Pisa
Getting There
Our next port is Livorno. Cruise shuttles take you about a block from the town center (Piazza Grande). At the town center, the number 1 bus will take you to the train station (Livorn Centrale) for 1 Euro. Remember tickets are purchased at tabacconists and newspaper kiosks and must be stamped (small blue machine on the bus) when you get on the bus and are good for 75 minutes from the time they are stamped. Buy enough for the return trip too. (If you opt for a taxi to the train station, the cost is roughly 20Euros which can be split with other tourists). Livorno to Pisa (Pisa Centrale) is a 15-20 minute train ride. Trains are frequent and cheap -- only 1.80 Euros each way. Trains to Florence (Firenze SMN (Santa Maria Novella) the second of three stations in Florence) run about every hour (8:11, 9:11, 10:11,etc) and it takes about 1 1/2 hours. (If you take the 10:00 train, you would need to change in Pisa and get to Florence at noon). Second class train fare is about 13 Euros round trip. Remember to validate your ticket (yellow machine) before boarding the train. Note: train doors are open for a short time - 2 minutes - so be prepared to get on or off quickly.Watch your time for the return trip, especially from Florence. Allow a minimum of 30 minutes for travel time to the port (ship) from Livorno Centrale. Leave one train earlier than you think that you need to.
It’s easy to reach the Leaning Tower from the Pisa train station, either by walking or by taking the bus or a taxi. Bus lines 3 and 4 run from Pisa Centrale, the main station, as does Shuttle Bus A - all of these will drop you near the Tower. Taxis are plentiful as well, and the ride isn’t very long. The buses and taxis are all available across from the train station’s main entrance. If you’re in the mood for a walk, the walk will take you just under a half-hour.
Quick note: Buying from illegal vendors can get you a hefty fine. If someone is selling their stuff from a blanket on the street, don't buy it. They use the blanket to quickly pick up their stuff when the police come around.
The Tower
La Torre di Pisa. The Tower of Pisa is the freestanding bell tower (campanile) of the cathedral or Duomo to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption). It is located in the The Piazza del Duomo ("Cathedral Square"), a wide, walled area at the heart of the city. It is otherwise known as Piazza dei Miracoli ("Square of Miracles"). The tower has 7 bells tuned to the musical scale. It is 186'/183' high (depending on which side you are standing on), took 177 years to complete, and was built in 3 phases. If you look carefully, you can see the top 1/3 of the tower is built leaning in the other direction. The top of the tower is roughly 13' from where it would stand if it were upright.
296/294 steps take you to the top - depending on which staircase you are using. And yes, you can go up to the top!! For 15euros you can get a timed entry ticket to walk to the top of the tower. It takes roughly 1 hour total -- a limited number of people are allowed in the tower each day, and they keep the groups moving in a timely manner.
The ticket office is a yellow building where you must check your bags -- I guess they don't want any Newton lessons.
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View of the cathedral and baptistry from the tower:
Duomo
The heart of the Piazza del Duomo is the Duomo, the medieval cathedral, entitled to Santa Maria Assunta (St. Mary of the Assumption). This is a five-naved cathedral with a three-naved transept (for all you "Pillars of The Earth" fans). The Cathedral in Pisa is an excellent example of Romanesque architecture that is so typical of the Tuscany region of Italy. The building dates back to the 11th century and the grandiose interior is held up by 68 columns. Pisa was a sea town, the sea came to just outside the surrounding walls, and the maritime influences of Byzantine and Arabic architecture are evident. Aesthetic highlights of a visit to Pisa Cathedral include the green and white marble interiors, the elaborately carved pulpit, and the carved and gilded wooden ceiling.
Baptistry
A Baptistry is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The Baptistry is an example of the transition from the Romanesque style to the Gothic style: the lower registers are in the Romanesque style, with rounded arches, while the upper registers are in the Gothic style, with pointed arches. The interior is fairly plain, dimly lit and not especially attractive, but it includes two great treasures: the first of the great Pisano pulpits and the large baptismal font in the center.
The baptistery is renowned for its perfect acoustics - choir concerts held inside can be heard from miles away. You can test the acoustics by arriving when it is least crowded (such as first thing in the morning), getting as close to the center as possible and sounding a loud note - it will echo around the room as it fades -- acoustics so remarkable that echoes last long enough to let you sing three-part harmony — solo. Listen for us Tootie!
It’s only €2 to get into the Cathedral, and the Bapistery will cost you €5. Or, you can get a combo ticket which includes both the Cathedral and Baptistery for €6.
Next week - Florence
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