Using Pisa as a Base for Several Days

October 29, 2026

Using Pisa as a base for several days

Pisa’s own sights fill about one to one and a half days. A stay of two days or more works best when Pisa is the rail base and the other days go to Lucca, Livorno, Florence or the coast. Prices are in euros and are 2026 figures; fares are rough figures from booking sites, so check Trenitalia.

Getting in and out

Pisa airport is about 1.5 km from the centre. The PisaMover shuttle reaches Pisa Centrale in about 5 minutes for EUR 6.50 single, running from 6:00 to midnight, and until 1:00 from 1 June to 30 September. During maintenance windows from 26 October to 13 December 2026 and 11 January to 28 February 2027, trains run about every 12 minutes. The historic centre is a camera-enforced restricted traffic zone, so park outside the walls if you hire a car and treat the zone as always active.

Day 1: the monuments

Spend the morning on the Piazza dei Miracoli, with the Leaning Tower on a timed slot of about 30 minutes, then the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto and museums. Have lunch on cecina, then walk the 3.1 km Mura di Pisa rampart for about an hour. Finish with a walk along the Arno from Ponte di Mezzo to the Keith Haring mural, Tuttomondo, on the church of Sant’Antonio Abate.

Day 2: ships, gardens and nature

Visit the Museo delle Navi Antiche in the morning on weekdays (it opens Saturday and Sunday afternoons) and the Botanical Garden. In the afternoon, take Linea 26 to San Rossore on a weekend for a bike ride, or Linea 10 to Marina di Pisa for the river mouth and its fishing huts.

Day 3: Lucca

Take the train for 25 to 31 minutes, hire bikes to ride the 4.2 km walls and climb Torre Guinigi for about EUR 8.

Day 4: Livorno

Livorno is 12 to 15 minutes away. Walk the Venezia Nuova canals, the Fortezza Vecchia and the Terrazza Mascagni, then try the fish stew cacciucco.

Day 5: Florence

Fast trains take about 50 to 60 minutes. Book the Uffizi or the Accademia ahead and keep to two or three sights.

Days 6 and 7: coast

Cinque Terre is a stretch from Pisa: La Spezia is 45 to 75 minutes by train, then local trains run to the villages. The 2026 one-day cards are the Trekking card at EUR 10 (EUR 15 on peak days) and the Train card at EUR 22, EUR 29.50 or EUR 35. A calmer alternative is the Viareggio promenade, 13 to 19 minutes away.

Saving money

A seven-day Pisa Card, about EUR 24, includes the walls, Navi Antiche, Palazzo Reale, San Matteo, Palazzo Blu, the Botanical Garden and the Certosa di Calci, but not the Leaning Tower.

Official information: PisaMover timetable and fares , Pisa Card and Cinque Terre card prices . Stays are listed on Booking.com for Pisa .