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.

Some of the best things to see and do in Pisa at night include taking a night tour to learn about the mysteries and legends of the city, walking 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 Pisa's main attraction and also one of the most photographed buildings in the world, so a visit to the Leaning Tower is a must 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 containing the bell tower, the Cathedral and the Baptistery, and enjoy its exterior illumination.

Seeing the Leaning Tower illuminated by artificial light is one of the most beautiful experiences in Pisa, as 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 gleaming material, combined with artificial light, forms a refractory effect that is not to be missed at night.

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

Interesting details

• Price: Admission to the Leaning Tower of Pisa costs approximately 25 euros per person initially, although during the night you can visit the Piazza dei Miracoli and see the exterior of the bell tower for free.
• Opening 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 centre of the city, but it also has other attractions to offer and many of them hold secrets and mysteries worth discovering which 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 Pisa's rich and millenary 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 Galileo Galilei 's obsessions and discover the city's warrior spirit hidden in the Mezzo Bridge.

You'll also visit the work of urban artist Keith Haring, learn about the curiosities that made mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci famous, and get a different side to the city on these excursions which are among the best tours of Pisa.

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

Borgo Stretto is also home to the Church of San Michele, which is illuminated at night, and some of the city's best artisan gelato shops, such as Il Gelato di Toto and La Bottega del Gelato. In the area near the neighbourhood 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 neighbourhood.

Piazza delle Vettovaglie, in the outskirts of the Borgo Stretto neighbourhood, is one of the main places for nightlife in Pisa, as it is home to the local market, which is open until midnight, but also to some of the best bars and clubs 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 historic architecture of the nearby buildings, which stand out for their medieval façades, as is the case of the Torre dei Gualandi, of which you can currently see the remains 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 neighbourhood, especially at night for dinner, even if you are planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here is a list of things 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 is not only one of the witnesses of the hectic river trade that made the city a commercial power in medieval times but also the ideal place to discover 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-metre-long span, which is crowned by a main arcade and is favoured by the fact that there are no high-rise buildings in the immediate vicinity. On the Mezzo Bridge, at night, you will be able to take some of the best pictures of Pisa.

You can also visit the bridge on most excursions that include a guided tour of the city as it has historically been a landmark for the city as it was the place where the northern and southern armies met during the convocations for the wars of Tuscany.

While the tourist centre of Pisa is built around the Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower and much of the city's festive atmosphere is found in the Piazza delle Vettovaglie and the Borgo Stretto district, the main protagonist of the lively nights is the Marina di Pisa, the site of the city's most exclusive nightclubs.

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

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

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

The Arno was a mainstay of the city's economic and industrial development during the Middle Ages, becoming the epicentre of Tuscany's river trade, but it's also a wide, clean, open-viewed river of great beauty, so one of the best things to do in Pisa at night is to take a walk along the riverbank.

The riverside promenades, called lungarni, are lined with food and drink stalls and street music concerts, mostly frequented by young people. These promenades are located on the banks of the Arno, at the mouth of the main side streets that run through the heart of Pisa and are in 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 that you can also walk along the banks of the Arno on your own or opt for one 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 so that you can manage the pace at your own discretion.

If you want to experience Pisa's nightlife 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 for some of the best bars, pubs and restaurants serving typical local food, where you can sample traditional cuisine and taste Tuscan wine.

These places are ideal for dining and sampling traditional options 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 some of the most tender red meat in the region. In any case, whichever dish you choose, you will be surprised by the quality of the food and drinks.

Moreover, if you plan to visit Pisa during Christmas, you will be able to taste the typical Tuscan sweets and desserts and attend the evening concerts organised around the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi that gives its name to the square.

During your visit to Pisa you can also opt for 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 be aware that in such cases you will have little time to enjoy your food and drinks before the next stop.

Pisa is known for its history and Carrara marble buildings, but it is also an important cultural centre in Tuscany, so one of the best things to do during your evening tour of the city is to take in a show at the Teatro Verdi, which is one of the region's leading theatres and hosts some of the best orchestras and choirs in 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 find cultural activities at the theatre.

The permanent performance season opens each year in March and closes in November, although the line-up includes temporary shows, special guests and other festivals organised at the Teatro Verdi that feature the city.

Interesting details

• Price: Tickets for shows at the Teatro Verdi start at approximately 35 euros per person, although in some cases there are reduced rates for children under 12 years of age.
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
• Location: Via Palestro 40, Pisa.

Piazza Carrara is the centre of alternative entertainment in Pisa and every night street performers congregate here for musical and variety shows, so if you want to experience a different side of the city, off the beaten track, you can take a walk around the square and attend the impromptu shows.

The evening shows in Piazza Carrara are free admission and last approximately 30 minutes to an hour, so you can enjoy them even if you're planning a short stay in the city. If that is your case, here are the best alternatives to get to know Pisa in 1 day.

Moreover, 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 which attract a large number of local and visiting public. There you can find gospel shows and even classical tenors.