There are certain bucket list sites in Europe that may not be top of your list to see but great to check off if the opportunity presents itself. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was one of those for us. As it happens a return trip to the port of Livorno gave us ample opportunity to do so.
Just to be clear however the port of Livorno is the jumping off point for Tuscany, Florence and Cinque Terra which should, in my opinion, take precedence. But since we had spent time in the former in the fall and did not have a long enough stop to do the later we chose an excursion to Pisa.
The drive to Pisa is only about half an hour. The buses have to park a distance from the walled old town but the walk is manageable for anyone. Once inside the area the shops and restaurants just outside of the of the walls were more congested and busy. According to our local guide however since we were there early in the spring the real crowds had not yet arrived. The walled town, the area around the cathedral and tower, was the only stop for us but according to many travel writers that is pretty much the highlight.
The Tower is a sight to behold. According to Britannica.com “the tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure’s weight and it continually worsened over time. By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees. The structure was stabilized by remedial work between 1993 and 2001, which reduced the tilt to just under 4 degrees.”
The Pisa Cathedral is the oldest of the three structures in the plaza followed by the Pisa Baptistry and then the Tower of Pisa. The medieval cathedral was begun in 1064 and completed in 1092. It is in the Romanesque style. You can tour the cathedral, except on Sunday when service is held. Unfortunately that was the case for us. Wewere able to get inside the Baptistery and were given an amazing display of its acoustics by a very talented guard.
Pisa was, surprising for us, an excellent half day tour. Unlike some sites it offered insight into the history and architecture of the region with a focus on its most famous building. It also allowed us the every enjoyable option of getting “that photo”.
Livorno has a certain charm all its own and should not be overlooked for a simple walk off day. The bustling street market is a great destination and a short walk from the city run shuttle drop off point. Consisting of both a covered permanent portion and the temporarily set of tents and tables the market offered lots of fresh spring produce, meta, fish, baking, wine and prepared meals along with an assortment of cheap goods and souvenirs. It is not so much the items we are after but more the interaction with the local vendors. Its one of the reasons we love European markets!