Day Trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa

As the most popular day trip from Florence and one of the most famous sights in all of Tuscany, A day – or even a half day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa makes a great stop if you have a few hours to kill during your time in Italy.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Is it an overrated tourist attraction or worthwhile destination? Regardless if you think Pisa is overrated or worthwhile, it still can be a lot of fun doing silly poses in front of this crooked icon of Italy! What’s even better is that a day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa can be quick and easy to do.

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The leaning Tower of Pisa and the small town itself does not take long to see–a half-day is generally plenty for the major highlights–and having the flexibility to move on when you’re ready is a benefit given the large numbers of crowds you can generally find there.

The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa is even more beautiful in, so while Pisa itself is far from the loveliest town in Tuscany, if you’ve always wanted to climb the tower, it’s definitely worth a quick stop–just be sure to book your tickets before you arrive, though!

Where is the Leaning Tower of Pisa?

Pisa is located just an hour away from Florence and the Cinque Terre by train or car. It is very easy to see Pisa from either of these locations and even easier when traveling between the two.

How Long Should You Spend in Pisa?

It is a half an hour walk to the Leaning Tower from the train station. Taxis are available to speed up your journey and cost roughly €10 one way.

Once at the Leaning Tower, it only takes several minutes to take those iconic goofy photos of you pushing against the tower!

Allow more time to climb the tower or visit the cathedral.

If you plan to climb the tower and visit the other monuments, a day trip to the Leaning Tower of Pisa lasts up to a max of 5-6 hours (depending on whether you stay for lunch).

Selfie in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa

There are 251 steps to top of the tower. Climbing the tower is not difficult but some people report feeling dizzy or getting vertigo from climbing the tight, spiral staircase at an incline.

If you plan to climb the tower, it takes about 30 minutes to get to the top.

During peak season, purchase your tickets in advance. This allows you to schedule a designated time and avoid waiting in line. If you do not have pre-purchased tickets, you run the risk of not being able to climb the tower during your day trip to Pisa.

Tickets to climb the tower cost 18 € per person.

You can also visit the Baptistery, Cathedral, Camposanto Museum, Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Sinopie Museum. Each of the monuments cost a few additional euros. For the price list and hours of operation, click here.

Interesting Facts About the Leaning Tower of Pisa

It took almost 200 years to build the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The tower began leaning even before construction was finished. The upper levels of the tower were built at an angle to offset the lean. If you look closely at photographs, you can see that the tower has a slight curve to it.

There are 294 steps on the north side and 296 steps on the south side.

The tower and cathedral were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

After the collapse of a tower in Pavia, restoration efforts from 1989 to 2001 were put into place. The tower was closed to tourists during this time.

In 2008 engineers declared that the Leaning Tower of Pisa has stopped moving. The tower should remain stable for the next 300 years.