A Tuscany Itinerary – How to spend a weekend in Pisa & the surroundings [2024]

By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 11th July 2020 | Updated: 29th November 2024

If you want to make the most of your trip to Italy, a Tuscany itinerary for spending a long weekend exploring Pisa and the surroundings is the way to do it. Pisa is a great base for exploring the surrounding area, not only because you can easily hop on a train and be whisked away through the beautiful Italian countryside to numerous cities and towns, but it is small enough to be explored in a day or two.

So, having visited Pisa before we opted to do just that, spend a day in Pisa, then take day trips out to Florence, Lucca, and Cinque Terre. So, without further ado, here is how to get the most out of a long weekend in Pisa and the surroundings with our Tuscany itinerary.

📍 Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa & the surroundings – Day 1: Pisa

📍 Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa & the surroundings – Day 2: Florence

📍 Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa & the surroundings – Day 3: Lucca

📍 Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa & the surroundings – Day 4: Cinque Terre

Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:

Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com

Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com

Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com

Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide

Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa and the surroundings: Day 1 – Pisa

Where better to start a Tuscany itinerary than Pisa? Pisa is obviously best known for its Leaning Tower but is also a wonderful little city to visit with walks along the River Arno and colourful streets with painted wooden shutters. All the main tourist attractions are also easily done in a day, obviously allowing for the odd gelato stop.

Try to plan your trip to arrive in the morning so you have a full day to explore Pisa. We started exploring at 11 am and had plenty of time, but we had visited before. We were staying just a short walk from Pisa Centrale so after getting your bearings head from here through the main streets to the River Arno before wandering along the water’s edge and crossing over and exploring the countless shops and cafes to the north of the river.

The buildings lining the river are typically wonderful Italian painted in pastel shades with ornate shutters. It’s best to wander your way along here admiring the typically Italian-painted pastel-shade buildings with ornate shutters with a cooling gelato in hand, I mean when isn’t it in Pisa, Tuscany, or Italy for that matter? (We find pistachio gelato works the best for this, you can thank us later).

From here make a beeline for the Ancient walls of Pisa, which you can climb up and walk along for a small fee. There are 3 entrances and exits but we chose to climb up the tower in the east of the city close to the Universita di Pisa Dipartimento di Matematica. From here simply follow the wall north and you will get some of the best views over the Piazza del Duomo. We then climbed down via the Torre de Santa Maria and set about exploring the piazza from the ground.

Now you can’t come for a trip to Tuscany and possibly a weekend in Pisa and not visit the famous Torre di Pisa leaning tower. Already tilting when it was completed in 1372, the 56m tall white marble structure is actually the bell tower of the Cattedrale di Pisa that lies next to it. You can climb to the top for a small fee, but be wary, the journey back down is actually quite odd, to say the least…!

From the top of the tower, you can see over the city of Pisa for miles right out to the hills near Lucca.

So going back to this journey down through the winding steps that follow the curve of the tower… You know the tower is leaning, it is in the name, but you can’t truly appreciate how much it is leaning until you try walking down all 297 steps in one go. It is difficult, you will bump into the outside wall on one side then the inside wall on the other, all the meanwhile trying to keep upright in a tower tilted at 5 metres / 17 feet off vertical at the top!

As mentioned above also in the piazza is the Cattedrale di Pisa, a grand marble-striped cathedral known for its enormous ornate Romanesque bronze doors & carved 1300s pulpit. The flooring and ceiling alike in this place were unimaginable, you think the outside looks impressive, make sure you look up and down when in there.

Be sure to go inside the stunning Cattedrale di Pisa and climb to the top of the Torre di Pisa. Both are well worth the queues. Just be mindful that you will have to have your shoulders covered in the cathedral and a head for heights and a wonky staircase to climb the tower. There are of course lots of other things that can be done in Pisa, but these are the things we recommend doing if you don’t have long to explore.

One final thing you must do is to try the local cuisine throughout your Tuscany itinerary and most definitely in Pisa, it’s not all pizza and gelato in Italy! The local apricot pastries go down great with a glass of Bellini or a shot of limoncello… Be sure to stop by Il Pozzo dei Miracoli or Pizza a Tutta II, (both on Piazza delle Vettovaglie) for these. Cecina, (a savoury chickpea flour pie), is worth a try too!

Planning your own trip to Italy? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)

Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa and the surroundings: Day 2 – Florence

Next up on the Tuscany itinerary, and only an hour and a half away from Pisa, is Florence. The capital of Italy’s Tuscany region and with numerous galleries filled with masterpieces by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Da Vinci it is an art lovers’ dream as well as a romantic getaway. There are restaurant-lined piazzas at every turn and in between, you can wind away the day’s window shopping or just fully immersing yourself in the Italian way of life.

Ponte Vecchio or ‘Old Bridge’ in Italian is one of the go-to places when visiting Florence. The beautiful medieval bridge lined with shops is not only a bridge but a road, a marketplace, and a piazza all rolled into one. The yellow and ochre colours of the buildings alongside the green-painted wooden window shutters on the bridge look breathtaking even on a grey day like the one when we visited.

Be prepared to round the corner of whichever road leads you to the bridge and have to stop and gaze in awe at the beautiful structure in front of you. A little-known fact is that Pulteney Bridge in Bath, England, designed by architect Robert Adam, was actually inspired by the shop-lined bridges of Ponte Vecchio in Florence and Ponte di Rialto in Venice. Add that to your pub quiz knowledge!

If you haven’t visited Bath before then it is well worth a visit to see Pulteney Bridge as well as the city itself.

After visiting the Ponte Vecchio make your way through the countless luxury shops, from Gucci to Louis Vuitton to Prada, trying not to make too many purchases along the way, and head to the famous leather market and the Fontana del Porcellino. You will know if you’re heading in the right direction when you begin to smell that distinctive leather smell. Within this old market, there is a fountain you must find.

It is said that if a visitor rubs the snout of this legendary bronze fountain of a boar then they will ensure their return to Florence. Needless to say, that snout got rubbed!

There are two iconic main attractions in Pisa and Florence. The Leaning Tower in Pisa and the Duomo in Florence. With the terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto, the Duomo is truly magnificent inside and out, from above and below. Even just sitting, people-watching with a gelato from a cafe below with the bells ringing out from the Duomo is a must-do experience in Florence and any Tuscany itinerary.

So, I (Gemma), messed up on a booking for a tour into the Tuscan countryside, turns out I’d booked it for the next weekend, not the one when we were there whoops, so we ended up in the centre of Florence at 7 am wondering what to do. Turns out it was a blessing in disguise as we were able to get up the Duomo belltower, which all previous days had had queues for miles!

At that time in the morning, we were also some of the only people up there taking in the amazing view from the top of the 414 steps. You have to do this when in Florence for the sheer beauty from the tallest vantage point around. (If you are coming to Florence book to go up this tower well in advance, you can only imagine it is not enjoyable to be stood in the Italian heat for hours on end not getting anywhere.)

Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa and the surroundings: Day 3 – Lucca

Stop three of the Tuscany itinerary is Lucca. From Pisa Centrale to Lucca takes about 30 minutes on the train, so, after a long day yesterday, you can afford to have a bit of a lie-in.

Lucca is a city known for its historic architecture and stunning churches. It has even been given the nickname of ‘City of Churches‘ due to the sheer number of them… 101 in total! Make sure you stop by at least a couple of them and most definitely the Cattedrale di San Martino, (Lucca’s cathedral), even if you can’t go inside, the outsides are just as beautiful.

You should also hire some bikes and cycle the famous city walls. At 4km long, they can easily be walked, but if you’re only here for the day and want to do something a bit different then we would highly recommend it. From on top of the walls, you can also scope out your next stops, the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and one, (or both), of the Torre.

We opted for climbing the Torre Guinigi as where else can you find a tower topped with trees?

From here wander along the side streets to the Via Fillungo and the old Roman amphitheatre Piazza dell’Anfiteatro where you can sit, eat and watch the world go by with a focaccia and some cannolis, before heading back to the station.

Check out our Top 10 must-do experiences in Lucca post here

Tuscany Itinerary – A weekend in Pisa and the surroundings: Day 4 – Cinque Terre

Although Cinque Terre is technically Genoa, not Tuscany, you can’t pass up the opportunity to visit these five wonderful villages and the walking trails in between them if you are nearby.

It takes roughly 1 hour on the train to get between Pisa Centrale and La Spezia Centrale, (the nearest main station to Cinque Terre), so we hopped on an early train to make full use of the day ahead before heading back to Pisa on one of the last trains. It cost us around €25 for both of us for the return tickets, leaving early and coming back late. From La Spezia Centrale you just get on the Cinque Terre train and you will be there in a matter of minutes.

You need to buy a Cinque Terre pass to go in and out of the 5 villages, which can be bought either at La Spezia Centrale or at any of the stations in Cinque Terre itself. They can also be bought online, but you might not get the most up-to-date train times with that. They cost roughly €16 each.

Once you are in Cinque Terre, get exploring! Each village is unique and well worth a couple of hours’ wander around, especially if you take into account stopping numerous times for food and drinks…

If you are walking the Sentiero Azzuro between the villages then we recommend starting at Monterosso al Mare and heading towards Riomaggiore, this way you get the hardest bit done first and the best views along the trails. Be sure to start early though as it can take around 7.5 hours with stops. Also, check that the trails are open before you start, many weren’t when we visited due to landslides in the area.

Check out our full Cinque Terre Guide here

Where to stay for the weekend in Pisa

Base yourself in Pisa, as it is a great central place to get to numerous locations throughout Tuscany, by car or train. You can easily take a day trip to Florence, Lucca, or Cinque Terre on the train, or further afield into the Tuscan countryside and hilltop villages by car. There is also a great mix of small hotels and B&Bs throughout Pisa that you can use for your accommodation.

Check out Booking.com for the best accommodation options for your trip in Tuscany.

Tuscany Itinerary FAQs

Where is Tuscany?

Tuscany is located in the northern central region of Italy, with a large expanse of coast on its western edge and numerous hilltop villages surrounded by vineyards and olive groves elsewhere. If you want cultural heritage galore, art-filled cities, mountain-top villages, good food, and too much wine choice to pick from then this is the region of Italy for you!

Is Pisa in Tuscany?

Yes, Pisa is located in the north west of region of Tuscany, to the west of Florence, north of San Gimignano and south of Lucca.

What is the nearest international airport to Pisa?

Pisa has an international airport, with connections through Europe and to the UK, as well as to certain destinations in Asia and the USA.

How to get to Tuscany

The easiest way to get to Tuscany from outside of Italy is to either fly into Pisa International Airport or Florence Airport or arrive via train if coming from elsewhere in Europe. The train system throughout Italy and the surrounding countries in Europe is fantastic so a great option if you are visiting elsewhere, just be sure to have an up-to-date timetable.

If you are driving, we would recommend heading to Pisa and basing yourself there. Not only is it slightly easier to get to than say Florence, but it’s a great city to stay in with parking available in most locations.

What is the best way to travel around Tuscany?

By far the best way to travel around Tuscany, (if you haven’t hired a car, which can be a little daunting in and out of Italian cities and along country lanes if you haven’t driven abroad before), is via train. The rail system in Italy, and through Europe, is really good and simple to use. It is also really well connected to all the main cities and a few of the towns and villages in Tuscany too.

If you do choose to drive, then be sure to hire a car from Rentalcars.com for the best deals and great options on lots of vehicles. We’ve used them a few times and they are always great.

What is the best time to visit Tuscany?

The best time to visit Tuscany is in either September or October. The weather is still lovely and warm, the masses of tourists are gone from the summer, and the wine harvests have begun! In all seriousness, we have visited in both July and October and the visit in October was the better weather and more enjoyable purely due to the reduction in tourists.

How many days is enough for Tuscany / How many days do you need in Tuscany?

To really experience the whole of the region of Tuscany, you could easily need 2 weeks. The area is vast, and the towns, cities, and villages that are located in Tuscany are some of the most beautiful and worth-visiting places in Italy. However, if you only have a few days or a long weekend to spend, then do as our above Tuscany itinerary, base yourself for the weekend in Pisa, and explore a few places from there.

Best places to visit in Tuscany?

Some of the best places to visit in Tuscany include Florence, Pisa, Lucca, and of course a few of the quaint hilltop villages such as San Gimignano, Siena, or Chianti.

Conclusion: Tuscany Itinerary – A long weekend in Pisa and the surroundings

There you have our Tuscany itinerary to exploring Pisa, Florence, Lucca, and Cinque Terre. We’ll be back discovering other places in Tuscany at every opportunity we get, this region of Italy is just stunning.

Tuscany is full of other places to see and gems to discover, but why not head a little further afield to Emilia Romagna? We spent a wonderful week there exploring the area as well as the micro country of San Marino and it was perfect. Check out that post here.

During our Tuscany itinerary, we stayed Pisa, however, there are numerous options of where to stay throughout Tuscany through Bookings For You. If you use our code ‘TRAVELLINGTEDALDI’ when booking you will receive an exclusive discount!

Gemma Tedaldi

Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.