The Leaning Tower of Pisa is an easy half day trip from Florence, but I’d expected little more than a quick photograph and a box ticked. Instead, I found a spectacular square, a climb that feels far stranger than it looks and an attraction that earned its place in a short Italy itinerary.
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I had limited time in Florence, so Pisa felt like a sensible way to see another part of Tuscany without turning the day into a logistical exercise. I gave it a morning, climbed the Tower, wandered around the Piazza dei Miracoli and headed back to Florence in time to enjoy the rest of the day there.
How to Get from Florence to Pisa by Train
The simplest way to get from Florence to Pisa is by train. Direct regional services run from Firenze Santa Maria Novella to Pisa Centrale, and you can check current times and fares through Trenitalia. From Pisa Centrale, it’s around a 20-minute walk to Piazza dei Miracoli, where you’ll find the Leaning Tower, cathedral, baptistery and Camposanto Monumentale.
If you don’t want to organise the train journey and a timed Tower ticket yourself, you can book a half-day Pisa tour from Florence.
Do You Need Tickets for the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
You can see the Tower from outside and walk around Piazza dei Miracoli for free. What you might not realise is that you can also climb to the top of the Leaning Tower.
A Tower ticket is for a specific time slot, and it also includes entry to Pisa Cathedral. At the time of updating this post, a Tower ticket costs €20, although you should always check the official ticket website before booking as prices and opening times can change.
Pisa Cathedral is free to visit, although you may need to collect a free timed pass if it’s the only monument you’re visiting.
The climb takes around 30 minutes. The official information now lists 251 marble steps, although I was far too busy trying not to trip over the uneven stairs to count them myself. It’s not an easy stroll, but there are points where you can catch your breath, and the feeling of the Tower leaning beneath you makes the effort part of the experience.
They are strict about your entry time, so arrive around 15 minutes before your allocated slot. When I visited, everyone in our group had to check their bags into the free cloakroom before going in, including small handbags. Check the current bag rules before travelling.
How Long Do You Need in Pisa?
A half-day is enough for most visitors travelling from Florence.
The Tower climb takes around 30 minutes, and a few hours gives you time to visit the cathedral, take photographs, have something to eat and walk around Piazza dei Miracoli without rushing. You don’t need to stay from morning until night unless you are especially interested in the other monuments or want to explore more of Pisa itself.
I would leave Florence in the morning and book a late morning or early afternoon Tower slot. That gives you enough breathing room for the walk from Pisa Centrale and means you can be back in Florence with the afternoon still ahead of you.
What to See in Pisa Besides the Tower
The Leaning Tower is the bell tower for Pisa Cathedral, and it sits in Piazza dei Miracoli alongside the cathedral, baptistery and Camposanto Monumentale.
The cathedral is worth visiting. It gives the square context and makes the stop feel like more than a photograph with a famous building. If you have more time, the baptistery and Camposanto are both nearby.
Climbing the Tower, visiting the cathedral and taking time to look around the square was the right amount. The setting is much more impressive in person than I had expected, even once you’ve accepted that everyone around you is attempting the same photo.
Is a Half Day Trip to Pisa Enough?
Yes. Pisa fits neatly into a Florence itinerary when you want to see the Leaning Tower without losing a full day to it. I was glad I went, and I would still recommend it. It gave me a memorable climb, an impressive setting and a far better experience than I had expected from somewhere I had seen in photographs so many times before.
If you are planning the wider route through Italy, see my one week Italy itinerary.
Originally published May 2018 · Updated 15 October 2026
