same family, with river-view rooms, period salons, breakfast included and a guest book of famous names.
Rates on Expedia →Pisa & Lucca guides
First Time in Pisa & Lucca: What to Book, How to Get Around & How Many Days
A practical primer for a first visit to Pisa and Lucca: what to book ahead, getting in from the airport, the train between the two cities, how many days you need and where the headline sights fit.
Where to Stay in Pisa & Lucca: The Best Areas and Hotels
Where to stay in Pisa and Lucca: whether to base yourself in one city or both, the best areas near the tower, the station and inside Lucca’s walls, with a hotel for every budget.
