Located in the Italian region of Tuscany, Pisa is a city with an unbelievable depth and richness of history and heritage. This is a city that has been around since Roman times and fought fiercely on literally countless occasions against its rivals to guard its once held position as the region’s supreme maritime city. A wealth of spectacular historic architecture combined with proximity to the coast and some fairly stunning countryside, has helped make Pisa one of Italy’s top visitor destinations.

The Piazza del Duomo is the city’s trump card. Needing very little introduction on account of its global infamy, this is a complex housing a series of structures among which is the campanile or Leaning Tower, a building that few have not heard of and one responsible for drawing visitors in their thousands every year. The main cathedral building (Duomo), the baptistery and the cemetery comprise the remaining structures at the Piazza.

Pisa has an excellent selection of museums offering some interesting artworks however if cultural aesthetics are your thing then the city’s variety of churches and ecclesiastical structures are well worthy of your time, on account of the excellent frescoes they feature, most of which hail from the Renaissance period and were created by some of Italy’s greatest artists.

Away from the history and culture, the city offers a good selection of modern amenities with no shortage of dining options and places to sit and enjoy an ice cream, good cup of coffee or glass or two of fine Tuscan wine. Evening entertainment venues are plentiful with everything from bars offering live music to nightclubs and discotheques.

Pisa is highly accessible having its own international airport which maintains a variety of European and North American connections. Additionally a good road network means reaching the city by private vehicle or bus are good options. Italy’s rail network means the city can be reached easily from the capital and other major destinations.

The city is well used to receiving visitors and caters well to the high level of demand it experiences for accommodation. A large number of hotels are available in Pisa, among which are international chains such as Best Western, Grand, and Holiday Inn, plus an extensive selection of independent establishments. With rooms filling up quickly in the high season, it’s wise to book ahead.

The earliest days of Pisa remain a mystery to historians with the Greeks, the Pelasgi, the Etruscans and the Ligurians, all touted as possible founders of the city although solid evidence to support any of these suggestions is still lacking. What is certain however is that the region we now know as Pisa became a Roman colony called Portus Pisanus in the year 180 BC and was used a base from which to explore and conquer the regions held by the Gauls, Ligurians and Carthaginians.

Later in 89 BC, the colony was given municipium status and under Emperor Augustus it was subsequently fortified and transformed into an important port and its name changed to Colonia Iulia Obsequens. 

In the 7th century AD, Pisa gained a new prosperity as it became the main port serving the Upper Tyrrhenian Sea and a significant trading centre for the Tuscany-Corsica region and also for Sardinia and France and Spain’s southern coastal areas. 

The defeat of the Lombards who controlled Pisa, at the hands of Charlemagne brought a brief period of crisis for the city but recovery was swift however and it went on to become a part of the duchy of Lucca.

While capital status was retained by the city of Lucca, Pisa rapidly became the centre of the duchy and its most important city by far. The city continued to fortify its significance by expanding its port and maritime activities and its peak was reached in the 11th century when it was recognised as one of Italy’s four main historical Marine Republics. It was also notable for its important roles in a number of military offensives in the latter part of the 11th century, first against Genoa and then later joining with the Genoese to force El Cid out of Valencia.

Conflict with Genoa however resumed in the 12th century and continued until the signing of a peace treaty in 1196. Peace was initially short lived however with Pisa’s violation of the treaty in 1199 bringing more military skirmishes.

Stormy times again lay ahead for Pisa in the 13th century with conflicts with Lucca, Venice and once more Genoa. Pisa was eventually defeated at the hands of the Genoese and this marked the beginning of its period of decline as a major Italian port.

In the latter part of the Middle Ages and the period bridging modern times; Pisa’s history has been significantly less dramatic. Destruction befell it during WWII, but it recovered and rebuilt itself focusing on its potential as a tourist destination with such sights at the Leaning Tower to draw visitors.

Pisa’s climate is dictated by that of the Tuscany region and as such is predominantly mild and Mediterranean in nature, typically seeing hot summers and cool wet winters.

From a visitor perspective, the summer season is certainly the best time to take a holiday in Pisa seeing temperatures ranging between 25°C and 30°C which can makes things a little steamy at times but not so hot as to preclude the possibility of enjoying a spot of sightseeing or taking a few excursions. July and August are the warmest months although with May and September a little on the cooler side, you’re perhaps best planning your trip for the beginning or the tail end of the summer season.

Winters are never drastically cold with temperatures generally in the 10°C to 15°C so it’s still certainly feasible to visit Pisa during this season and probably the ideal place to head if you are wanting to escape the ravishes of a UK winter or a country with a similarly cold climate.