Pisa, Italy: The Ultimate Travel Guide 2026

If being able to walk to the Leaning Tower at sunrise (or pop back easily between crowds) matters most, base yourself by Piazza dei Miracoli and the northern edge of the historic centre. This area is compact, atmospheric, and ideal for short stays focused on sightseeing, with plenty of cafés and gelaterie around Via Santa Maria and Borgo Stretto. Good options here include Grand Hotel Duomo for a very central location, Hotel Pisa Tower for convenience near the monuments, and Relais Dell'Orologio if you want a more boutique-style stay inside the old town fabric.

For a classic “city break” feel with evening strolls, restaurants, and shopping streets on your doorstep, aim for the historic centre along the Arno (around Lungarni, Borgo Stretto, and the bridges). It’s still walkable to the tower, but you’ll also have a more local, lived-in vibe after day-trippers leave, plus easy access to the main sights on both sides of the river. A strong pick in this zone is Royal Victoria Hotel, which puts you right on the riverfront and in the middle of the old city’s evening energy.

If you’re arriving by train, leaving early, or you want the simplest logistics for day trips (Florence, Lucca, Cinque Terre connections), staying around Pisa Centrale is the most practical choice. It’s less “storybook Pisa,” but you gain fast access to platforms, airport transfers, and a straightforward walk or quick bus to the centre. Reliable, well-located options here include NH Pisa, Hotel Bologna, and Hotel La Pace—all convenient when timing and transport matter more than being beside the monuments.

If you’d rather trade the city for sea air, look towards the Pisa coastline (Marina di Pisa and Tirrenia), which works well in warmer months and can feel far more relaxed than central Pisa at peak times. You’ll be outside the main sightseeing hub, but it’s a good base if you want beach time and a slower pace, while still being able to dip into the city for the tower and museums. A popular coastal option is Grand Hotel Continental.

Using the our Hotel and Accomodation map, you can compare hotels and short-term rental accommodations in Pisa. Simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see the best deals for your stay.

Getting to Pisa is possible by air, by road and railroad alike, which is why this Tuscan city is so easily accessible for any tourist who travels from various corners of Tuscany, Italy and from any corner of the world, for that matter.

Flying to Pisa

Getting to Pisa by plane Traveling by plane seems, by far, to be the most efficient manner to get to Pisa. The Galileo Galilei International Airport of Pisa  is the main airport for Tuscany. The airport is located only 1 kilometre southwards from the centre of the Pisa and has has a shuttle to Pisa’s central Train station. The airport is also has excellent connections to the road and railroad infrastructure of Tuscany.

Other airports you could use are: Florence, followed by Genoa, Perugia, Bologna and Rome. Pisa airport is the most popular for flights within Europe, while Rome is the most likely arrival airport for US and Canadian visitors.

Getting to Pisa By train

Pisa is reachable by train from a series of Tuscan cities, such as Florence, Livorno, Siena and Lucca, but railroad also links Pisa to other major cities of Italy – Rome and Genoa, for instance. The main two train stations in Pisa where trains arrive from or depart to various destinations are the San Rossore Station (close located to the Piazza del Duomo) and the Pisa Central Station, from where several busses transport their passengers to the center of the city. Thus, Lucca is only about 30 minutes from Pisa by train, and the 24 trains covering the distance everyday assure a fine connection between these two Tuscan cities. Siena, on the other hand, lies about one hour from Pisa, hourly trains being available as means of covering this distance, whereas it takes about an hour and a half for the trains to get from Pisa to Florence (or the other way around), this connection being carefully supervised since tourist demand for means of transportation on this route is pretty high. Consequently, about 40 trains link Florence to Pisa. Pisa also makes a good destination for those starting off in Rome, though the distance is coverable in about 3 hours, the link being serviced by 20 daily trains. Obviously, getting to Pisa by train is an excellent alternative for people who, for various reasons, do not opt for flights or for other road opportunities.

Getting to Pisa by Bus

Tuscany is an excellent place to explore using buses as means of transportation, given that buses are the cheapest of all transport options in Italy, though some consider trains more efficient in terms of land transportation. There are plenty of buses which link the main Italian and Tuscan cities and towns to Pisa. Rome and Florence are excellently linked to Pisa by buses. There are three bus operators servicing the tourist platform of Pisa, each of them covering various destinations. Thus, Autolinee Lazzi links Lucca and Viareggio to Pisa, whereas CPT (Compagnia Pisana Trasporti) provides a reliable connection between Pisa and the entire province. A smaller operator refers to CLAP, which makes regular routes to Lucca and Pietrasanta. The main station for intercity buses in Pisa is the one located in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, close to the Central Station.

Getting to Pisa by Car

Traveling to Pisa by car is an experience all enthusiasts of Italy and of Tuscany in particular should make, given that the region has plenty to offer in terms of sceneries and tourist objectives. This possible option is also enhanced by the excellent road infrastructure of Italy, but the main drawback of traveling to Pisa by car is visitors who do not excel in orientation might be a little puzzled by the combination of motorways they must follow in order to get to Pisa. Thus, the main road leading directly to Pisa is the so-called SS1 Aurelia, which must be resorted to by tourists coming, for instance, from Florence, Rome or Bologna, and from Genoa alike. However, if departing from Florence, before entering SS1 Aurelia, tourists should follow either the A11 Florence-Mare Motorway or the Florence-Pisa-Livorno expressway. From Genoa, before entering the SS1 Aurelia, visitors should travel on the A12 Genoa-Rosignato Motorway, whereas if departing from Rome, the best choice is to combine the A1 Motorway to Florence, and then follow the Same A11 Motorway and SS1 Aurelia in view of finally arriving to Pisa.