Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PISA
POP 85,500
Once a maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, Pisa now draws its fame from an archi-
tectural project gone terribly wrong. But the world-famous Leaning Tower is just one of
many noteworthy sights in this compact and compelling city. Education has fuelled the loc-
al economy since the 1400s, and students from across Italy still compete for places in its
elite university and research schools. This endows the centre of town with a vibrant and af-
fordable cafe and bar scene, and balances what is an enviable portfolio of well-maintained
Romanesque buildings, Gothic churches and Renaissance piazzas with a lively street life
dominated by locals rather than tourists - a charm you will definitely not discover if you
restrict your visit to Piazza dei Miracoli.
