The city of Pisa Italy is famous the world over for its Leaning Tower but there’s much more to the city. Here are some other things to do in Pisa:
1. Be sure to visit the Duomo and Baptistery next to the tower. Leave extra time (a few hours) to visit Pisa’s stunning cathedral as well as the largest baptistery in Italy.
2. Also leave time to go into Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. This museum is where much of the art that was formerly in the cathedral is now housed. See Giovanni Pisano’s ivory carving of the Madonna and Child carved for the cathedral’s high altar as well as Moorish-influenced marble decorations and the famous sketches of the Camposanto frescoes.
3. Don’t miss the Museum of the Ancient Ships of Pisa. Here you can explore nine Roman cargo ships that were excavated in Pisa in 1998. They were found in remarkable shape and have been restored.
4. Walk by the Keith Haring mural. The late artist Keith Haring is famous for his graffiti-like modern art. He painted a mural on a wall of the Church of San’Antonio in 1989, a year before he died.
5. Do as the locals do and shop at Il Mercato (Pisa’s main outdoor market). This market is held in Parcheggio Scambiatore on Via Pietrasantina on Wednesday and Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. You will find food, clothing, leather goods, etc. here.
By Kathy McCabe
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Photo by Ramon Roura, flickr.com
