VISITING THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA, ITALY

Livorno, Italy was our first stop of our Mediterranean vacation.  We chose to book a day trip with AP Tours  heading to Cinque Terre (you can check out those post here) with a quick stop in Pisa.  To be honest, Pisa was not on my bucket list but my daughter and I agreed that we couldn’t go by Pisa and not stop and check out the Leaning Tower.  

 I don’t know what I was expecting of this Tuscan town but I was awestruck as we rounded the corner with our driver and saw the Leaning Tower. 

The area around the cathedral and tower, Piazza dei Miracoli, was beautiful and I wished we had a little more time to spend strolling the city and seeing everything it had to offer.  Unfortunately, we had a 30 minute time limit so we quickly took our photos and headed to look for an ATM.

If you find yourself in Pisa and need an ATM, head down the street (shown below) directly in front of the tower.

Did you notice all of the beautiful doors?

I loved this beautiful fountain.

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of my daughter.

PURCHASING TICKETS

We did not have time to go into the leaning tower but you can purchase tickets once you get there or you can purchase them HERE.  You will have to choose the date and time of your visit.  I understand this is the best option if you are going during the busy season.  ( see screenshot below)

Only 40 people at a time are allowed inside the tower and you need to be prepared to climb up approximately 300 steps. You will also need to leave your bag, including small handbags, at the left-luggage before you can climb (it’s free).

Tips

• We were there in early March so the place wasn't crowded though there was a large group of tour busses that arrived about the time we left.  Go early if you have the option.  

• There is not a lot to see in Pisa so make it just a  stop on  the way to another destination (like Cinque Terre). 

• Be sure to do the  cliché pose of pretending to prop up the tower from below--it’s all part of the fun.

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