What to do in Pisa with children

Pisa, a city known worldwide for its leaning tower, is an excellent destination to discover with children. A must-see destination is the world-famous tower and the Piazza dei Miracoli, seeing them is always a unique thrill!
But Pisa is not only this. A very lively university town, it offers works of enormous artistic and cultural value such that it is called an "open-air museum." Here you are always walking with your nose to the sky to admire the many monuments on every corner of every street.

And if the kids are tired of walking around? There are beautiful parks to play and relax in!

1) The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Undoubtedly the recognizing element of Pisa all over the world is the Leaning Tower in Piazza dei Miracoli. The contrast of colors between the green lawn and the white tower, the beauty of the details and the slope leaves children breathless as they see it!

But here are three things you could tell babies in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa:
✔ The slope of the tower (by as much as 3.9 degrees!!) is not something intended by those who designed it: it was caused by the subsidence of the ground, which was particularly sandy in places, due to the excessive weight of the tower.
✔ During construction they realized the subsidence and tried to straighten the tower: if you look closely, the tower is slightly arched.
✔ The tower is actually a bell tower: it is' the bell tower of the nearby Pisa Cathedral! In the Middle Ages, churches were flanked by a tower that housed bells. If you think about it, St. Mark's bell tower in Venice and Giotto's bell tower near the cathedral in Florence are also towers.
And of course, once the visit is over, taking the popular photo where you try to hold up the very heavy Leaning Tower is a must!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa at 56 meters high, 8 stories, with a total of 293 steps is entirely visitable, but for safety reasons children under 8 years old are not allowed to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Here i skip-tail tickets for the Tower of Pisa

The Tower of Pisa

2) The Piazza del Miracoli

The Tower is not the only architectural beauty of the city of Pisa; in fact, it is part of a complex located in the Piazza del Duomo. The latter includes: the Cathedral, the Baptistery (the largest Baptistery in Italy), the Campo Santo and, of course, the Bell Tower. Because of its beauty it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
An interesting curiosity concerns the origin of its name: the precision of the architecture and the majesty of the monuments aroused in the poet D'Annunzio such wonder, even leading him, in 1910 to call them "miracles"... from that moment the square takes the name of Piazza dei Miracoli!
A surprise awaits the children inside the Baptistery: every half hour all the doors are closed and a person, positioning himself in the center, begins to emit sounds that, thanks to the echo originated by the double dome, give rise to a beautiful melody. Your children will be fascinated!
Here the skip-tail tickets for Baptistery, Cemetery and Cathedral: Quick Access.

The lawn of the Piazza dei Miracoli is partly closed to the public, but in the part closest to the cemetery you can enter on the lawn.

Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa

3) Botanical Garden and Museum

There are several parks in Pisa where you can retreat a bit away from the city and enjoy a nice walk in the fresh air: one of them is the Botanical Garden.
The Botanical Garden , located just 300 meters from the famous Tower, is the first university botanical garden in the world. It covers about 2 hectares and is divided into 7 sectors according to historical criteria; as many as 3,000 plants from 5 continents are grown inside.
At the Botanical Garden it is possible to organize guided tours, visit the museum and browse the herbarium, a documentation of the world's flora of great national importance.
An excellent opportunity to raise awareness among children, and us adults, about the preservation of biodiversity.

Some useful info:

• The garden is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• < Children under 6 get in free
• < Children between 6 and 12 pay 2€
• Every first Sunday of the month admission to the botanical garden and museum is free

Credits Federigo Federighi Botanical Garden

4) Keith Haring's Mural

If you are a fan of contemporary art and murales just a few steps from Pisa train station you can admire a true work of art: a mural by Keith Haring.
The Tuttomondo Mural, created on the outside wall of the convent of St. Anthony, is considered very important both because it is the last public work created by the artist before his death and because Haring himself called it a true hymn to life and "one of the most important works he ever did."
Tuttomondo was created with the intention of depicting the harmony that reigns among humans, animals and nature and Haring found it precisely in the city of Pisa, a river port and cultural center since antiquity. In the Mural, a perfect example of the artist's unmistakable style, there are several figures, mostly animals: monkey, bat, dolphin, hen, snake, butterfly, dog. Have fun finding them all!

Keith Haring All-World Mural

5) The Charterhouse of Calci and The Museum of Natural History

The Charterhouse of Pisa or Certosa di Calci is a monumental complex of great significance and also one of the most important Carthusian monasteries in Italy . The Charterhouse, for centuries home to hundreds of monks who spent their lives here immersed in prayer, is now put to new uses.
The appearance is enchanting and, once you enter, you will feel as if you are in a place where time has stood still, immersed in a space far removed from daily, hectic life : a perfect opportunity to take a nice walk with your family in peace.

The works of art visible inside make it comparable to a real royal palace. Guided group tours can be arranged to discover it better.

Credits Gianni Careddu Certosa di Calci

Right inside the marvelous Certosa complex is located the Museum of Natural History. The Museum is organized into two exhibition sectors:
✅ The first includes the permanent exhibits among which you can visit the Amphibian and Reptile Gallery, the Mammal Gallery, the Cetacean Gallery, the Mineral Gallery, the Dinosaur Hall and many more. A paradise for all children!
✅ The second includes the largest freshwater aquarium in Italy and the Temporary Exhibition that varies depending on the period of visit.
The collections are unique and of great historical and scientific importance with zoology, paleontology and mineralogy exhibits.
Being able to visit the exhibits immersed in the Certosa complex is a unique experience!

Credits Federigo Federighi Museum of Natural History

6) San Rossore Nature Park

Pisa is also the ideal place to immerse yourself in the green and have a close experience with nature. San Rossore Park is part of a protected natural area that protects more than 23,000 hectares in total. The territory of the park stretches along the coastal strip between Pisa and Lucca; one third of the area is covered by forests, but there are various types of natural environments.
If you sharpen your eyesight, it is possible to see a rich variety of majestic birds, such as the white heron, woodpecker or mallard, but also fallow deer, wild boar and, of course, some rare flora species such as the pink hibiscus.
For the most part, the proposed routes are on flat terrain and are therefore particularly suitable for walking even with strollers and baby carriages. In addition, you can bring bicycles for your children and let them free to discover the park on two wheels.

Some useful info:

• You can access the Estate from the Bridge to the Trumpets from Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• From the tip of Via delle Lenze only on Sundays and holidays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Everyday driveways open to the public are the Ponte alle Trombe, Cascine Vecchie, Sterpaia and Cascine Nuove axis.

Credits Franco Simone Baldi Dolfi San Rossore Park

7) Torta co' bischeri

A visit to the city obligatorily includes a taste of its typical products, and if you are very greedy you will fall in love with the Torta co' bischeri di Pisa . It is a traditional folk cake made with very simple ingredients such as cocoa, pine nuts and candied fruit. The particularity lies in the preparation: it is important, in fact, that the shortcrust pastry when spreading it on the baking pan comes out from the edges and is then folded over the edge of the dough, thus forming the famous bischeri that resemble the battlements of a medieval castle.
If, on the other hand, you prefer a savory snack, don't miss the cecina , a savory cake made with chickpea flour that is easily found in every corner of the city: watch out one piece leads to another!

Credits Cucchiaio d'Argento La Torta co' Bischeri

Practical info for visiting Pisa

Pisa is conveniently accessible by car, train and plane.
Pisa airport is a destination for many scheduled and low-cost flights.
Within walking distance of the airport you can find convenient parking lots, here to book them Pisa airport parking