The Perfect 5-Day Pisa Itinerary: Exploring Tuscany & Liguria

Planning a 5-day Pisa itinerary or looking for the best Tuscany and Liguria day trips? Pisa, Italy is an ideal base for exploring Northern Italy’s must-see destinations, not just for its iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, but also for affordable flights and exceptional train connections to Florence, Cinque Terre, Lucca, and beyond. This comprehensive Pisa travel guide shares the perfect Tuscany itinerary, including what to see in Pisa, the best day trips from Pisa by train, where to stay, transportation tips, and how to explore Liguria coast highlights like Portovenere and Cinque Terre villages. Whether you’re planning weekend trips from Pisa or a full Tuscany vacation, we’ll show you how to maximize your time in this beautiful region of Italy

How to Get Around Tuscany and the Pisa Area

Each of the places we’ve listed is easily accessible by public transport. The train station in Pisa is very well connected to the region and has many trains to almost every destination, which run regularly and at good prices. You can buy tickets on-site at the station. For schedules and prices, you can check the Trenitalia website.

If you decide to rent a car, you can compare prices and offers from dozens of car rental companies on the DiscoverCars website:

Pisa

Pisa is a charming little town, known primarily for its leaning tower. Besides its main attraction, Pisa is also a very appealing destination because it serves as a key hub from which you can visit some of Italy’s most interesting places in just an hour or two by train.

If your holiday starts in Pisa, I definitely recommend spending a day in the town. In addition to the famous square where the leaning tower is located, Pisa has a beautiful center with a wide variety of nice restaurants, shops, and cafes. To be honest, in my opinion, the city itself isn’t worth more than a day as a standalone destination. However, if you don’t want to change accommodation frequently, Pisa is an excellent base for day trips to places in the Tuscany and Liguria regions, such as Lucca, Cinque Terre, Florence, Siena, Genoa, Rome, and others.

Accommodation and Transport in Pisa
Unlike overcrowded places like Florence, accommodation in Pisa is reasonably priced, which is another reason why it’s a suitable starting point for a tour of the region. What distinguishes Pisa from other places I’ve visited is the proximity of the airport to the city center and the pleasant neighborhood right next to it. On my first visit, because the flight landed late, I booked a room in a house about a 10-minute walk from the airport, and the neighborhood and accommodation turned out to be very pleasant and quiet. If you find good prices for accommodation, don’t hesitate; from there, you can easily reach the area with the leaning tower by bus, and the train station is about a 10-15 minute walk away.

One piece of advice I can offer is to avoid the area immediately around the train station, as there are many suspicious-looking people, and it feels a bit unsafe at night. It’s fine during the day, but it can be more stressful in the evening.

As for transportation within the town, unfortunately, you cannot buy bus tickets on board. You need to purchase them either online (through a special app) or from one of the Tabacchi shops, which are everywhere in the city.

Lucca

Located between Pisa and Florence, Lucca is considered one of the most beautiful cities in Tuscany. The old town is hidden behind fortress walls, and its interior is dotted with beautiful cobbled streets, a large oval central square, and tall towers from which visitors can admire this wonderful place. Lucca is about 30 minutes by train from Pisa and is the most easily accessible destination from both Pisa and Florence.

Since trains run regularly, you don’t need to book tickets in advance; you can buy them directly at the station. I advise you to check the schedules beforehand on the Trenitalia website.

Florence

Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and one of the most impressive cities in Europe, is only about an hour away by direct train from Pisa. Train tickets start from €10 each way and run every hour. Due to the vast number of interesting places in the city and its relatively large size, I recommend at least one overnight stay in Florence, preferably 2-3 nights. Keep in mind that accommodation there is significantly more expensive than in Pisa.

Much has been written about Florence, so I won’t go into great detail, but if I can offer some advice, it would be to avoid driving to Florence. Cars are banned in a large part of the old town, and parking is incredibly expensive.

Here are some places I recommend visiting in Florence:

• Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore: One of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world. Entry is free, but there are almost always queues. If you arrive at 10:15 AM when it opens, there’s a smaller chance of huge lines.

• Uffizi Gallery: If you are a fan of Renaissance art, I highly recommend booking tickets in advance to see works by some of the greatest artists, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Caravaggio.

• Piazzale Michelangelo: Watch the sunset from here, where you can enjoy one of the most iconic panoramic views of the Renaissance city.

• Villa Bardini: This villa is not among the most popular places, but there you can enjoy seclusion amidst beautiful gardens with incredible panoramic views of the city.

• Schiacciata Sandwiches: Be sure to try the iconic schiacciata sandwiches. The most popular place for them is the chain All’Antico Vinaio. Even if there’s a small queue, the few minutes’ wait is worth it.

Cinque Terre: The 5 Fairy-Tale Mediterranean Villages of Liguria

Cinque Terre is a group of five small villages, part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The villages are located on the Ligurian coast, between Pisa and Genoa. The five villages are connected by a railway line, and you can buy a day ticket to explore them all.

Getting to Cinque Terre from Pisa requires a change in the town of La Spezia, which is about an hour away by train. If you leave early in the morning, you can easily spend a full day in Cinque Terre and then return to Pisa, or you can book an overnight stay in La Spezia. Accommodation is also available in the villages, but at much higher prices. Besides the train, you can also travel between the villages by tourist boats, but this option is less flexible and more expensive.

Important: If you have the choice, I recommend avoiding a visit to Cinque Terre on weekends or during July and August. There are many more visitors, and the prices for a one-day adult ticket are around €33, or €84 for two adults with children. If you visit the area on a weekday outside the peak summer season, the ticket is €27 for a single person and €70 for a family, and it is less crowded.

Here is a little information about each of the villages:

• Riomaggiore: This is the first village, featuring a small boat harbor above which the beautiful colorful houses of the village rise.
• Manarola: If you have the chance to visit Cinque Terre at sunset, Manarola is the best place for it.
• Corniglia: Unlike the other villages, Corniglia is located high up, and from the station, you need to take a bus to the top. It offers beautiful views, but I was more impressed by the other villages.
• Vernazza: This is our favorite. The harbor is exceptionally beautiful, and from there, you can see stunning views of the high hills with terraced vineyards.
• Monterosso: This is the most modern of the five villages and the most suitable for a beach day due to its long shoreline and beautiful blue water.

Portovenere: The Mediterranean Gem You May Not Have Heard Of

On our last visit to La Spezia from Pisa, we decided to skip Cinque Terre, as we had already been, and chose another place: Portovenere. We learned about it by chance after seeing a queue of Italians waiting to board a boat there. We quickly looked it up online, saw that it looked beautiful and interesting, and the round-trip ticket was at a good price, so we decided to go for it.

Not only did Portovenere’s waterfront turn out to be very beautiful, but it has two other major attractions: the castle that towers over the village with a beautiful panoramic view from above, and the beautiful Church of San Pietro, next to which is the so-called Lord Byron’s Grotto. From this cave, there is an incredible view of the Ligurian coast; don’t miss it if you decide to visit this beautiful village. In the small streets of Portovenere, you can also buy and try pesto from local producers, combined with various Italian dishes.

If you want to get to Portovenere, the options are either a small boat from La Spezia or a bus from the bus station. The journey takes about half an hour each way.

Livorno: A Coastal Town 15 Minutes from Pisa

Livorno is a beautiful seaside town that is perfect for a half-day trip from Pisa. Its most beautiful part is the so-called Venetian Quarter, which has preserved the Renaissance spirit of the Italian city with beautiful buildings, churches, and canals. If you are with children, you can also visit the city’s aquarium, where you can see hundreds of species of marine life.

Other Interesting Places in Tuscany

It’s impossible to list all the interesting places in Tuscany in one article, so my focus was mainly on places suitable for a short trip from Pisa. If you decide to visit the region and have more time, I definitely recommend visiting the following places :

• Pistoia: A beautiful ancient town located between Pisa and Florence.
• Vinci: The hometown of Leonardo da Vinci, located very close to Florence and accessible by bus.
• Siena: An incredible ancient city, considered one of the icons of Tuscany.
• Volterra: A beautiful old town on a high hill with stunning panoramic views of the Tuscan fields.
• Monteriggioni: Another ancient town not far from Siena, surrounded by well-preserved fortress walls that will transport you back in time by centuries.

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