Pisa: Beyond the Tower Self-Guided Bike Tour

Highlights

• Easy 13 km route
• App-guided navigation
• Along the Arno

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Stop 1

   Pass by

   Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the main entrances to the historic center of Pisa, between the central station and the city's most frequented streets. In the center is the monument dedicated to the first king of Italy. Vivace is a point of passage for residents, students, and travelers, allowing easy access to Borgo Stretto, the Lungarni, and the shopping streets, uniting daily Pisa with monumental Pisa.

2. 2

   Pisa

   Pass by

   Pisa is one of the most famous historic cities in Tuscany, developed along the Arno River and a protagonist in the Middle Ages as a powerful Maritime Republic. The city also preserves palaces, churches, and promenades that tell centuries of history, art, and commerce.

3. 3

   Lungarni di Pisa

   Pass by

   The Lungarni of Pisa tell of the deep link between the city and the Arno. Along its banks, historic palaces, churches, and bridges line up, testifying to the river's commercial, political, and cultural role. Walking here means crossing the heart of the most authentic Pisa, between architecture, daily life, and memory. Even today they offer some of the most elegant and recognizable views of the city.

4. 4

   Stop 4

   Pass by

   The Church of San Michele degli Scalzi is one of the most evocative places in Pisa, famous for its leaning bell tower, less known than the Tower but equally curious. Overlooking the Viale delle Piagge, it has medieval origins and testifies to the religious and architectural evolution of the city. Away from the busiest paths, it offers a look at a more authentic Pisa and is ideal for a short stop during a walk along the Arno.

5. 5

   Piazza dei Cavalieri

   Pass by

   Piazza dei Cavalieri tells the story of the civil and political power of Pisa. Heart of medieval public life, it was transformed in 1558 by Giorgio Vasari at the behest of Cosimo I de' Medici and became the seat of the Order of Santo Stefano. The statue of the grand duke and the monumental buildings express discipline, prestige, and control, creating a solemn atmosphere very different from the religious one of the Piazza dei Miracoli.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   15min

   Piazza dei Miracoli is the monumental heart of Pisa, a place designed to amaze where the medieval city concentrated the best of its religious, artistic, and political ambition. In this extraordinary space are the Leaning Tower of Pisa, born as the bell tower of the Cathedral and made famous worldwide for its tilt, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a masterpiece of Pisan Romanesque and a symbol of the power of the maritime republic, the Baptistery of St. John, famous for its monumental dimensions and surprising acoustics, and the Monumental Cemetery, a place of memory enriched over the centuries with tombs, frescoes, and stories linked to medieval spirituality. More than a square, it is a marble story that summarizes the greatness, faith, and prestige achieved by Pisa in its most splendid period.

7. 7

   Chiesa di Santa Maria della Spina

   Pass by

   Santa Maria della Spina is one of the most evocative Gothic jewels of Pisa, overlooking the Arno. Founded in the 13th century as an oratory, it took its current name after housing a relic believed to be a thorn from the crown of Christ. In the nineteenth century, it was dismantled and rebuilt higher to protect it from the river floods: a delicate building in appearance, but capable of surviving thanks to an extraordinary intervention.

Before you go

Location