What is the Field of Miracles?

Pisa’s Field of Miracles, called Il Campo Dei Miracoli in Italian, is located on the edge of town, not in the town center.

It’s considered one of the world’s greatest medieval architectural assemblages, built when Pisa was a rising maritime and cultural powerhouse.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower is just plain mediocre — a toxic combination of poor architecture, poor engineering, and mushy Pisan soil that’s been in danger of collapsing.

Without a proper foundation, the Leaning Tower settled unevenly in the ground below and proceeded to lean, and lean, despite repeated interventions.

Duomo di Pisa

Don’t skip going inside Pisa’s exuberant marble Duomo! It’s officially called the Cathedral of Santa Maria dell’Assunta. It was just beautifully restored for its 900-year-old birthday. Inside, there’s a spacious central nave and two flanking aisles on each side, with intricate Corinthian columns and arches

Baptistery of St. John

This is Italy’s largest baptistery. Begun in 1153, the Baptistery appears to be dripping in lace on the exterior, it’s so ornate. Inside, there’s still a full-immersion baptismal font, where Galileo was baptized.

Pisa Historic Center

The town of Pisa is picturesque, with pretty piazzas, churches, and pastel-colored buildings. The main squares are the Piazza del Cavalleri (historic buildings), the Piazza delle Vettovaglie (nightlife), the Piazza Dante (less touristy and authentic), and Piazza Gambicorte.

Santa Maria Spina Church

Be sure to see the beautiful Gothic Church of Santa Maria Della Spina perched on the Arno River. The white marble facade is ornate, and decorated with statutes. The church is reputed to have a reliquary in the form of a thorn taken from Jesus’s crown of thorns.

Where is Pisa?

Pisa is located 20 minutes from the Ligurian Sea in the western region of Tuscany. It’s well connected to the major cities and towns in Italy via train and bus.

When to visit Pisa?

Pisa is crowded and pricier in the high season. So, it’s vastly better to visit off-season or during shoulder season. I think it makes sense to explore the town first and arrive at the Field of Miracles later in the day when it will likely be less crowded with tourists.

How long to Visit Pisa?

The answer to this question completely depends on your own predilections and interests. If you only want to see and climb the Leaning Tower take gag photos, maybe just a couple of hours.