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Shopping in touristic areas Pisa
24 Reviews There are small markets everywhere that charge anywhere from two to four times what you would pay for staples in a supermarket. Prices can vary widely for anything from bottles of water and especially...
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Silly photos Pisa
4 Reviews As soon as you arrive in the Campo dei Miracoli you will spot them. Dotted around the Leaning Tower are pairs of people, one with a camera and one a short distance away. The photographer will be...
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Whereever you find this sign, it is probably a ripoff with lousy-tasting spaghetti, plastic cutlery, and cheap red wine. My advice: Rather buy some tasty fresh produce like bread, salami, and a bottle of red wine, go hiking until you find a nice spot, and make a picknick.
After a scary drive from Borgo a Mozzano (see off the must see tips), I finally got to the 'Grotta del vento' or Wind cave. Hmmmm, I think I should call it a tourist trap. It is nothing spectacular, and not worth the long drive over here. Hahaha, or is it maybe because I had seen too many caves up till now??? I seen quite a few in the previous vacations, and this one couldn't excite me anymore.The one thing I did find interesting is how this cave got its name. The name derives from the violent air current which runs through the cave, due to the presence of two openings which are situated at different levels. The lower opening is situated at 627m. above sea level, and the higher opening is 800m. further up at over 1400m. above sea level. The internal temperature constantly maintains itself at 10,7 degrees centigrade. And that makes the air current during the summer cooler than the...
The restaurant Grotta Santa Caterina in Sienna is mentioned a lot on the internet so we went here as well. But we were so sorry we didn't leave before ordering. The staff is very uninterested, talks only with eachother and we had the most arrogant waiter I've ever seen. Furthermore are only big touristgroups coming in. Don't go there! There are many nicer restaurants in Sienna, just while walking around you will see them.
Climbing up the leaning tower is a must for most of the tourists, although I think the view is not great at all, except the small part where you see Piazza dei Miracoli from above. Climbing up the tower might be OK, if you have enough time and saw the Duomo, Camposanto and Battistero as well.Otherwise it is a waste of time and a lot of stress, as you have to be there some time before the tour starts and you have just 30 minutes to climb up, have a look and climb down again. Pisa is much more than the misconstructed leaning tower...
Around the tower you will see plenty of souvenir-shops, the closer to the tower, the more expensive......and the more strange and even a bit funny.I wonder what Michelangelo would say, to see the "best part of David" on underpants... ??? For souvenirs and postcards, you may also have a look at many shops in the town of Pisa, while walking TO Piazza dei Miracoli Take a walk back to the station and buy your souvenirs in town !NO guarantee, though, to find underpanties made by Michelangelo.... :-)
For me, Pisa was a disappointment. Sure, there is the Leaning Tower and Duomo - nice to see them, but that's all. Too many tourists and too small city.During the summer many shops are closed. In Toscana there are many places that are at least as nice as Pisa. I have to recomend Lucca, it's really lovely small town. Rent a bike and take a tour through Lucca.
This town could also go under "don't miss" as it is famous and has some wonderful frescoes and fun towers to climb. But it is loaded with tour buses and tourists! It was the only spot in Tuscany that was overwhelmingly touristy. If you go anyhow, and I'm not advising against it, check out the church and the little museum next to it.
Pisa does not deserve more than a couple of hours of your time. While I agree that Campo dei Miracoli, the field with the famous Tower and the cathedral, is a must see, the rest of the town looks rather plain and boring. Make it a day trip, nothing more. And yes, buy your tickets for the Tower early enough if you want to get on top of it on the same day. The number of tickets sold per day is limited.
The restaurants and pizzerias around the campo serve exactly the type of overpriced, low-quality food you come to expect from places near Italian tourist attractions. That said, I have enjoyed my pizzas on the campo. Because let's face it, a bad pizza in Italy is still better than Pizza Hut.
Hotel David Florence
7 Reviews and 1121 Opinions We have stayed with this establishment many times. Initially, it was because they have free parking...
Bologna Hotel Pisa Pisa
6 Reviews and 884 Opinions This is a gentle warning to anyone using a vehicle on the road at the front of the hotel, who is not...
Pensione Palazzo Ravizza Siena
1 Review and 539 Opinions Out of the five hotels we stayed at in Italy, this was by far our favorite. Large rooms and...
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