Since the beginning of tourism, PISA has been known for just one thing - the Leaning Tower , which serves around the world as a shorthand image for Italy. It is indeed a freakishly beautiful building, a sight whose impact no amount of prior knowledge can blunt. Yet it is just a single component of Pisa’s breathtaking Campo dei Miracoli , or Field of Miracles, where the Duomo, Baptistry and Camposanto complete a dazzling architectural ensemble. These, and a dozen or so churches and palazzi scattered about the historic centre, belong to Pisa’s “Golden Age”, from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, when the city was one of the maritime powers of the Mediterranean. The so-called “Pisan Romanesque” architecture of this period, with its black and white marble facades inspired by the Moorish designs of Andalucia, is complemented by some of the finest medieval sculpture in Italy, much of it from the workshops of Nicola and Giovanni Pisano. The city’s political zenith came late in the eleventh century with a series of victories over the Saracens : the Pisans brought back from Arab cultures long-forgotten ideas of science, architecture and philosophy. Decline set in with defeat by the Genoese in 1284, followed by the silting-up of Pisa’s harbour. From 1406 the city was governed by Florence, whose Medici rulers re-established the University of Pisa, one of the intellectual forcing houses of the Renaissance; Galileo was one of the teachers there. Subsequent centuries saw Pisa fade into provinciality.

Pisa’s big traditional event is the Gioco del Ponte , held on the last Sunday in June every year, when twelve teams from the north and south banks of the city stage a series of battles, pushing a seven-tonne carriage over the Ponte di Mezzo. The event, first mentioned in 1568, is still held in medieval costume with much ceremony. June 17 sees the Regata di San Ranieri , where four rowing teams race in costume in honour of the patron saint of Pisa; it is preceded the night before by the Luminaria di San Ranieri , when all the waterfront buildings and the Leaning Tower are illuminated. Italy’s four great maritime republics (Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa and Venice) take turns to host the Regata delle Antiche Repubbliche Marinare , which comes round to Pisa in late May or early June of 2002. Four eight-man crews from each of the cities race against each other on the Arno, in between festivities and parades.

Pisa Centrale train station (information tel 1478.88.088) is about 1km south of the Arno. Lazzi buses from Florence, Prato, Pistoia and Carrara arrive at the nearby Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, while other buses from Volterra, Lucca and Livorno arrive at Piazza San Antonio alongside it. From here, the Leaning Tower is about 25 minutes’ walk north, or a ride on CPT city bus #1 from outside the station. Alternatively, you could take a local train five minutes to the more convenient Pisa San Rossore station, 200m west of Piazza Manin (also served by local trains from Lucca and some from Viareggio).Pisa’s Aeroporto Galileo Galilei (information tel 050.500.707, www.pisa-airport.com ) is 2km south of Centrale station. Hourly trains run from Pisa Aeroporto station to Pisa Centrale and on to Florence, 1hr 15mins away. CPT city bus #3 departs from the airport every fifteen minutes, and passes the train station, runs along the south bank of the Arno, over Ponte Solferino, to Piazza Manin and then out to the hostel. A taxi to the centre costs around L10,000/¬5.16.

Pisa’s APT tourist office is snug against the walls amidst the tangle of stalls just outside the gate of the Campo dei Miracoli, at Via Cammeo 2 off Piazza Manin (May-Sept daily 8am-8pm; Oct-April daily 8.30am-5pm; tel 050.560.464, www.pisa.turismo.toscana.it ). In the same office, the adjacent desk is staffed by the Consorzio Turistico ” Pisa è “, the city’s official hotel-booking service (Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm, Sat 9.30am-1pm; Oct-March Mon-Fri closes 5pm; tel 050.830.253, www.pisae.com ). There’s also a small APT office at the train station (May-Sept daily 8am-6pm; Oct-April daily 9am-5pm; tel 050.42.291), and another at the airport (May-Sept daily 10am-10pm; Oct-April daily 10am-5pm; tel 050.503.700). All of these also stock information for towns such as San Miniato and Volterra that lie within the Provincia di Pisa.

 

Look out for concerts at the Teatro Comunale Verdi, Via Palestro 40, and for more offbeat and contemporary shows (even the odd rock concert) held in a former church at the end of Via San Zeno. The city also has an adventurous arts cinema , Cinema Nuove, in Piazza Stazione.

Since it was first laid out in the mid-eleventh century, Pisa’s ecclesiastical centre has been known as the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles; also Piazza dei Miracoli or Piazza Duomo; www.duomo.pisa.it ). The four major buildings - the Duomo , its Bell-tower (which almost immediately slipped to become the Leaning Tower ), the Baptistry and the monumental cemetery of the Camposanto - were built on a broad swathe of grassy lawn just within the northern walls of the city. Nowhere else in Italy are the key buildings of a city arrayed with such precision, and nowhere is there so beautiful a contrast of stonework and open meadow. However, the turf rests on highly unstable sandy soil, which accounts for the tower’s lean; take a look at the baptistry and you’ll see that it leans the other way from the tower.

The rest of the city centre makes for some fine wandering, through alleys that have largely retained their medieval appearance. Southeast, on the river, is the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo , a fine collection of ecclesiastical art and sculpture, while west along the Arno is the lavish Palazzo Reale mansion and the city’s huge Arsenale , the latter currently housing a display of items taken from ongoing excavations at the newly discovered site of Pisa’s ancient harbour. One of Pisa’s biggest surprises lurks in an unregarded piazza south of the river near the train station: covering one wall of an open bus station is the last-ever mural by US artist Keith Haring .

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The five museums and monuments in and around Campo dei Miracoli - the Duomo, Baptistry, Museo dell’Opera, Camposanto and Museo delle Sinopie - share a complicated system of ticketing . Admission to the duomo costs L3000/¬1.55. Admission to any two sights costs L10,000/¬5.16. Admission to any three including the duomo costs L13,000/¬6.71. Admission to the four excluding the duomo costs L15,000/¬7.75. Admission to all five costs L18,000/¬9.30. Students pay L2000/¬1.03 admission to each sight.You can get tickets only from the ticket offices at the Museo delle Sinopie, the Museo dell’Opera and the Camposanto.

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Restaurants in the environs of the Leaning Tower are not good value (although the many bars and cafés benefit from the views). A few blocks south, around Piazza Cavalieri and Piazza Dante, you’ll find predominantly local places, many with prices reflecting student finances. Although most kitchens serve up standard Tuscan fare, you’ll also find Pisan dishes, including baccalà alla Pisana (dried cod) and plenty of seafood.Bruno , Via Bianchi 12 (tel 050.560.818). Outside the historic centre, northeast of the Leaning Tower, this traditional antica trattoria is known for its top-notch, and pricey, Pisan cuisine. Closed Mon eve & Tues.

La Grotta , Via San Francesco 103 (tel 050.578.105). Comfortable, quiet old osteria in a cave-like setting, with the motto “wine, bread and company”. Locals crowd in at the benches to sample unfussy Tuscan nosh. Closed for lunch and all day Sun.

Mensa Universitaria , Via Martiri. Student refectory off Piazza Cavalieri; the cheapest meals in town. Closed Sat & Sun eve, and mid-July to mid-Sept.

La Mescita , Via Cavalca 2. This small restaurant in the warren of the Piazza Vettovaglie market is an academic institution, patronized by students and professors alike. Set menus (including vegetarian) from L35,000/¬18.08. Closed Mon, and Tues & Wed lunch.

Osteria dei Cavalieri , Via San Frediano 16 (tel 050.580.858, www.toscana.net/pisa/odc ). Outstanding quality, with English-speaking staff and a calm, fresh atmosphere. The fish is exquisite, Tuscan meat and game dishes are expertly prepared, and their vegetarian options are excellent. Eat à la carte or choose from a welter of set menus starting at L30,000/¬15.49. Closed Sat lunch & Sun.

Al Ristoro dei Vecchi Macelli , Via Volturno 49 (tel 050.20.424). Acclaimed as Pisa’s best restaurant, with a wide range of sophisticated, innovative takes on Tuscany’s gourmet traditions - choose from meat or fish set menus for upwards of L50,000/¬25.82. Closed Sun lunch & Wed.

Lo Schiaccianoci , Via Vespucci 104 (tel 050.21.024). Wonderful, if tiny, upper-midpriced fish and seafood restaurant in an hard-to-reach location east of the station. Closed Sun.

Taverna Kostas , Via del Borghetto 39. Longstanding local favourite, offering a mix of Greek and Mediterranean cooking, as well as Pisan seafood. Closed Sun lunch & Mon.

Il Vecchio Dado , Lungarno Pacinotti 21 (tel 050.580.900). Quality pizzeria on the waterfront with a friendly welcome, classy food (the fish dishes are excellent) and lively atmosphere. Closed Wed & Thurs lunch.

Airlines Air Dolomiti (tel 167.013.366); Alitalia (tel 1478.65.642); American (tel 02.6791.4400); British Airways (tel 1478.12.266); Continental (tel 055.476.454); Delta (tel 1678.64.114); KLM (tel 06.652.9286); Lufthansa (tel 02.8066.3025); Meridiana (tel 055.230.2416); Ryanair (tel 050.503.770); TWA (tel 055.239.6856); United (tel 1678.825.181).Books Libreria Internazionale, Via Rigattieri 33, stocks English books.

Car rental Autoeuropa (tel 050.506.883), Avis (tel 050.42.028), Europcar (tel 050.41.017), Hertz (tel 050.43.220), Liberty Rent (tel 050.48.088), National/Maggiore (tel 050.42.574), Program (tel 050.500.296), Sixt (tel 050.46.209), Thrifty (tel 050.45.490), Travelcar (tel 050.44.424). All are based at the airport.

Hospital Santa Chiara, Via Roma 67 (tel 050.992.111).

Internet access Internet Planet, Piazza Cavallotti 3 (tel 050.830.702, www.internetplanet.it ); Internet Point, Via dei Mille 3 (tel 050.830.701, www.koinepisa.it ). Both have long opening-hours and charge L3000/¬1.55 for 15min (less for students). Internet Surf, open daily until 1am at Via Carducci 5 (tel 050.830.800, www.internetsurf.it ), lets you pay by credit card.

Laundry OndaBlu, Via San Francesco 8a.

Left luggage At the airport (daily 8am-8pm; L5000/¬2.58 per piece per day).

Lost property At the airport (tel 050.849.400).

Parking There are car parks outside the Porta Nuova, just west of the Campo dei Miracoli, and west of the train station on Via Battisti. Parking in the historic centre is severely restricted: yellow spaces are off-limits, blue spaces are charged by the hour, day and night, and white spaces are free only if you display a chit from your hotel, signed, stamped and dated. The airport long-term car park P2 is free.

Police The Questura is at Via Mario Lalli 1 (tel 050.583.511).

Post office Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II (Mon-Fri 8.15am-7pm, Sat 8.15am-noon).

Taxi Radio Taxi Pisa tel 050.541.600.