The Leaning Tower of Pisa, often referred to as simply the Tower of Pisa has been made famous for its signature lean. In fact, the unstable foundation of the tower has caused a lean of almost 4 degrees. When referring to architecture, this is quite a bit.
While in the last 2 decades or so the lean has corrected itself by a few centimeters, this lean makes the Leaning Tower of Pisa one of the most popular Florence tours to nearby areas.
Looking for the top Leaning Tower of Pisa tours? These are our top 5 picks of day tours from Florence to the Tower of Pisa.
Best Tower of Pisa Tours
| From Florence: Private Half-Day Pisa & the Leaning Tower | From Florence: Pisa Half-Day Trip with Cathedral and Tower Entry | Pisa: Half-Day Afternoon Tour from Florence | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Departure Point | Hotel Pickup | Main Entrance of Piazza di Santa Maria Novella | Piazzale Montelungo, hotel pickup on request |
| Departure Time | 9:00 AM | 9:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| Duration | 4 hours, 30 minutes (approx.) | 6 hours | 4 - 6 hours (approx.) |
| Includes | Pickup and drop off at local Florence hotels, travel by air-conditioned minivan with an expert guide, lunch, all entry fees, wine tasting | Skip-the-line access Leaning Tower of Pisa tour, roundtrip Florence to Pisa tour, a private tour of Pisa with expert guide lasting approximately 2 hours | Roundtrip travel by modern coach, an expert and multilingual guide, entry fees, skip-the-line Leaning Tower of Pisa tour |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Leaning Tower of Pisa Tours from Florence
- From Florence: Private Half-Day Pisa & the Leaning Tower
- From Florence: Pisa Day Tour with Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Pisa: Half-Day Afternoon Tour from Florence
- The Pisa Tower, Lucca & Wine Tour from Florence
- Leaning Tower of Pisa: Exclusive Half-Day Trip from Florence
Leaning Tower of Pisa Tours from Florence Reviews
#1 From Florence: Private Half-Day Pisa & the Leaning Tower
- Departure Point: Main Entrance of Piazza di Santa Maria Novella
- Departure Time: 9:00 AM
- Duration: 4 hours, 30 minutes (approx.)
- Includes: skip-the-line access Leaning Tower of Pisa tour, roundtrip Florence to Pisa tour, a private tour of Pisa with expert guide lasting approximately 2 hours
Over the course of 2 hours, your expert guide will take you through the Cathedral Square of Pisa. This not only includes access to the Leaning Tower of Pisa but also the baptistery, the cathedral, and the cemetery.
The Cathedral Square of Pisa is often referred to as Piazza dei Miracoli, or the Miracles Square, due to the miracle of the beautiful architecture here. The guide you meet upon arriving in Pisa will make sure you know exactly why it’s referred to as the Miracle Square.
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After touring the baptistery, which is the largest in Europe, and learning more about the cathedral and the cemetery enclosed within the square, you will have skip-the-line access to the Leaning Tower if Pisa itself. This allows you to climb the steps all the way to the top where you will enjoy miraculous views of the city laid out before you.
How far is Pisa from Florence? It takes approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes to arrive in Pisa. This makes this tour an ideal option out of the many half-day tours from Florence. You can be back in Florence by lunchtime to enjoy other Florence tours as well.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
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#2 From Florence: Pisa Half-Day Trip with Cathedral and Tower Entry
- Departure Point: Piazzale Montelungo, hotel pickup on request
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM
- Duration: 5 hours (approx.)
- Includes: roundtrip travel by modern coach, an expert and multilingual guide, entry fees, skip-the-line Leaning Tower of Pisa tour
While hotel pickup is available if requested, meeting your driver at Piazzale Montelungo is fairly easy. It’s located near public transportation and the driver is easy to locate in a bright, fuchsia shirt. How far is Pisa from Florence? The drive will take approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes.
When you arrive at Pisa, you will meet your guide. They are an expert and multilingual so you can get the most out the time you spend visiting Pisa from Florence. In fact, you’ll be taken on guided tours of nearly every major location within the Piazza dei Miracoli, also known as the Square of Miracles, with it’s beautiful, white marble architecture and statues.
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On your tour or Pisa, your guide will tell you the history of this city, dating back to Medieval times, as well as the historical facts and legendary stories surrounding this city. Learn about the Roman influence in Pisa, learn the importance of the largest baptistery in Europe, learn about who calls the Monumental Graveyard their resting place, and more.
The last stop will be the Leaning Tower of Pisa tour itself. Skip-the-line and head inside to climb up nearly 300 steps to reach the top of the tower for the beautiful views of the city below. Be sure to snap pictures of the outside before you head inside as you’ll be meeting your driver soon after exiting the tower.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#3 Pisa: Half-Day Afternoon Tour from Florence
- Departure Point: Piazzale Montelungo
- Departure Time: 1:30 PM
- Duration: 6 hours (approx.)
- Includes: roundtrip transportation by air-conditioned coach, licensed tour guide, earphones with larger groups, cathedral entry fees
Are you looking for Tower of Pisa tours from Florence that leave in the afternoon? If you’d rather take your time in the morning instead of rushing to get to the meeting points for the earlier half day tours from Florence, this Pisa tour is ideal.
On your travel through the Italian countryside on your way to Pisa, be sure to snap photos. Then, when you arrive in Pisa, your expert, licensed guide will take you on a walking tour throughout Piazza Dei Miracoli, also known as the Square of Miracles.
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Your tour includes entrance to the Cathedral inside Miracle Square. Enjoy the unique art and architecture influenced by both this region of Italy and the Roman Empire. If the lines to enter this cathedral are longer, you may be offered a guided tour of Piazza dei Cavalieri instead. This cathedral was a center of political activity during the Middle Ages.
After you’ve toured the cathedral and learned more about the cemetery and baptistery also located in Pisa, you will have free time to explore the Square independently. Tours of other monuments are available for small entry fees or you can always dip into a few shops for some souvenirs. After your Florence to Pisa tour, you’ll return in the late evening to make your dinner plans.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#4 The Pisa Tower, Lucca & Wine Tour from Florence
- Departure Point: Hotel Pickup
- Departure Time: 9:00 AM
- Duration: 9 Hours (approx.)
- Includes: pickup and drop off at local Florence hotels, travel by air-conditioned minivan with an expert guide, lunch, all entry fees, wine tasting
After being picked up at your Florence hotel to begin your Pisa tour, you’ll take an hour’s drive to Villa Maionchi. Located in Italy’s Tuscany region, it is the ideal place to stop for a visit. You’ll enjoy beautiful views of the vineyards and be offered some of their best wines to taste.
After your Tuscany wine tasting experience, you’ll head to the heart of Lucca, where the Renaissance still lives on in old walls, cobblestone streets, and other evidence of another time in history. Your guide will take you along these walls, telling you about their history, construction, and purpose.
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Before leaving Lucca, you’ll enjoy a traditional, Tuscan lunch at Osteria Baralla. With delicious food and these guided tours, your experiences in Lucca will give you yet another way to enjoy your Pisa tour from Florence.
Finally, by mid-afternoon, you will arrive in Pisa. This is one of the most popular Florence day tours because you won’t just explore the tower itself, but also the cathedral and cemetery that are all a part of the Piazza dei Miracoli. Arrive back at your hotel around 6:30 PM, with plenty of time to make your dinner plans back in Florence.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
#5 Leaning Tower of Pisa: Exclusive Half-Day Trip from Florence
- Departure Point: Piazzale Montelungo
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM
- Duration: 5 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Includes: roundtrip transportation by air-conditioned coach, local guide, entry fees, time for independent exploration
When you arrive in Pisa, you will meet your local guide who will take you directly into the Square. It had been renamed as Piazza dei Miracoli when it became known as the “Field of Miracles” due to its beautiful architecture and statues made of bright, white marble.
The Square is home not just to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but also the largest baptistery in Europe and other monuments. While visiting Pisa from Florence, you will be taken on a guided tour of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where you can take pictures from the top of the tower.
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You’ll then had to the cathedral where you will learn more about the art and architectural features inside the ancient building. Your local guide may even be able to answer questions you have about the Roman influence in this cathedral.
Before heading back to Florence, you will have plenty of time to explore Pisa on your own. For an additional fee, you may also want to visit other monuments within the Square. You can also take advantage of photo ops or snag a few souvenirs in the shops.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Best Leaning Tower of Pisa Tours from Florence Guide
If you’re planning a vacation to Florence, Italy you should know what airport you’ll be flying into, the best accommodations available, what restaurants to stop by, and more. In this travel guide, we give you all the information you’ll need to get started planning your vacation. Have you been to Florence and want to suggest a tourist stop or restaurant? Comment below!
Airports & Entry
There is a small airport in Florence, the Florence Peretola. It was previously known as Amerigo Vespucci Airport. However, you will most likely fly into the Galileo Galilei International Airport in Pisa. This is a much larger airport so long-distance, foreign flights are most likely to land here.
Your passport will need to be valid for at least six months past your intended date of departure. If you’re planning on an extended stay, you can stay in Italy for up to 90 days without the need for a visa, so long as your passport is valid.
Planning Tips
Visiting Florence can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, it’s important to plan and prepare for your trip properly. Here, we have our top 5 tips for those planning a trip to Florence, Italy. Have you visited and have a tip of your own? Leave it in the comments down below!
Tip #1: Don’t be Afraid to Spit
When wine tasting in Italy, it is common for the taster to swish the wine around in their mouth to get the full profile of flavors, and then spit the wine out. This is so that you can taste many more wines without becoming intoxicated. It may feel a bit uncomfortable to spit out your drink in public, but it’s actually the cultural norm for this country.
Tip #2: Eat Light
You’ll find that even entrees featuring meat and pasta are smaller in portion size than what we see here in the US. Most of the time, meals consist of lighter fare including crostini, cured meat, and cheeses. Do not be surprised at the smaller portions of heavy meals and the abundance of lighter snacks.
Tip #3: Explore Florence on Foot
Not only is walking the preferred method of getting around in Florence, but it is also the easiest. While you may be walking with many other tourists, walking allows you to see more of the city. It may even take longer to wait for a taxi or bus than it would to walk to your destination. You will also most likely be walking at many of the attractions. Be sure to bring a pair or two of comfortable walking shoes.
Tip #4: Prioritize Your List
It would take months, if not years, to visit and explore every museum, gallery, eatery, and other important location within the city of Florence. Be sure to prioritize the list of places you’d like to see based on the length of time you’re spending here. Many of the attractions have estimated wait times based on the time of year and time of day you are visiting. This makes it easier to plan out your sightseeing.
Tip #5: Take Those 500 Steps
The Cathedral in Florence, called the Duomo, is the 4th-largest cathedral in the world. It took nearly 2 centuries to complete. Be sure to save at least one day to explore it. If you’d like to reach the highest point in Florence by hiking the 463 steps to the cathedral’s cupola, you’ll need to make a reservation. However, you won’t be disappointed.
Tip #6: Explore The Surrounding Cities
Venice is only a few hours northeast of Florence. This famous beautiful city is a must see! You must see the incomparable St Mark’s Basilica and take a gondola ride though its canals. There is so much to see and do there it needs to be on your list of places to see.
Restaurants & Eating Out
It seems even the food vendors at every corner and in front of every attraction have some of the best food available. These vendors also make it very quick to grab a bite to eat while on your way from one destination to another.
If you’re looking for some of the best gelato in Florence, you want to check out Carapina. The flavors of gelato available will change based on the season, and the number of choices is limited on purpose, but if you’ve ever thought of trying gelato with either olive oil or parmesan, this is the place.
The Borgo san Jacopo is one of the most exclusive restaurants in Florence. There are just four tables on a small terrace, but this terrace offers breathtaking views of the Ponte Vecchio. The star chef, Peter Brunel, offers mouthwatering entrées. Save room for the purple potato sorbet with various toppings, including gold leaf, for dessert.
A popular stop for many tourists is La Menagere. La Menagere is home to both a café and cocktail bar, but you’ll also find beautiful bouquets in the flower shop as well as quality Italian homeware in the store. Dinner entrées can include everything from spaghetti with squid to beef with pears.
Nightlife & Entertainment
While it’s common to stop for a cocktail in the evening before turning in, nightlife in Florence is relatively calm. In fact, one of their most popular bars offers cappuccino and pastries in the morning, a light lunch in the afternoon, and a buffet dinner as well as cocktails in the evening. This bar, known as Caffe degli Artigiani, is in the center of the artisan district.
The La Casa del Vino is a popular wine bar near the center of town. If you’re looking to try some of the top wines in the area of Tuscany or even find some less common wines from all over the country, you’ll want to stop by. To go with the extensive wine list, there is a menu of light snacks that includes meats, cheeses, crostini, and salads.
Getting Around
Getting around by car in the city of Florence is nearly impossible. Much of the city is off-limits to drivers. Of those streets that are drivable, many are narrow and might even be one-way. If traveling by car is necessary, you’ll want to take a taxi. However, taxis are quite expensive.
The best way to get around Florence is on foot. In fact, it’s possible to walk from one side of the city to the other in less than an hour. If your feet are getting tired or you have a longer distance to travel, a bus system is available. You can find tickets at local convenience stores.
Accommodations
If the city of Florence had a theme, it would be luxury. From the historical sites to the most modern hotels, from street food vendors to well-known eateries, Florence is the epitome of luxury. If you’d like to experience that firsthand, be sure to research your accommodations. If you’re familiar with the Four Seasons brand, you may know what to expect from the Four Seasons Florence.
However, Florence is home to some very unique accommodations as well. The Palazzo Vecchietti features just 12 bedrooms and suites along with two apartments. Each is named after famous Italian artists. This 16th-century Palazzo has been turned into a luxury bed-and-breakfast of sorts, with meals being served in a common area on the top floor. A luxury Florence hotel with more of a retro feel is the Continentale.
Weather
You may want to avoid July and August when planning a trip to Florence. January is usually the coldest month with temperatures in the low 40s, Fahrenheit. While the average temperature in July is in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, the humidity can make it feel unbearably warm. The best times to travel to Florence are in the spring and fall.
Attractions
You’ll find the attractions in Florence mostly based on the history and food of the region. While the Statue of David is arguably one of the most popular sights to see in Florence, getting in to see Michelangelo’s famous artwork can take some time. Lines are usually very long, but it’s worth it.
You may also want to stop at Piazzale Michelangiolo, a terrace overlooking the city. The skyline of Florence seen from this terrace is the same often seen on postcards. Late afternoon or early evening are ideal times to visit as the crowds have died down.
There is no shortage of museums to visit while in Florence. Gucci Museo, or the Gucci Museum, is quite fun and a bit different than most other museums in the area. An archeological museum, the Museo Archeologico, features much of the regional history prior to the Medicis.
The Galleria dell’ Accademia is home to the Statue of David and other popular exhibits such as several Stradivarius violins and famous paintings. Be sure to see the Uffuzi Gallery as well to see the Renaissance period masterpieces.
Enjoying the Wine That Makes Florence Famous
While one of the most popular tourist activities in Florence is wine tasting, be sure not to miss out on the beauty and history of the city itself. Florence may be a small city compared to some, but the experiences had during even a short vacation here will last a lifetime.
If you’re headed to Florence, what are you looking forward to the most? Let us know!
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We chose the Pisa Tower, Lucca & Wine Tour from Florence as our Editor's Choice for a tour that originated in Florence and visits the Leaning Tower.
