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12-Nights Mediterranean Highlights

Price: $4,725 - # of Days: 12 days
Mediterranean HighlightsEase into the local love of life and good food. Sun-kissed days and sizzling nights guide you along this Mediterranean trip through coastal Spain, France and Italy. Enjoy lunch with sisters Sandra and Antonella on their Tuscan agriturismo near Vinci.Dining Summary5 Dinner (D)...

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8-Nights Italy Tuscany & Cinque Terre Walking

Price: Please call for rates - # of Days: 8 days
Immerse yourself in two of Italy's most enchanting regions on this perfectly paced walking adventure from Tuscany to the Italian Riviera. Follow scenic trails through Tuscan vineyards and cypress-dotted valleys, exploring historic hill towns and sampling fine Chianti wines. Marvel at the medieval wo...

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Overview

Introduction

Pisa is a lively medieval university town in the Tuscan region of Italy. Although the Leaning Tower (known as the Torre Pendente by locals) is one of the main attractions and the symbol of the city, it is only one of the many beautiful treasures of Pisa.

The tower is one of the monuments on the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles). The square is situated right by the oldest early-medieval city walls, built in 1155 and still perfectly preserved. The medieval buildings of the Duomo di Pisa, the Baptistery of San Giovanni and the Camposanto are all constructed completely from white marble, forming a beautiful, thematic whole in the square.

Pisa is very compact, with many narrow streets and a great ambience. To make the most of your trip, take a walk along the Arno River promenade, taking in the towers, bridges and buildings dating from the Middle Ages, or along the Ponte della Fortezza.

Pisa is only 40 mi/65 km (an hour by train) from Florence, making an easy day trip, but it is worthwhile to spend at least two days exploring Pisa's sights. Other towns in the area that are well worth a visit are the medieval walled hill-town of Lucca, just 20 minutes north of Pisa, as well as the hill towns of Volterra and San Gimignano (about an hour south) with their Etruscan ruins, castles and towers.

Must See or Do

Sights—The Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), one of the most famous squares in Italy; the view from the Torre Pendente (Leaning Tower); the spectacular marble Pisano pulpit of the Battistero and the impressive Romanesque Duomo di Pisa; the Monumental Graveyard of Camposanto; the beautiful architecture of the palazzos, fortresses and piazzas in the historical quarters and along the Lungarni (river promenades).

Museums—Impressive Museo Nazionale di San Matteo; lesser-known Museo delle Sinopie and Museo dell' Opera del Duomo; Keith Haring's large mural Tuttamundo on the outside walls of the Convento di Sant'Antonio.

Memorable Meals—Traditional Pisan recipes at Trattoria San Omobono; gelato at La Bottega del Gelato in Piazza Garibaldi; pizza by the meter at Le Scuderie.

Late Night—The Campo dei Miracoli lit up at night; enjoying drinks at lively Caffe Settimelli.

Walks—Strolling past the medieval towers, bridges and buildings on the Lungarni (Arno River promenade) at dusk; visiting the Orto Botanico (botanical gardens) at the University of Pisa on a weekday morning.

Especially for Kids—Exploring miles/kilometers of sandy beaches in the nearby coastal town of Viareggio; taking a boat ride on the Arno River; exploring the medieval town walls and climbing up the medieval tower in the northwest corner of the Campo dei Miracoli.

Geography

Pisa is located in the western part of the Italian province of Tuscany, between Monte Pisano to the east and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west. Pisa is divided in two halves by the Arno River, the same river that flows through Florence and into the Tyrrhenian Sea at Marina di Pisa. Centuries ago, Pisa was a coastal town, but nowadays the coast is actually 8 mi/12 km away, as debris from the river has shifted access to the coast during the course of time.

Pisa's city center is divided into two major areas and four historical quarters (Quartieri Storici), located in the area enclosed by the 12th-century city walls, which are considered among the longest walls built in the Middle Ages. The city expanded outside these walls only at the beginning of the 20th century.

The part of the city that is situated south of the Arno River is called Mezzogiorno, and the northern part is called Tramontana. The historical quarters of Sant'Antonio and San Martino are in Mezzogiorno, and Santa Maria and San Francesco are the two historical quarters in Tramontana.

History

Likely of Phoenician origin, Pisa was first settled by the Ligurians and then inhabited by the Etruscans, who left many signs of their passage. The real development of the city occurred in the Roman era, with the present layout of the most ancient part of the city clearly indicating the presence of the Romans. At that time in history, Pisa was a coastal town and a major Roman naval base. In the early Middle Ages, Pisa continued as a lively port and a rich commercial center, and was one of the four Maritime Republics alongside Genoa, Venice and Amalfi, which each fought for control of the very important waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the 13th century, after its defeat by Genoa, the city of Pisa started to decline in power and wealth, culminating with the Florentine occupation in the 15th century. Revived to a new splendor under the Medicis and the Dukes of Lorraine, Pisa later was annexed to Italy in 1861. During World War II, Pisa suffered serious damage from Allied bombing (particularly in the area directly north of the central train station) but has slowly been restored and brought back to its original grandeur.

The University of Pisa was founded in 1343, and during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, it became one of the most celebrated and prestigious universities in Europe (with 60,000 students in a city then of barely 100,000 inhabitants). Today Pisa is an active center of culture and advanced scientific research with a good number of industrial and service businesses.

Potpourri

The Baptistery of San Giovanni is feared by superstitious local students—according to local legend, if you are an undergraduate and walk completely around the Baptistery, you will never get your degree.

Pisa is the birthplace of Galileo Galilei, known as the father of modern science. Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution.

Legend has it that Galileo's theories came to him while he was attending Mass in the Duomo and was distracted by the oscillating chandelier, which still hangs in the cathedral.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not the most "leaning" tower in the world. That honor belongs to the Tower of Suurhusen in Germany, standing nearly 6 degrees from the vertical, compared to Pisa's 4-degree tower.