10 Things to Do in Pisa at Night

Pisa is located in the heart of Tuscany and not only owes its worldwide fame to the Leaning Tower of the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, but it also has other attractions to offer, many of which you can also enjoy during a night tour.

Among the best things to see and do in Pisa at night are taking a night tour to learn about the mysteries and legends of the city, taking a walk through the picturesque medieval district of Borgo Stretto, gazing at the Pisan skyline from the Mezzo Bridge and attending shows at the Teatro Verdi.

The Leaning Tower is the main attraction of Pisa and also one of the most photographed buildings in the world, so you can't miss it during your stay in the city. Although it is not open to the public at night, you can walk around the Piazza dei Miracoli, which is the public space that contains the bell tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery, and enjoy its exterior illumination.

Observing the Leaning Tower illuminated by artificial light is one of the most beautiful experiences in Pisa, since during the renovations of the Middle Ages many sections of the construction included Carrara marble, which is one of the pearls of the regional industry and is considered the white gold of Tuscany. This shiny material, combined with artificial light, forms a refractory effect that you can't miss during the night.

On your walk through Piazza dei Miracoli you can also discover the illuminated profile of the Baptistery, which is the largest Catholic baptismal building in the world and also registers a tilt, although much more imperceptible than that of the bell tower, due to the poor stability of the ground.

Interesting details

• Price: the entrance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa has an initial cost of approximately 25 euros per person, although during the night you can visit the Piazza dei Miracoli and see the outside of the bell tower for free.
• Hours: daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Location: Piazza del Duomo, Pisa.

Pisa is world famous for the Leaning Tower and the main buildings of the Piazza dei Miracoli, which is the tourist center of the city, but it also has other attractions to offer and many of them hold secrets and mysteries worth discovering that are directly related to Pisa's glorious warrior past.

During your tour of the city, you can opt for an evening excursion that will take you through the rich and millenary Pisan history and the myths of many legendary characters who were born or lived in Pisa. On these tours you will visit the medieval district of Borgo Stretto to learn about its tragic stories, learn about the obsessions of Galileo Galilei and discover the warrior spirit of the city hidden in the Mezzo Bridge.

In addition, you will also visit the work of the urban artist Keith Haring, learn about the curiosities that made the mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci famous and get to know a different profile of the city in these excursions that are included among the best tours of Pisa.

Borgo Stretto is the main artery of the historic center of Pisa and also the neighborhood of the same name that is built around it and is also one of the oldest in the city. From the Ponte del Mezzo to Via San Francesco, this district becomes popular at night, as it is home to bars and cafes with quieter alternatives to nightclubs.

In addition, in Borgo Stretto you can visit the Church of San Michele, which is illuminated at night, and some of the best artisan gelato shops in the city, such as Il Gelato di Toto and La Bottega del Gelato. In the area near the neighborhood you can also visit the Piazza dei Cavalieri.

If you plan to visit Pisa during Christmas, you can also enjoy Borgo Stretto and the Christmas decorations that are very common in the narrow streets of the neighborhood.

Piazza delle Vettovaglie, around the Borgo Stretto district, is one of the main places among the nightlife activities in Pisa, as it is home to the local market, which is open until midnight, but also to some of the best bars and nightclubs in town, making it one of the ideal lively areas to visit if you are looking for entertainment in Pisa.

In Piazza delle Vettovaglie, you will also be struck by the historical architecture of the nearby buildings, which stand out for their medieval facades, as is the case of the Torre dei Gualandi, of which you can now see the remains that are located in the Palazzo dell'Oro (Clock Palace).

Note also that in Piazza delle Vettovaglie you can find some of the most outstanding restaurants in Pisa, so I recommend that you do not miss a visit to the neighborhood, especially at night for dinner, even if you have planned a short stay in the city. If that's your case, here is a list of activities you can do to discover Pisa in 2 days.

The Mezzo Bridge, also known as Ponte Vecchio in Pisa, is the oldest of the bridges that crossed the Arno and still standing, and is not only one of the witnesses of the hectic river trade that made the city a commercial power in medieval times but it is also the ideal place to discover from there some of the best sunsets in Tuscany and enjoy a panoramic view of Pisa at night.

Being located in a wide and open area, the Mezzo Bridge offers the best views of the city through its 90 meters long, which are crowned by a main arcade and is favored because in the nearby areas there are no high-rise buildings. On the Mezzo Bridge, during the night, you will be able to take some of the best pictures of Pisa.

In addition, you will be able to visit the bridge on most excursions that include a guided tour of the city, as it has historically been a landmark for the city, since it was the site where the northern and southern armies met during the convocations for the wars of Tuscany.

While the tourist center of Pisa is built around Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower and much of the festive atmosphere of the city is found in Piazza delle Vettovaglie and in the Borgo Stretto district, the main protagonist of the lively nights is the Marina of Pisa, the place where the most exclusive nightclubs of the city are located.

The Marina, located along the coast of the city towards the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the strip that contains some of the best beaches in Pisa and also some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in Tuscany, often overshadowed by the fame of the paradisiacal seaside resorts of Cinque Terre.

The Marina of Pisa is the night star of the city during the summer, but also during the rest of the year, as well as enjoying the nightclubs, you can walk along the shore and feel the cool sea breeze.

Other nearby beaches you can visit are Tirrenia, Bocca d'Arno and Calambrone, which is the last of the seaside resorts before the beginning of Livorno, which is one of the best places to discover from Pisa and is home to one of the most outstanding ports of the Italian Riviera, especially for its history.

The Arno was a fundamental pillar in the economic and industrial development of the city during the Middle Ages, becoming the epicenter of river trade in Tuscany, but it is also a wide, clean and open-view river with great beauty, so one of the best activities you can do in Pisa during the evening is to take a walk along the bank.

On the riverside promenades, which are called lungarni, you can find food and drink stalls and also street music concerts, mostly frequented by young people. These promenades are located on the banks of the Arno, as the mouth of the main side streets that are born in the heart of Pisa and that keep the spirit of the Italian Riviera.

If you just want to enjoy walking along the banks of the Arno, you can choose to walk along Tramontana, which marks the northern part of the city, or along Mezzogiorno, which indicates the southern sector of Pisa, but in both cases you will find a festive atmosphere, unmissable landscapes and a large number of services.

Note also that you can walk along the banks of the Arno on your own or opt for some of the guided tours of the city, which usually include a tour of the river and its main bridges, although I recommend that you opt for a free tour to be able to manage the pace at your own discretion.

If you want to experience the nightlife of Pisa, but prefer a quieter option, you can visit Piazza Garibaldi, which is located a few streets away from the Leaning Tower and serves as a reference point to find some of the best bars, pubs and restaurants with typical local food, so you can have tastings of traditional cuisine and taste Tuscan wine.

These places are ideal for dining and tasting the traditional choices, such as pizza, pasta and cured meats, but also Tuscan soup, race stew, white beans with regional sausages, pappa al pomodoro and fillet of mucco, which offers one of the most tender red meats in the region. In any case, whichever dish you choose, you will be surprised by the quality of the food and drinks.

In addition, if you plan to visit Pisa during Christmas, you can taste the typical Tuscan sweets and desserts and attend the evening concerts that are organized around the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi that gives its name to the square.

During your visit to Pisa you can also choose to take a gastronomic tour of the city and, in most cases, these tours usually include a tasting stop in Piazza Garibaldi, especially those that take place during the evening, although you should keep in mind that in those cases you will have little free time to enjoy your food and drinks before the next stop.

Pisa stands out for its history and for its buildings built in Carrara marble, but it is also an important cultural center of Tuscany, so one of the best activities you can do during your evening tour of the city is to attend a show at the Teatro Verdi, which is one of the main theaters in the region and hosts mainly the best orchestras and choirs of Italian classical music.

The Teatro Verdi is open all year round and, in addition to symphonic performances, it also often hosts plays, musical shows and benefit concerts, so whatever time of year you choose to visit Pisa you will be able to find cultural activities at the theater.

The permanent season of shows opens every year in March and closes in November, although in the billboard you can find temporary shows, special guests and other festivals that are organized at the Teatro Verdi and that have the city as a protagonist.

Details of interest

• Price: tickets for shows at the Teatro Verdi have an initial cost of approximately 35 euros per person, although in some cases there are reduced rates for children under 12 years.
• Hours: daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
• Location: Via Palestro 40, Pisa.

Piazza Carrara is the center of Pisa's alternative shows and every night street performers congregate there to star in musical and variety shows, so if you want to get to know a different profile of the city, away from the main circuits, you can take a walk around the square and attend the impromptu shows.

The evening shows in Piazza Carrara have free admission and last about 30 minutes to 1 hour, so you can enjoy them even if you have planned a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here are the best alternatives to visit Pisa in 1 day.

Also, if you plan to visit Pisa during Christmas Eve, you will see that Piazza Carrara gathers in the run-up to Christmas Eve the Christmas carol street concerts that have become a trademark in Tuscany and that attract a large number of local and visiting public. There you can find gospel shows and even classical tenors.