Self Guided Walks in Pisa

Self guided walks in Pisa

The historic centre is flat and mostly closed to traffic, so walking is the natural way to see it. Here are four self guided options, with 2026 prices in euros. Confirm hours before you set out.

Route one: cathedral square to the station

This is the classic line, about 2 km, taking 2.5 to 3 hours with stops.

  1. Leave the Piazza dei Miracoli by Via Santa Maria.
  2. Reach Piazza dei Cavalieri and look up at the sgraffito facade of the Palazzo della Carovana.
  3. Follow Borgo Stretto under its arcades to the market square, Piazza delle Vettovaglie.
  4. Cross the river by Ponte di Mezzo and walk under the Logge di Banchi.
  5. Take Corso Italia towards the station and detour to the Tuttomondo mural by Keith Haring at Sant’Antonio Abate.

The reverse direction works too, and the whole stretch from the station to the cathedral square is about 1.8 km.

Route two: along the walls

The Mura di Pisa walkway runs for 3.1 km at roof height, with an end to end time of around an hour. Tickets are EUR 5, with EUR 3 reduced and EUR 15 for families. Children up to 8 go free and booking online adds EUR 1.50. Entry towers include Torre Santa Maria, Torre Piezometrica and Torre di Legno, and Bastione del Parlascio has a lift. From April to August it opens from 10:00 to 20:00, and winter hours end at 17:00.

Route three: Galileo’s Pisa

Galileo was born in Pisa in 1564. Take in the Cathedral, whose lamp is linked to his pendulum story, then the Tower, then the plaque on Via Giuseppe Giusti 24 to 26 that marks his mother’s family home. Nobody can enter the house, which is private. Then go to the Palazzo della Sapienza, the university building where he studied and taught.

Route four: Jewish heritage, by booking

Pisa’s Jewish cemetery near Porta Nuova dates from 1674 and the synagogue is on Via Palestro. Both open only for guided visits arranged through CoopCulture, at EUR 3 for the cemetery, EUR 4 for the synagogue and EUR 6 for both, with a EUR 1 booking fee. Visits do not take place on Saturdays or Jewish holidays. Please visit quietly and do not photograph them as a backdrop.

Walking tips

  • Wear shoes that grip, as the stone is polished smooth.
  • Drivers should keep out of the centre. Cameras enforce the restricted zone and fines arrive weeks later.
  • Carry bags in front of you around the Tower and the station.
  • The wall walkway closes when the weather is bad, so keep another plan.

Read more: Pisa attraction tours and Pisa 2 day itinerary .

Official information: Mura di Pisa tickets and Galileo’s birthplace . Guided walks to compare: Pisa walking tours on Viator .