Things to Do in Tuscany

 Siena’s central Piazza del Campo is one of the most beautiful and famous squares in Tuscany. This sweeping, shell-shaped space is anchored by the magnificent Palazzo Pubblico (home to the Museo Civico) and soaring Torre del Mangia tower, and hosts the historic Palio di Siena festival each July and August.

The 14th-century Piazza del Campo is the heart of Siena’s historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to the medieval town hall and bell tower, the square is home to the Fonte Gaia, a 15th-century white-marble fountain that is both a focal point and meeting place at the top end of the piazza. The square is ringed by late Gothic buildings and palaces, once residences of the most powerful families in Siena and now filled with bustling restaurants and cafés. 

Appreciate the beauty and history of Piazza del Campo by joining a walking or Segway tour of Siena’s historic center. Many small-group and private tours also include skip-the-line access to Siena’s cathedral (Duomo), a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the city’s most impressive sights. Siena is a popular day trip from Florence and Rome, and many tours also include stops in Pisa or San Gimignano.

Piazza del Campo is in the very center of Siena’s old town, and you can walk or take a city bus to the square from the train station. The most convenient way to visit, however, is with a small-group or private tour that includes transportation so you can also explore nearby Tuscan villages.

Home to one of the most famous and popular medieval festivals in Italy, Piazza del Campo is off limits to anyone who hasn’t come specifically to see the biannual Palio, held in July and August. The square offers little shade so is best explored in early morning or late afternoon in summer, or in spring or fall when the temperatures are milder.

Piazza del Campo is one of the most recognized public squares in Italy thanks to the popular Palio di Siena, the historical festival held there each year on one day in July and one day in August. Festivities focus around a bareback horse race among 10 horses and riders representing 10 of the 17 contrade, or historical town districts. The horses race along a track encircling the square surrounded by screaming crowds, and the celebrations also include religious services, pageants, and banquets.

The Piazza dell'Anfiteatro is a large square in the center of historic Lucca. As the name suggests, it was once the site of a Roman amphitheatre, one that was built in the first century and could hold up to 10,000 people. The remains of that structure now lie more than nine feet underground, but the oval shape of the piazza is a direct result of the outline of the amphitheatre.

 

The Piazza dell'Anfiteatro was built in 1830 by demolishing some buildings that had been constructed in the space. It became the site of the town's market, and is the heart of the old city today.

Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti) was built by Luca Pitti in the 1400s. A century later, Duchess of Florence Eleonora di Toledo purchased the Renaissance palazzo for her husband, Cosimo I de' Medici, and it remained the official residence of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany until the early 20th century. Today, Pitti Palace is Florence's largest museum complex.

This massive stone palace was once home to the ruling Medici family, then to the Austrian House of Lorraine, and finally to the House of Savoy—until Victor Emmanuel III donated the palazzo and its contents to the nation of Italy in 1919. A full 140 rooms, housing a number of important museums and galleries, are open to the public. The Palatine Gallery, which holds an impressive collection of Renaissance masterpieces, including works by artists Raphael, Titian and Rubens, is the most famous. Visitors can also tour the sumptuous Royal Apartments, Silver Museum, Porcelain Museum, Carriage Museum, and Costume Gallery. The palazzo even houses a Modern Art Gallery, highlighting Italian painters from the 18th to early-20th centuries. 

An array of private and group tours, often including skip-the-line access to Pitti Palace and other nearby attractions, are available. Consider joining a walking tour of Florence that visits a number of Renaissance monuments built during the reign of the Medici family.

Pitti Palace is on the southern bank of the Arno River in the Oltrarno neighborhood, reached via the Ponte Vecchio bridge near the Uffizi Gallery. Take the No. 11 bus to Piazza San Felice or the C3 or D buses to the Pitti stop.

The palazzo can be very crowded between May and October, and at midday. Consider an early-morning or late-afternoon tour to avoid the peak visiting hours. The museums are closed on Mondays and holidays. 

After visiting Pitti Palace, take a stroll around the adjacent Boboli Gardens, dotted with Renaissance statues, fountains, and grottoes.

UNESCO-listed Pienza was little more than a sleepy hamlet until the reign of Pope Pius II in the first half of the fifteenth century. Pienza, then called Corsignano, was the pope’s home town, and he enlisted the help of architect Bernardo Rossellino to transform the village into an ideal Renaissance town. The reconstruction began in 1459 and only lasted four years, but the result has put Pienza on the radar of many a traveler to Tuscany.

The town’s historic center offers excellent examples of Renaissance architecture, particularly the cathedral, Palazzo Piccolomimi and Palazzo Borgia, all flanking charming Piazza Pio II. While it’s easy to breeze through the tiny town — it only takes five minutes to walk from one side to the other — it’s also an inviting place to savor a local specialty, sheep’s milk pecorino cheese with a bit of honey drizzled over the top.

One of the finest examples of renaissance architecture in Florence, Palazzo Strozzi was built in the 15th century for the wealthy Strozzi family and today serves as an exhibition space hosting some of the city’s most prestigious shows. Though not among Florence’s most famous venues, it will appeal to visiting art aficionados.

Occupying an entire city block in the historic center of Florence, this imposing stone palace has large upstairs galleries and halls that have hosted exhibitions of artists from Cézanne to Ai Weiwei. The elegant central courtyard also hosts temporary art installations as well as concerts, films, and cultural activities in the summer. 

Walking, bike, and Segway tours of Florence highlights generally stop by Palazzo Strozzi to admire its renaissance architecture, but art lovers should book skip-the-line tickets in advance to enter. Many small-group and private tours of Florence also include famous nearby attractions such as the Duomo, Uffizi, and Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s David. 

Palazzo Strozzi is located on Piazza Strozzi in the center of Florence, just a 5-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella train station.

The internal courtyard at Palazzo Strozzi is open daily until 11pm; the upstairs galleries and halls are only open for events and exhibitions.

Locked in a complicated political and financial rivalry with the Medici family for decades, the Strozzi family was one of the most powerful in Florence until their exile in 1434. In 1466, Filippo Strozzi was able to consolidate enough wealth and power to re-enter the city, and his first step was to build Palazzo Strozzi. The residence was designed to resemble the Palazzo Medici but surpass it in size and elegance as a clear architectural and political statement to the citizens of Florence. 

One of the grandest Renaissance buildings in Florence, the 15th-century Pitti Palace houses the Palatine Gallery, a collection of over 500 paintings dating from the 15th to the 17th century. The collection features works by Italian masters like Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Pietro da Cortona, and other European painters like Rubens and Velazquez. 

Palazzo Pitti was home to Florence’s Medici family for centuries, and today the palace’s rooms and halls form a sumptuous backdrop for the Renaissance and baroque paintings and frescoes in the Palatine Gallery (Galleria Palatina), formerly the private collection of the Grand Duke. Laid out according to the Grand Duke’s personal tastes rather than by painting school or chronological order, the gallery was opened to visitors in 1828 by Leopold I of Lorraine. 

Though less well-known than Florence’s Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) or Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia), the Palatine Gallery matches both in importance and beauty, and is best visited with an expert tour guide who can concentrate on the most significant works from the hundreds on display. Most guided tours of Pitti Palace include a visit to the gallery along with the Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Boboli Gardens.

The Palatine Gallery is located in the Oltrarno neighborhood on Piazza Pitti, about a 15-minute walk from the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station across the famous Ponte Vecchio.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday 8:15am to 6:50pm. Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is one of the most popular destinations in Italy, so its sights and museums can be very crowded in the summer. Schedule a visit to the Palatine Gallery in spring or fall, if possible, and avoid the first Sunday of the month, when the museum is free and particularly packed. 

Art aficionados visiting Florence must also plan on visiting Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia Gallery and the masterpieces in the Uffizi Gallery.

The oldest square in the Tuscan city of Arezzo has the appropriate name of Piazza Grande, or Great Square. Dating back to the Medieval era, the piazza was once the site of the city's main market. Today, it plays host to the monthly antiques market that is one of the largest in Italy. It's also where the annual Joust of the Saracen is held.

 

Notable buildings surrounding the Piazza Grande include the 14th-century Fraternita dei Laici palazzo, a loggia designed by Giogio Vasari, a 13th-century Episcopal Palace, and part of the 13th-century Romanesque Apse of Santa Maria della Pieve.

The 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio has been the symbol of this Renaissance capital’s political power for more than seven centuries. With its imposing crenellated roofline and defensive tower, it dominates Piazza della Signoria and is home to the luxurious chambers of the Medici family. Visiting Palazzo Vecchio for a peek into Renaissance Florence is a rite of passage for visitors.

The “Old Palace” was built in the early 1300s and sumptuously redecorated by the ruling Medici family in the 16th century when Grand Duke Cosimo I transferred his official seat here from Palazzo Medici. The courtyards, official halls, and private apartments feature elaborately decorated ceilings and statues by such luminaries as Donatello and Michelangelo, giving a sense of the wealth of Florence’s most powerful family during the height of the Renaissance. The most important rooms are the vast Salone dei Cinquecento, decorated by the celebrated Renaissance painter Giorgio Vasari and used as seat of the 500-member Grand Council; the secret Studiolo di Francesco I, also decorated by Vasari; and the Map Room.

Because of the palazzo's wealth of art and history, its museum is best visited with a tour guide, especially during the crowded months between May and October, when the wait to enter can be long and skip-the-line tickets are a must. Visitors can also tour the archaeological excavations under the building's foundations to see the uncovered remains of the Roman theater of Florentia.

Palazzo Vecchio is in the southern corner of Piazza della Signoria, a short stroll from the Uffizi Gallery. By bus, take the C1 to Galleria Delgi Uffizi, then walk one block west or take the C2 to Porta Rossa and walk three blocks east.

The museums are open daily but close on Thursday afternoons. The palazzo can be very crowded at midday, so consider joining a tour in the early morning before most visitors arrive or at sunset to avoid the busiest time and enjoy the view from the tower.

This secret passage that runs between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti was commissioned by the Grand Duke Cosimo I in 1565 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. Once a secret route used by the Medici family to travel through the city, the corridor is now an art gallery and can be visited in small groups as part of a private tour.

Pisa’s Leaning Tower may be more famous, but the nearby baptistery (battistero) is equally captivating. Clad in white marble with intricately carved rows of Romanesque and Gothic arches and a cupcake dome, the baptistery is one of the essential sights in the city’s UNESCO-listed cathedral (duomo) complex.

 

An excellent example of Pisan Romanesque architecture, the Pisa’s Baptistery (Battistero) sits just outside the cathedral (duomo) on the Field of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli). Inside, you can admire the beautifully carved pulpit by Nicola Pisano and ornate marble baptismal font, and then climb the stairs to the gallery for a bird’s-eye view. While on the gallery, try out the building’s remarkable acoustics by whispering sweet nothings beneath the dome.

 

The duomo complex is one of the most popular destinations in Tuscany and can be very crowded in the summer. Booking a skip-the-line Pisa tour in advance is essential to avoid a long wait at the ticket office and ensure a time slot to visit the cathedral, baptistery, and bell tower. Consider a small-group tour to see the highlights of Pisa, or a Leaning Tower family tour if you’re traveling with kids.

 

 

The Piazza dei Miracoli is about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the Pisa train station, across the River Arno, and there are trains from Rome, Florence, and Venice each day. From the station, you can walk through the historic center of Pisa to the Field of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), or you can take a bus from the station.

 

The duomo complex is most crowded from late morning through the afternoon, so try to arrive in the early morning to enjoy the church, baptistery, and bell tower before the throngs of daily visitors arrive.

 

In addition to seeing the baptistery, you can tour the cathedral, Leaning Tower, Monumental Cemetery (Camposanto Monumentale), and Sinopie Museum, which displays preparatory sketches for the cathedral’s frescoes. Visit the Duomo Opera Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo) to see works of art removed from the cathedral and baptistery over the centuries.

Florence is a city filled with quaint squares, picturesque landscapes and plenty of old-world architecture that’s ripe with European charm. This is particularly true amid its famous squares, and travelers agree that few are as beautiful as Piazza della Santissima Annunziata. 

A massive bronze statue of Ferdinando I de’Medici on horseback stands at the center of the square, with two notably strange fountains on either side. Visitors can relax in the sun and lounge as locals wind through the square on a busy afternoon, or duck into the Santissima Annunziata church, which was built in the 15th century and gave the square its name. Ospedale deli Innocenti—the oldest orphanage on the continent—also flanks the square and offers travelers a unique opportunity to explore the city’s past. Ceramic glazed reliefs of swaddled newborns line the façade and visitors can check out the circular stone where women could leave their unwanted newborns without fear of repercussion. 

Italy is home to some of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world, including the Monumental Cemetery of Pisa (Camposanto Monumentale). Part of the UNESCO-listed cathedral complex, this Gothic cloister features intricate marble arches encircling a central courtyard, 14th-century frescoes, chapels, and rows of Roman sarcophagi.

 

The Monumental Cemetery of Pisa (Camposanto Monumentale) is one of the most beautiful sights on the Field of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), famous for being home to the Leaning Tower. The cemetery was built on sacred soil brought back to Pisa after the Third Crusade in the 12th century, and legend holds that this holy earth can reduce bodies to skeletons within a day of burial. In addition to its Pisan Romanesque architecture, the cemetery is worth visiting for what remains of its fresco cycle and Roman sarcophagi.

 

Piazza dei Miracoli is one of Tuscany’s most popular destinations and is often very crowded, so book a skip-the-line tour in advance to avoid a long wait at the ticket office. You can also combine a Pisa tour with day trips to Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, or other towns in nearby Chianti.

 

 

The Piazza dei Miracoli is about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the Pisa train station, with trains connecting daily to Rome, Florence, and Venice. From the station, walk through the historic center of Pisa or take a bus to the Piazza dei Miracoli.  

 

The Piazza dei Miracoli is most crowded from late morning through the afternoon, so visit in the early morning to enjoy the Leaning Tower, cemetery, and other buildings before most other visitors arrive.

 

In addition to the Camposanto Monumentale, Piazza dei Miracoli is home to the Pisa Cathedral (Duomo di Pisa) and baptistery, Leaning Tower, Sinopie Museum, and Duomo Opera Museum (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo), which houses a collection of artworks removed from the duomo and baptistery over the centuries.

The Statue of Perseus, or Perseus with the Head of Medusa, is a bronze figure that was sculpted by Benvenuto Cellini in 1545. It depicts the story of Perseus destroying Medusa, a mythological Gorgon with snakes for hair and whose eyes turned humans to stone. The statue shows Perseus holding Medusa’s severed head raised triumphantly in one hand, having beheaded the monster.  The statue stands upon a bronze base of relief panels depicting the story of Perseus and Andromeda. Cellini was the first to incorporate narrative reliefs into the sculptures at the Piazza della Signoria, where it still stands. 

The Perseus Statue was added to the square amongst some of the more significant statues of the time, such as Michelangelo’s David and Bandinelli’s Hercules and Cacus. As these are stone statues of men, it is believed by scholars to be a motif response to these works.  One can still see the unique craftsmanship as a prominent bronze sculpture with great detail (Cellini was first and foremost a goldsmith). The statue is considered to be a masterpiece of Italian Mannerism.

Home to the imposing Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria is the most important public square in Florence. The political heart of the city for centuries, today the square is also a vibrant social hub, where locals and tourists gather at the Loggia dei Lanzi and Neptune fountain to soak up the elegant atmosphere.

Piazza della Signoria is best known as site of 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio, the crenellated fortresslike city hall and museum that anchors one side of the L-shaped square and was once seat of the Florentine Republic. The square is also home to the sculpture collection housed under the open-air Loggia dei Lanzi, the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, a replica of Michelangelo’s David where the original once stood, and a number of important Renaissance palaces. The Uffizi Gallery is just off the square.

A stroll through Piazza della Signoria is one of the highlights of Florence walking tours and sightseeing tours by Segway or bike. Most private and small-group tours also include skip-the-line tickets to top attractions including the Duomo, the Uffizi, and Accademia Gallery. Kid-friendly Florence tours stop in Piazza della Signoria, and food tours pair a visit with beer, wine, or gelato tastings.

Piazza della Signoria marks the heart of Florence’s historical center and is a short walk from the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and Santa Maria Novella train station.

Florence is one of the most popular destinations in Italy for day trips and shore excursions, and Piazza della Signoria is particularly hot and crowded in summer. Visit in spring or fall to enjoy the square with cooler temperatures and fewer tourists. A number of important historical and religious processions pass through the square each year, including the Cavalcade of the Three Kings on January 6 and the Carnival parade in February.

Piazza della Signoria was the site of the 1497 bonfire of the vanities, a Catholic reformist uprising led by the Dominican monk Savonarola who preached against the excesses of secular culture and urged his followers to burn works of art and literature. After defying Pope Alexander VI, Savonarola was hanged in the square, and today there is a plaque marking the spot of his execution.

Built in the 16th century by Bartolomeo Ammannati with advice from Michelangelo, Ponte Santa Trinita, or Saint Trinity Bridge, connects the two banks of Florence’s Arno River and offers unobstructed views of the Ponte Vecchio. The bridge was rebuilt with its original materials in 1958 after its destruction during World War II.

As one of Florence’s top architectural highlights, Ponte Santa Trinita is often included on architecture and photography tours, which also typically make stops at the Ponte Vecchio, Duomo Cathedral, and Pitti Palace. While walking tours are the best way to get a feel for the city, a traditional barchetto river ride offers a perspective of Ponte Santa Trinita often missed by visitors. Private tours of Florence ensure the full attention of a guide and allow visitors to tack a walk across the bridge onto the day’s fully customized itinerary.

Centrally located within a 20-minute radius of most top Florence destinations, Ponte Santa Trinita is easily accessible on foot. If walking from the historic city center, take Via de Tornabuoni south to Lungarno Corsini. If walking from the Oltrarno (the Arno’s south bank), take Via Maggio north to Lungarno Guicciardini.

While the bridge is busiest during the summer months, its distance from the Ponte Vecchio means that it never feels overly crowded. For unobstructed photos or a quieter experience, go in the early morning or late evening.

On August 3, 1944, the German Command destroyed all but one bridge in the city of Florence. Smashed to rubble, the remnants of the Ponte Santa Trinita remained submerged under the Arno for 10 years until 1955, when enough money was raised to salvage the pieces and rebuild anew with stone from the same quarry used by the original architect.

Piazza Santa Croce, dominated by the Basilica of Santa Croce, is one of the most important squares in central Florence. Home to the intricately frescoed 17th-century Palazzo dell’Antella and the 15th-century Palazzo Cocchi-Serristori, this vibrant public space hosts a number of outdoor markets and fairs each year.

Adjacent to the magnificent Basilica of Santa Croce, which houses a treasure trove of works by Giotto, Gaddi, della Robbia, and Donatello, Piazza Santa Croce is a highlight of any visit to Florence. The basilica is among the most visited in the city and there are often long lines to enter; book a guided tour with skip-the-line entrance in advance in the crowded summer months.

Most city walking tours or sightseeing tours by Segway, bike, or electric golf cart include a stop at Piazza Santa Croce and its basilica along with other famous sights like the Uffizi and Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia). 

Piazza Santa Croce is in the historical center of Florence, just a short walk from the cathedral (Duomo), Piazza della Signoria, and Santa Maria Novella train station.

Florence is one of the most visited cities in Italy, and its main squares are hot and crowded in summer. Visit in spring or fall to enjoy these outdoor spaces with milder temperatures and smaller crowds. Piazza Santa Croce hosts a number of markets and fairs each year, including a Christmas market, antique markets, food fairs, and a raucous historical-football match each June.

The Santa Croce Basilica was long the preferred burial place for famous Italian artists and luminaries, and the church is home to dozens of tombs and funerary monuments honoring everyone from Leonardo da Vinci to Enrico Fermi. The most famous tombs are those of Michelangelo, Galileo, Ghiberti, and Machiavelli.

With its beautiful grassy expanses and Renaissance basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Florence’s Piazza di Santa Maria Novella is beloved by Florentines and visitors alike. The centrally located square, lined with historic townhouses, restaurants, and cafés, has been a popular gathering place for 800 years.

Piazza di Santa Maria Novella was built in the late 13th century and quickly became a center of Florentine life. Over the centuries, a number of festivals and tournaments were held here, and the two large obelisks sitting atop four bronze turtles by Giambologna that still decorate the square’s center were erected in the 1500s as marks for chariot races. One of Florence’s most beautiful churches, Santa Maria Novella, dominates this busy square, which is also home to the former Hospital of San Paolo, famous for its loggia decorated with majolica reliefs by Andrea della Robbia.

Many private or small-group Florence walking tours and tours by Segway or electric bike include a stop in Piazza di Santa Maria Novella along with visits to highlights like the Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio, the Accademia Gallery (Galleria dell'Accademia), Piazzale Michelangelo, the Florence Duomo, and Santa Croce (Basilica di Santa Croce). Another unique way to experience the piazza is by joining a street-food tour that stops at the cafés and gelato shops around the square.

Piazza di Santa Maria Novella is in the historic center of Florence, just across the street from the city’s main train station that shares its name.

The square is particularly lovely at night, when Florentines gather for an evening stroll with their gelato against the backdrop of the illuminated church facade.

In addition to its magnificent 15th-century facade designed by Leon Battista Alberti, this Renaissance monument is home to artistic masterpieces by Masaccio, Filippino Lippi, Brunelleschi, and Giotto in addition to Domenico Ghirlandaio’s beautiful Tornabuoni Chapel.

This ancient home grants a peek into history going back to the Middle Ages, and is a way to experience the wealthy merchant homes of the Renaissance era. It was built by the Davizzi family in the mid-14th century and later purchased by the Davanzatis in the 16th century. With three towers and five stories, it is decorated from floor to ceiling — complete with period furniture and frescoed walls. There are both medieval and Renaissance architectural elements, allowing for a comparison of the two styles and the history of the transition. 

The traditional layout of the home makes it a magnificent example of a medieval Florentine home. Some of its highlights include a central courtyard, stone and wood staircase, and underground gallery. Historic art, lace, furnishings and even coats-of-arms throughout the palace demonstrate the trends and styles as they have progressed through the ages.

The most famous scenic overlook in Florence, Piazzale Michelangelo is beloved for its breathtaking views over the city’s rooftops. From this 19th-century square set on a hillside in the Oltrarno neighborhood, panoramic views stretch over the Rose Garden, Ponte Vecchio spanning the river Arno, the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's iconic Duomo and bell tower, and the Tuscan hills beyond.

A stop to take in the stunning view from Piazzale Michelangelo is a must during any sightseeing tour, shore excursion, or day trip in Florence and can be paired with a private tour of the nearby church of San Miniato al Monte. Though the overlook can be reached on foot during a walking tour, its location along a panoramic road winding up the Florentine hills also makes it a popular destination for tours of the city by car or Vespa scooter.

By foot, cross the Ponte alle Grazie bridge near the Santa Croce basilica and make your way to Piazza Poggi. From there, climb the steps and pathways leading uphill from the river to the square. The walk is pleasant but steep, so allow at least 45 minutes. Otherwise, bus lines 12 and 13 both stop near the overlook.

Since the square is most crowded during the middle of the day, a sunrise or sunset visit means that you can enjoy the best view of Florence in relative peace.

Further up the hill, San Miniato al Monte is considered Tuscany's finest Romanesque church and one of the most scenic in Italy. The church dates back to 1013 and is adjoined to an Olivetan monastery where monks produce liqueurs, honey and herbal teas, sold in the monastery's shop.

Visitors flock to Pisa’s famous leaning tower, which is part of a magnificent cathedral complex centered around the 17th-century Duomo and adjacent baptistery. A splendid example of Pisan Romanesque architecture, the Duomo’s original and renovated elements include a splendid apse mosaic, ornate pulpit, golden coffered ceiling, and more.

The Piazza del Duomo, more commonly known as the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), houses Pisa’s Duomo complex, one of Italy’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The original church was built in the 11th century, but a fire in 1595 destroyed most of the medieval art and architecture—though the rendering of St. John’s face by Cimabue in the apse mosaic and the ornately carved pulpit by Giovanni Pisano survived. A series of renovations over the subsequent centuries added the Latin-cross floor plan, galleried exterior topped with a small dome, bronze doors from the Giambologna school, rounded apse, and five interior naves with a forest of massive pillars rising to the gilded ceiling.

The walled Piazza dei Miracoli is one of the most popular destinations in Tuscany and can be very crowded during the summer months. Booking a skip-the-line Pisa tour ahead of time is essential to avoid a long wait at the ticket office and ensure a time slot to visit the cathedral of Pisa along with the campanile and battistero (baptistry) before closing time. Consider a small-group tour of this stunning complex, or a Leaning Tower family tour if traveling with kids. If you have time for a full-day tour, you can easily combine a Pisa visit with nearby Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, or other towns in Tuscany’s Chianti region.

The Piazza dei Miracoli is about one mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the Pisa train station across the River Arno. Trains run daily from Rome, Florence, and Venice. It is about a 20-minute walk through the historic center of Pisa to the Duomo, or you can take the No. 4 or No. 21 bus from the station.

The Duomo is most crowded from late morning through the afternoon, so try to arrive in the early morning to enjoy the square and its sights before the throngs of daily visitors arrive.

In addition to the Duomo, visitors can tour the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) and Sinopie Museum, which displays preparatory sketches for the cathedral’s frescoes. The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (Duomo Opera Museum), founded in 1891, houses treasured works of art removed from the Duomo and baptistery for various reasons over the centuries.

One of the most famous sights in all of Tuscany—perhaps all of Italy—stands in the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. This grassy expanse is home to the city’s cathedral complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes the Duomo, Monumental Cemetery, and Opera del Duomo Museum. The headliner, however, is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), also known as Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square), attracts throngs of visitors snapping pictures of the Leaning Tower, but the square is home to much more than this iconic landmark. The magnificent Duomo and baptistery are splendid examples of Pisan Romanesque architecture, the Monumental Cemetery (Camposanto Monumentale) is home to a pretty central courtyard and 14th-century frescoes, and the Opera del Duomo Museum holds an important collection of religious art. 

This public square is one of the most popular destinations in Tuscany and is very crowded in the summer. Booking a skip-the-line Piazza dei Miracoli tour ahead of time helps avoid a long wait and enjoy priority admission to the cathedral, baptistery, and bell tower. Consider a Leaning Tower family tour if traveling with kids, or pair your Piazza dei Miracoli visit with a walking or bike tour of Pisa’s other attractions. 

Piazza dei Miracoli is about 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) north of the Pisa train station across the River Arno, about a 20-minute walk through the historical center of Pisa. Buses 4 and 21 run between the station and the square.

The piazza and the cathedral complex are most crowded from late morning through the afternoon. The best time to tour is in the early morning before the throngs of daily visitors arrive.

Pisa’s vast Duomo complex is made up of a number of sights and buildings. In addition to the cathedral, baptistery, and bell tower, visitors can tour the Monumental Cemetery. The complex’s two museums are the Sinopie Museum, which holds preparatory sketches for the cathedral’s frescoes, and the Opera del Duomo Museum, with a collection of works of art that once decorated the Duomo and baptistery.