Italy 2008: 02 Pisa - The Panoramic Leaning Tower...

"Success is not permanent and failure is not fatal..." - Mike Ditka

(04 March 2008)

(The tower has not fallen yet!)

From Genoa to Rome - A Stop in Pisa

Train travel in Italy is both convenient and scenic - often the best way to explore the country where driving can be nerve-wracking and parking scarce and expensive. Major stations are usually located right in the city centre or just at its edge, making access easy. From our hotel, we walked quite a distance to the train station for our early departure to Rome.

The journey offered idyllic countryside views, the kind that make you simply gaze out the window and let time drift by. As our route passed through Pisa, we decided to make a brief stop and explore. At Pisa Centrale, we left our luggage at the station for a small fee before setting out on foot.

(A short walk from the train station)

There’s more to Pisa than just its world-famous Leaning Tower. The walk from the station, across the river, and through the charming town revealed a side of Pisa that many travellers overlook. After a pleasant 2-km stroll, the sight of the Leaning Tower and the surrounding Campo dei Miracoli never failed to impress. We lingered there for a while, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying the views.

(56m white-marble cylinder)

(Already tilting when it was completed in 1372)

(500 years of eroded stairs of Pisa Tower)

(The bell tower of the Romanesque)

(Piazza dei Miracoli)

On our way back, we took a different route through quieter streets that gave us another glimpse of local life before returning to Pisa Centrale to catch our onward train to Rome.

(Crossing the Arno River to Pisa Centrale)

(It was slightly raining when we reached Pisa Centrale)

👈 2008: Genoa, Italy 

           2008: Rome, Italy👉