Tour of Pisa 4 hours
Pisa's name derives from an Etruscan word meaning "outfall" - the outlet formed by a river as it flows into the sea. Renown worldwide for its Leaning Tower, Pisa boasts thousand-year history reaching its golden age during the maritime republic. Every 4 years since 1956 boats from the 4 historic republics (Pisa, Venice, Genoa and Amalfi) re-enact a naval battle during the Historic Regata on the Arno River. The cities other beauties are the Baptistery, who's construction took 200 years!, the Duomo and on the same Piazza "dei Miracoli" (Square of Miracles) home to many of the city's most beautiful attractions is the imposing Camposanto (sacred burial ground). To the right of the Camposanto is the marble-covered cathedral, a masterpiece of Pisan Romanesque architecture built in the early 1600s. The famous Leaning Tower rises directly behind the cathedral.
Pisa is also a nice visit for other less known reasons:
The Botanical Garden of the University of Pisa, founded in 1543, and so the oldest University Garden in Europe!
The Museo della Grafica ( Museum of Graphics), included in the Palazzo Lanfranchi where you will find one of the most important public collections on contemporary graphics;
The Museum of Computing Machinery: a fascinating journey into the history of Computing, just few steps from the Piazza dei Miracoli.
Pisa can also proudly offer nice wide beaches overlooking the Tirrenean sea, provindiing a further reason of interest, along with its thermal baths....