Famous in Tuscany for its illustrious Leaning Tower, which attracts more than 5 million visitors every year, beautiful Pisa has plenty to offer a truly memorable experience. But where to stay in Pisa? We’ll guide you through the city’s various neighborhoods, so you can stay in the most charming establishments.
Whether you prefer to stay close to the Duomo tourist site, near the Arno river or around the central railway station, where you’re close to everything, you’ll have the choice in this selection we’ve made to save you time in organizing your trip to Pisa.
Main information
Before going into the description of the places to target when selecting accommodation in Pisa, here are the essentials to know from a tourist point of view. They should give you a better idea of the city and its constraints.
Our favorite places to stay
For those in a hurry, here are our favorite places to stay in Pisa:
- $ Ideally located, this hotel offers charming guest rooms at affordable rates,
- $$ This accommodation offers comfortable rooms with a rather old-fashioned decor,
- $$$ This luxury complex, conveniently located close to the Piazza Del Miracoli, offers rooms, some with Jacuzzis.
Map of different areas of Pisa to stay in
To give you a quick overview of the different places we recommend to stay in Pisa, you’ll find on the map below all the Pisa accommodation recommendations we’re going to share in this guide. You can also use it to locate the various neighborhoods we’ll be detailing.
The essentials for choosing where to stay in Pisa
Places to stay in and around Pisa
Let’s get to the heart of the matter with a review of the main areas where we recommend staying in Pisa.
Stay in Santa Maria: Pisa's centro storico
Arriving north of the Arno River via the Ponte Solferino or Ponte di Mezzo, you'll find yourself in the historic district of Santa Maria, Pisa's landmark, attracting millions of visitors every year. It's no surprise, of course, that you'll be drawn to this part of the city, even if it's your first time in Pisa. The Piazza dei Miracoli, or Square of Miracles, stretches north from Santa Maria to showcase its famous buildings, including the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
It is the leaning of the tower that is the city's main attraction. Designed in the 12th century, the tower's slow construction and foundation problems have led to numerous reinforcement works over the centuries. Now inclined at an angle of 4°, it's easy to visit, and you'll be won over by the originality of this Romanesque campanile.
Here's our selection of other must-see sights in Santa Maria:
- pisa Cathedral: the 4th largest cathedral in the world, crowned by a dome created by Brunelleschi.
- san Giovanni Baptistery : a building of diverse architectural styles, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, with ideal acoustics thanks to the marble interior.
- Botanical Garden: dating from the 16th century, this park includes an arboretum, a collection of medicinal plants, fountains and buildings from various periods.
- Piazza dei Cavalieri : This Renaissance-style square is a must on the way to Piazza dei Miracoli
It offers a very interesting range of affordable accommodation. Although not on the scale of Florence or Rome, Pisa is still a very good choice for a culturally rich city, large enough to offer a wide range of restaurants. It's also easy to find accommodation. Numerous guest houses and a number of good hotels are available to help you stay in Santa Maria, the heart of the thousand-year-old city.
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Situated 3 minutes from the main tourist attractions, you can stay in this charming guesthouse with its simple, functional decor. Spaces are well soundproofed. Proximity to the Leaning Tower is the main asset of this establishment.
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A lovely hotel offering accommodation in large rooms with traditional, romantic decor and old-fashioned furnishings. You'll appreciate the hotel's perfect location and peaceful garden.
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Situated 500m from Piazza dei Miracoli, you'll love staying at this charming hotel with its tree-lined terrace, lounge and bar-restaurant. Rooms are modern and well-equipped, with the option of a Jacuzzi.
Accommodation in San Francesco: the Right Bank
Another interesting district to the east of Santa Maria is San Francesco, which also offers several points of interest to see if you're passing through Pisa. In particular, you can wander through its pretty alleyways along Via Cardinale Pietro Maffi, and come across the church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, whose façade is Gothic in inspiration, dating back to the 14th century. In this district, you'll find fewer historic sites, but you'll still be able to visit the Museo Nazionale San Matteo, a former Benedictine convent housing works dating from the 12th to 14th centuries.
This right bank side of the Arno is an ideal part of the city to stay in, as you'll find numerous restaurants and the charming Borgo Stretto street, home to most of the stores of interest. It's the ideal place to stay if you want to enjoy a spot of shopping!
In fact, you'll find Italian stores and not just international chains, guaranteeing an authentic visit to this area. Wandering through alleyways such as Via San Francesco, you'll come across some very good traditional restaurants that offer good value for money and will make your stay a pleasurable one.
Finally, the San Francesco area is still very central, so you'll have no trouble visiting Pisa's best neighborhoods on foot.
We've put together a list of the best accommodations you'll find in this northeastern part of the Italian city, where numerous bed & breakfasts are available.
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A lovely guest house where you can stay in classic rooms decorated in 19th-century style with colorful bed linen. The bathrooms are retro and monochrome. You'll be ideally located less than 10 minutes on foot, 600m from the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
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This charming building offers rooms decorated in period XVIIth century style. The bathroom is modern, with a walk-in shower. The beds are comfortable for a perfect stay where to stay.
San Martin: Staying on the left bank of the Arno River
To the west of the Arno River, you'll find the San Martino area. Bordering the river from the Ponte de la Fortezza to the Ponte di Mezzo, and passing through the 15th-century Scotto Garden, this is a lively district of Pisa that also offers a major shopping artery: Corso Italia. Here you'll find the classic boutiques of international chains as well as more local stores. Dividing the two southern districts, Corso Italia runs from the large Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II to the Ponte Mezzo.
San Martino is a lively part of Pisa, with numerous religious establishments, schools and art venues. Here you'll find the Museo della Grafica Palazzo Lanfranchi, home to a collection of 20th-century contemporary art. The Piazza del Duomo, home to the Leaning Tower, is less than a 20-minute walk from this district, allowing you to discover Pisa through its pretty, centuries-old stone streets.
If you want to stay in this district, you'll find few hotels, but rather guest houses and apartments for rent. Indeed, this is not Pisa's true historical and tourist heart. We've selected the B&Bs you're most interested in for San Martino.
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This San Martino hotel is located 300m from the Arno river and offers accommodation in rooms with traditional classical decor. You'll love the view of the garden and inner courtyard. A hearty breakfast awaits you at this affordable establishment.
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Set in a villa dating back to the 1920s, this fabulous establishment offers guests the chance to stay in beautiful,comfortable classic rooms. The common areas are decorated in a late 19th-century antique style, giving this guesthouse its charm. Outside garden.
Accommodation in Sant'Antonio: the artistic side
To the west of Corso Italia, on the left bank of the Arno, you'll find the corner of Sant'Antonio. Its triangular shape starts from Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II, itself just a few minutes from Pisa's main railway station, and runs from Porta a Mare to Piazza XX Settembre. This is a more relaxed and artistic corner of the city, where you'll find world-famous landmarks such as the fresco"Tuttomondo" by the late American artist Keith Haring in 1989.
You'll also love the marble Gothic church of Santa Maria della Spina, one of Italy's traditional architectural exceptions, as the Gothic movement is not very well represented in the Peninsula. The Palazzo Blu on the banks of the Arno, a former 19th-century Tuscan palace, houses exhibitions of contemporary and modern art, as well as 19th-century furniture. Several religious establishments and buildings of various functions occupy this part of the city. So it's not where you'll find most of the tourist accommodations. However, there are a few, notably bed & breakfasts, especially along the river.
We have selected for you the B&Bs where to stay that will offer you the best visiting experience in this area.
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A charming bed & breakfast in thetraditional Italian spirit, this affordable establishment offers a terrace with a view of the city. Situated 10 min from the train station and 20 min from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you'll love its convenient location.
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Beautiful little guesthouse decorated in 19th-century style, with spacious, traditional bathrooms. You'll love staying here, on the banks of the Arno River, just 10 minutes from Piazza del Duomo and the train station.
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Set in a 19th-century building, you can stay in modern, comfortable rooms with spa baths and balconies. You'll also enjoy uninterrupted views and access to the nearby partner bar.
The area around the station for accommodation in Pisa
If you have other requirements, such as staying close to the station, for example if you're passing through the city of Pisa, you can easily find accommodation close to the station. It's also a good compromise if your budget is limited, as accommodation in the area around the station is very affordable. You'll have the advantage of being close to the Sant'Antonio area, which serves the Corso Italia axis for luxury boutiques and art venues. Between the station and piazza Vittorio Emmanuele II, there are a number of good-value hotels to stay in. You'll be close to the restaurants and boutiques that line the surrounding streets.
On the south side of the station, you'll find a more limited range of accommodation, consisting almost entirely of bed & breakfasts. There are few restaurants in this part of Pisa, but there are supermarkets if you need them. Staying in this area will therefore be less advisable, especially if you want to see the old town of Pisa and its emblematic attractions.
We've put together a compilation of the most interesting B&Bs:
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This pretty little hotel is ideally located next to the train station, where you can stay in rooms decorated in a traditional classic style, with antique-style furniture. The rooms are rather retro and well-equipped, with the option of a balcony.
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This charming guesthouse is less than a quarter of an hour's walk south of the train station , and offers well-decorated modern rooms with spacious designer bathrooms. Its natural spaces are complemented by a 100 m² garden. Convenient private parking.
Summary
You now have all the information you need for a successful stay in Tuscany, in the beautiful city of Pisa. A must-see destination in this tourist region of Italy, you’ll be sure to make the most of its cultural offerings in peace and quiet. We recommend staying 2 or 3 days to take in all the historic buildings in the Piazza dei Miracoli, and to discover some of Pisa’s lesser-known sights.
For accommodation in the city of the leaning tower, we recommend either Santa Maria or San Francesco, which are closest to this historic square, or the banks of the Arno, if you want to enjoy the view of the buildings on the other bank. The charm of Pisa is sure to win you over, thanks to its wide range of guesthouses where to stay for a memorable experience in this illustrious city