An Underrated Town- Pisa and its Leaning Tower

The best part about staying in Florence is that there are little day trips that you could do from the city that help you see new places and towns. Pisa was one of them and my absolute favorites. 

A charming little town on the rivers Arno and Serchio, Pisa is only an hour away from Florence. I caught an early morning train to visit the city and reached around 11 a.m (http://www.trenitalia.com/ for more details)

After asking directions for the Torre di Pisa or Leaning Tower as its famously known, I crossed the quaint town with romantic bridges and beautiful cafes. Probably the perfect place for a cuppa. It also left me thinking of Florence and I can happily say that Pisa looked like a smaller version and maybe almost a twin to Florence :-)

I reached the Leaning Tower. Tall and vibrant (and of course strikingly tilted) against the lush green gardens, it was so clear and stark white. I learnt that this beautiful monolithic structure, is a part of the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral), which is also home to a cemetery and a baptistery of St. John. 

Bapistry of St. John

The history of the tower is that it was completed in 1372. The famous tilt started during the construction phase itself! So much so that it increases every year and amounts to almost 4 degrees now. Approximately 183 feet high, this giant marble bell tower was awarded a UNESCO world heritage site recognition in 1987.

The Bell Tower highlights the medieval European times and the extravagant surrounding area filled with a line of souvenir shops and cafes. A little touristy I would say for my taste but it was still fun.

There is an option to climb the top of the tower for euro 18 ( price may vary now). The tower has 294 steps and people often say that they feel gravity loses its charm while climbing up. I skipped climbing the tower and instead enjoyed a lavish lunch of Neapolitan pizza and white wine on that sunny day. It was most peaceful.

A tip- Do haggle a LOT when you visit the souvenir shops. Some of them are over priced!