﻿It's one of the world's most famous towers. People come to the Italian city of Pisa
in Tuscany to see the tower for only one reason – it looks like it's going to fall over. And people
play around with that, posing for funny pictures, holding it up, and acting silly. If it were
standing straight up, nobody would bother to come here to see it, but it is slanted,
which makes it a fascinating object. Maybe it's going to fall down. Why is it tilting? People are
fascinated. But this tower is only the tip of the iceberg of things to see in Pisa. You'll discover
this city has much more to offer. The tower is one small part of a fascinating city that we are going
to show you in the program that we will get back to the tower later, but first we're going to take
you on a walking tour through the beautiful town of Pisa, walking along the main pedestrian lanes,
and ending up at the tower and the Cathedral. The buildings are old, but the population is young,
with nearly half the people, students at one of Europe's oldest universities.
Set in a historic location with buildings going back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a
fascinating mix for you to discover and enjoy. The pedestrian zone extends for about two kilometers
from the train station through the heart of the old town up to the tower, a place to relax,
sit back, have a drink and do some people watching – a truly magnificent area to explore on foot,
as we'll show you in the program. Many people visit Pisa on a daytrip from Florence,
which is ideal because it's only one hour away by train, with frequent service. In
the Florence train station, the easiest way to buy your ticket is just go to the machine,
put your credit card in there, punch the buttons – very simple –and your ticket comes right out at
the bottom – much better than waiting online at the ticket window. Find your platform,
get on board, sit down anywhere in second-class, no seat reservations required, enjoy the scenery
as you go along. It's mostly green hills and farmlands, quite pleasant, best to avoid rush-hour
so you'll have plenty of seats available. Before you know it you will be rolling into
Pisa. It's so easy and cheap by train. You do not need to purchase an expensive tour to Pisa
from Florence on a tour bus. Just do it yourself, and watch this video for tips on how to explore.
The train station is right on the edge of the pedestrian zone, so it's so easy for you to get
off the train and start walking, no taxi or bus connection required. There is a bus stop here,
but don't bother, just walk – It's easier and just as quick, and a lot more fun. The first site
you'll come upon, right away, is Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II, and in our case when we arrived,
there was a beautiful fleamarket going on with all kinds of things for sale,
including some food. That was a nice surprise. You might not always run into it, but maybe you'll get
lucky. The Piazza is always a popular gathering spot, and underneath is a parking lot for almost
400 cars created after several years of reconstruction. Now just around the corner on
via Giuseppe Mazzini look for the mural by Keith Haring, who visited Pisa and fell in love with
the town, creating this amazing big mural. Along the north edge of the piazza you'll find a large
popular gellateria with some of the most fresh and delicious gelato in town, La Borsa. We've now
entered the main street of Pisa. It's the Corso. It's the place where all the locals come out to
shop, have a drink, get something to eat and enjoy the passeggiata, the great strolling activity of
Italy. We started from the train station, went to the Piazza, heading for the tower along
this dotted line route, and we're now walking along that Corso, the busy shopping street.
There are some historic buildings and sculptures along the way such as this statue of a Renaissance
artist Nicola Pisano in the Piazza Carmine. We will see his work later in the Cathedral.
This street can get quite crowded in the late afternoon, which is when were strolling along,
even on a Sunday like this when most shops are closed. Actually the video was
photographed during several visits to Pisa. Occasionally it was a little less crowded,
if walking earlier in the day, but the crowds offer ideal subject for people-watching,
with 50,000 students in a town population of 100,000. As the Corso approaches the
Arno River it gets a little more narrow, and curved, and then reaches the Logge di Banchi,
constructed in the early 17th century as an open air, but sheltered, market. Back in those old
days, it was a place for selling wool, and silk, and grains , and miscellaneous items of all types,
including some moneychangers. Now it's a very active community space. And we happened upon
a wonderful food festival. So it's still functioning as a market, 400 years later.
And all the merchants were cleverly giving out free samples to tempt you to buy something.
It's so charming to come across an authentic event like this with very few other tourists around, and
mostly locals chatting, and eating, and creating this inviting atmosphere for you to join them.
The loggia is right on the Arno River, with a convenient bridge across the river
that'll bring us to the north side, as we continue walking towards the tower.
The views along the Arno River from the bridge are world-famous. It's called the Longarno,
and consists of long row of Renaissance palaces, beautifully preserved. It would
make for a nice walk along both sides of the river, if you had the time. It's the
same Arno that flows through Florence 80 kilometers away. This bridge, the Ponte Mezzo,
offers wonderful viewpoints, so be sure to stop and enjoy the vista with palaces on both sides.
As we exit the bridge and cross the Longarno, we enter the lively square, Piazza Garibaldi,
with several streets leading out from it, and a statue of that great national hero in the center,
Garibaldi, the man who brought the country together. Exiting the right corner of the square
into the most picturesque lane in the city Borgo Stretto. This is the main street of old Pisa.
It's a marvelous place with arcades along both sides, sheltering shops and cafés,
and pedestrians out for a stroll. Chiesa San Michele was built a thousand years ago
and has a 14th-century façade. The Borgo was the commercial center during the Middle Ages and,
from the 14th century, the rich merchants began to build their lodges here, opening shops and taverns
to serve the public. These wealthy families competed to build the largest, most beautiful,
and colorful buildings. The lanes extending from the east side are not terribly interesting
but to the west there is a wonderful neighborhood with more arcades and little piazzas, with street
markets leading towards the University, a nice place for a little detour. Give you a quick idea
on the map the route we're taking through little lanes over to Piazza Dante,, to the University
and then back around returning to Borgo Stretto. And along the way, there is more of these kiosks
selling books and scarves and handbags. There's a medieval tower. Back in the Middle Ages there were
many, many of these high tower, s for household defense. Via Domenico Cavalca is one of those
charming authentic local places. It's got some shops and apartments in a typical urban setting.
Piazza Dante is in the University District of Pisa, in a university that is one of the oldest,
and one of the best in all of Europe. The University was officially founded in 1343,
although there had been lectures on law in Pisa ever since the 11th century. This neighborhood
is well-worth seeing, easily missed by the tourist in a hurry to get to the big tower.
Back on Borgo Stretto to the charming section of the street with the porticos along both sides.
It's only about 200 meters long, so it's the kind of place where you really want to slow down,
do some browsing, maybe walk up along one side and back down the other,
because it is so spectacularly beautiful. It has a lot of character. In some parts it's a little
shabby, other places it's sheik, with upscale shops, a perfect place to wander aimlessly,
perhaps looking for a drink, or an ice cream, or something delicious like you will find
at Pasticceria Federico Salza, one of the most popular places in town.
When you step inside you'll find a delicious aroma of freshly roasted coffee, pastries and
chocolate. The bakery's n the right side, and on the left is the bar with a long sandwich counter,
serving nearly 40 types of sandwiches, savory tarts and snacks to eat at the bar
or takeout. They got started a long time ago as a bakery, but now have a variety of foods available
including pasta, seafood, soups and salads. Our bar is called Salza. It was born in 1898.
Very old, old, old, old. I always stop in with my groups for a refreshing break.
You can have a glass of wine with your sandwich inside standing up at the bar,
or have a seat outside on their large terrace. There's also friendly waiter service indoors at
their luncheonette in the back. Try a fruit salad or their calamari. The outdoor dining
terrace is the perfect spot for a relaxing snack. You can just sit back and watch the people go by,
enjoying this wonderful ambience. But remember, as you'll find in all Italian cafés,
there are two different price lists. It's a little bit more expensive to sit down than it
is to stand up at the bar for the same food. Well, when you're sitting down your paying rent on that
chair and table, so it's probably worth it for you if you been walking all day and you're feeling a
little tired. And there's a lot more to see on foot. Or you could take a ride on the pedicab.
It's that kind of neighborhood that's more for the locals rather than the tourists,
which makes it a prime destination for the savvy traveler, a little off the beaten track.
We've reached the upper end of Borgo Stretto, and here it widens out – worth a quick look – then we
return back and take a nice little side street heading over towards Piazza dei Cavalieri.
It's such a shame that most tourists who come to Pisa never get to see this neighborhood, because
they've only come to see the tower, and they miss everything else. Maybe they're on a half-day bus
tour from Florence, and they don't have any time. They can't sit back at a café and enjoy a meal,
have a glass of wine, take a leisurely stroll while looking around – and yet aren't those
some of the greatest treasures of travel? The little side Lane has now brought us to
Piazza dei Cavalieri, an important town square back in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,
which was a center of government activities. And today there are many of those historical
buildings still standing. There is a beautiful palace with a grand double staircase in front,
a major church, the Palazzo dell'Orologio with a Clock Tower, arranged all around
this beautiful piazza. The main building is the Palazzo della Carovana, its façade
decorated with scrafitto painting and busts of the grand Dukes of Tuscany. Now it's a college but,
originally it was built in the mid-16th century by Cosimo, The First, as headquarters for his order
of the Knights of St. Stephen. On the right is the church of the Knights of St. Stephen. The Knights
were a religious and military order founded to fight the Moorish pirates of the Mediterranean,
to rescue their captives, and to convert these Moors to Christianity. Both the church and palace
were designed by Renaissance architect Vasari. The building with the arch and the big clock above
is the Palazzo dell'Orologio, also called the Hunger Tower, because a leader of Pisa was
convicted of treason and locked up inside with his children and starved to death. Exit the piazza on
that lane to the left. Via Mille continues out from the piaz, za with a whole series of arts,
and crafts, and jewelry, and clothing, and paintings, little kiosks set up along the sidewalk
area on this pedestrian lane – some antiques and some junk, and little knickknacks. It makes for
a fun walk as you're heading further towards the tower. Old books and old record set up, lots of
people walking by, and especially this time of day, it's just marvelous. It's late afternoon
and not crowded. Sidewalk restaurants available, people strolling along passing the time of day,
and we are making our way to the great tower. Then we get to the end of the street and reach
our destination, the Campo dei Miracoli, the Field of Miracles, with our main goal,
the Leaning Tower. It is really a spectacular monument. The best angle on your photo is of
course in front of the tower, not on the side. You want to be in front, so that it is leaning,
and especially if you're alongside the Duomo, almost in front of the Duomo. You'll find
that sweet spot for your great shot. Of course, everybody's favorite game here is getting that
perfect pose, where you're holding the tower up, or some people try and push it over, with friends
busy giving instructions about move your hand this way, no, move it back that way, up, over, a little
lower. It's all part of the goofy fun that makes this a photographic highlight of your vacation.
There is no end to the creative poses that people can come up with. And be sure to get that basic
portrait with the tower behind. These three little babies are not angels – they're cupids that it's
the Fountain of the Puti, carved in the mid-18th century in a playful Baroque style.
When you look up at the top of the tower, you'll notice there are some people up there.
Well, that's because you can climb the tower.it is open to the public and we're going to take
you up right now. Going inside the tower is really a wonderful experience. This is
a once-in-a-lifetime kind of activity. During the high season, you better make a reservation online,
or if it's the off-season, you can just show up and probably get right in, in the wintertime. And
when you go in, you climb, and you climb. You go up these ancient steps. It's the original marble
steps. And you just keep going around and around and around, and sure enough you will arrive at the
top. Of course, you get a fantastic and splendid view looking out over the old town of Pisa.
There are some bells up there. After all, this was a belltower, campanile. The main function
originally was to ring the bell. Of course, now the main function is to give Pisa its fame,
because it's leaning. And from the tower, you have a beautiful view looking at the old town,
looking down on the foliage, and you can see the Duomo. You're above the Cathedral. It's really
a remarkable vista. We'll take you inside this wonderful building, coming up next.
A view back at the street we walked on getting here, and then you walk around the other side
for a view of Campo Santo, the burial grounds, and artistic treasures containing many important
frescoes. There is no doubt you'll be completely satisfied with your climb up the tower. In fact,
some people come here just for that reason. And when you've had your fill, then you go back down.
It's a spiral staircase at the very top, for the first section, quite narrow,
a little precarious. There is no railing, so you just sorta hang on and balance yourself, and walk
down and you will get right out. Another classic view is from the backside of the Cathedral,
where you can get the tower and the back of the Duomo together in one composition. Don't worry,
it's not going to fall. They fixed it. From Porta Nuova you get a classic view framed by
the ancient gateway and the medieval wall around Pisa. Then we see the full ensemble of the three
main buildings – the tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. It's called Piazza del Duomo or Campo
dei Miracoli, the Field of Miracles. It has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
in which they say that, "this square is a cultural heritage of exceptional, universal value...a
magical quality pervades the site. This is one of the most renowned urban landscapes of the world."
This beautiful Cathedral was built in the Romanesque style that's earlier than the Gothic.
It dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries. And you really want to go inside the Duomo. Too many
people come to Pisa and just take a snapshot of the Leaning Tower, and then they depart without
going inside this magnificent church. Construction began back in the year 1063, making it nearly
a thousand years old. Of course, many of the features that we see today were added a little bit
later. Naturally the church grew over time, and it took a couple of hundred years to build it all.
The Duomo is truly huge with a colossal interior, 100 meters long, 50 meters wide
and 50 meters high. The nave is flanked by two aisles on each side, with 68 monolithic columns,
each one a single huge piece of stone. This interior design with a large nave and four aisles
makes the building seem even larger than it is. It heightens that feeling of vastness and infinity,
further enhanced by the majestic harmony of all of its details. The ceiling of the nave is flat,
but coffered and made of gilded and sculpted wood, with a heavenly fresco on the cupola.
The large golden mosaic of Christ, over the apse is attributed to the great Byzantine artist
Cimabue, and later Renaissance artists painted the scenes around the altar. In the middle of
the church hangs the beautiful bronze lamp called Galileo's Lamp, because it suggested the movement
of the pendulum to Galileo, who was a native of Pisa. One of the most important works of art here
is the pulpit designed by Giovanni Pisano, part of an artistic family that was native to the area.
He worked for 10 years on the masterpiece, starting from 1302. Curiously, in later years it
fell out of favor and was removed from the church. It wasn't until the 1920s that it was restored to
its proper place. It's a remarkable building, considered the first modern Cathedral of Italy.
It became a pattern for many subsequent churches built later. It was a massive expense to build
such a structure, and Pisa was able to pay for it because they were a great military power,
and their Navy had just conquered the Muslims in Sicily and brought home six ships loaded
with rich merchandise, which paid for the construction. When you have finished your visit,
you might be feeling a little tired by now so you could just take a taxi back to the train station,
or you could even ride on the city bus to get back to the station,
just as you could have taken a taxi or bus at the beginning to get to the tower,
but you'd miss all those city sites. On the other hand, we're going to walk back and do
a little more exploring. Leaving the piazza you'll come across the Archbishop's Palace. Continue for
a couple more blocks along via Capponi, and you will reach the Piazza of the Martyrs of Liberty,
one of the largest open space parks in the city. It was created back in the 1830s by
the Grand Duke of Tuscany. A few blocks further south you'll reach the Piazza San Francesco,
with its church and a street leading back over to the Borgo. The evening has arrived,
and with it that beautiful atmosphere of twilight. This could be the best part of your day, walking
back along the arcaded Street of Borgo Stretto. Rather than taking a bus tour to get here,
you can enjoy the freedom of independent travel, browsing one of the old bookstores,
keep strolling along these beautifully lit arcades in the evening. Perhaps stop and grab a snack,
or some roasted chestnuts from a sidewalk vendor. Piazza Garibaldi also nicely lit at night,
and you get to the Arno and it's spectacular. That alone makes an evening extension worthwhile.
Earlier, we saw a food market in the Logge di Banchi. Well this evening there is some
kind of political rally going on, with some enthusiastic speeches. (applause) Italians
tend to get quite activated about politics, as they seem to be passionate about most things.
Early evening is one of the most enjoyable times to be out. The locals are here, they've got
their dogs out for a walk, there's families. It's the real occasion of the passegiatta.
and then sit down at a café, relax, wind down and end your trip with a nice glass of wine.
Or maybe you got back to the train station while it's still daylight.
If you're traveling with your suitcase, they have the baggage deposit room, which is very handy for
people who were passing through. Let's say you're visiting from Florence on a daytrip, as we usually
do. It's a one-hour train ride. And then you'll need at least three hours, maybe four hours,
to experience what we've just shown you, and then take a one-hour train back to Florence.
So you can do this as an easy half-day trip. Then settle into a Florence restaurant for
a leisurely dinner – a perfect way to spend your time. We frequently upload new movies, so
please subscribe to our channel and click that little alarm bell so you'll be notified, and if
you enjoyed the movie how about a thumbs up and we always welcome comments down below, or if you
have questions about the destination, make note and we will answer them. Thanks for watching.