Pisa with Kids: Best Things to See and Do

Visiting Pisa with kids is a great idea for a family day trip or weekend break. The city is famous all over the world for its Leaning Tower, but there are plenty of other things to see and do with children.

The first stop is, of course, Piazza dei Miracoli, home to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Cathedral and the Baptistery. It is one of the most iconic places in Italy and a sight that fascinates children too, especially when it is time to take the classic photo pretending to “hold up” the Tower.

But what can you see in Pisa with kids besides the Leaning Tower? The historic centre is easy and enjoyable to explore on foot, with beautiful squares, churches, palaces, riverside walks and charming corners full of history. Pisa is also a lively university city and its compact centre makes it particularly easy to visit as a family.

And if you are looking for things to do in Pisa with kids when they need a break from monuments and museums, you will also find parks, green spaces and outdoor activities where children can play and everyone can relax. This makes it easy to combine sightseeing, fun and some quieter family time during your visit.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Undoubtedly the recognizing element of Pisa all over the world is the Leaning Tower in Piazza dei Miracoli. The contrast of colors between the green lawn and the white tower, the beauty of the details and the slope leaves children breathless as they see it!

But here are three things you could tell babies in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa:
✔ The slope of the tower (by as much as 3.9 degrees!!) is not something intended by those who designed it: it was caused by the subsidence of the ground, which was particularly sandy in places, due to the excessive weight of the tower.
✔ During construction they realized the subsidence and tried to straighten the tower: if you look closely, the tower is slightly arched.
✔ The tower is actually a bell tower: it is the bell tower of the nearby Pisa Cathedral! In the Middle Ages, churches were flanked by a tower that housed bells. If you think about it, St. Mark's bell tower in Venice and Giotto's bell tower near the cathedral in Florence are also towers.
And of course, once the visit is over, taking the popular photo where you try to hold up the very heavy Leaning Tower is a must!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa at 56 meters high, 8 stories, with a total of 293 steps is entirely visitable, but for safety reasons children under 8 years old are not allowed to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Here the skip-line tickets for the Tower of Pisa

The Tower of Pisa

The Piazza del Miracoli

The Tower is not the only beauty in Pisa; it is part of an architectural complex located in the Piazza del Duomo. This includes the Cathedral, the Baptistery (the largest in Italy), the Campo Santo, and, of course, the Bell Tower.
Because of its remarkable beauty, the square has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
An interesting curiosity concerns the origin of its name: the precision of the architecture and the majesty of the monuments inspired such admiration in the poet D’Annunzio that, in 1910, he called them “miracles.” From that moment on, the square has been known as the Piazza dei Miracoli!

A delightful surprise awaits children inside the Baptistery: every half hour, all the doors are closed, and a person positioned in the center produces sounds that, thanks to the echo created by the double dome, transform into a beautiful melody. Your children will be fascinated!

Here the skip-line tickets for Baptistery, Cemetery and Cathedral: Quick Access.

⚠️The lawn of the Piazza dei Miracoli is partly closed to the public, but in the part closest to the cemetery you can enter on the lawn.

Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa

Walking through Pisa’s historic centre

After visiting Piazza dei Miracoli, it is worth continuing your visit on foot and at a relaxed pace. Pisa’s historic centre is fairly compact, and walking through its narrow streets, medieval squares, old palaces and riverside areas is one of the best ways to discover the city.

One of the most beautiful stops is Piazza dei Cavalieri, an elegant and impressive square that was one of the centres of political life in Pisa during the Middle Ages. Today it is dominated by Palazzo della Carovana, designed by Giorgio Vasari and now home to the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore. With children, take a moment to look at the decorated façade and the statues around the square.

From here, continue towards Borgo Stretto, one of Pisa’s most characteristic streets, lined with arcades, historic buildings, shops and cafés. It is a pleasant area to explore with children and a good place to experience the livelier side of the historic centre.

A little further on, you reach the Lungarni, the streets running along the River Arno. They are perfect for a family walk and offer a completely different view of Pisa.
Along the river you will also find one of the city’s most curious churches: Santa Maria della Spina.

It is a very small Gothic church, almost like a miniature building, covered with pinnacles, statues and intricate marble decorations. Its tiny size and extraordinary amount of detail make it especially fascinating for children: it almost looks like a church built for a miniature world.

When children need some time to run around and play, Giardino Scotto is a useful stop during a day exploring Pisa.
Located beside the River Arno inside the old Fortezza Nuova, it is now a public garden popular with local families.
With lawns, shady trees and a children’s play area, it is a good place to stop for a snack or simply let younger children have a break after visiting museums and monuments.
During the summer, the garden also hosts outdoor events and activities.

It is a simple stop, but a very useful one when visiting Pisa with young children.

Pisa Botanical Garden and Museum

Just a few minutes’ walk from Piazza dei Miracoli, you will find a peaceful green corner that is well worth discovering with children: the Botanical Garden of the University of Pisa.

Founded in 1543, it is considered the oldest university botanical garden in the world. Today the garden is located around 300 metres from the Leaning Tower of Pisa and covers about two hectares, with nearly 3,000 plants from five continents.

As you walk through its seven sections, you can see centuries-old trees, Mediterranean plants, aquatic species, succulents from African and American deserts, and many other botanical collections. It is a pleasant place to explore with children, who can discover unusual shapes, colours and plants from very different environments.

Next to the garden is the Botanical Museum, home to historic university collections, botanical models, educational displays and documents linked to the history of botany.

The Botanical Garden is open throughout the year, with opening times that vary according to the season. Children under 6 enter free of charge, and reduced and family tickets are available.

The Botanical Museum is currently temporarily closed, so it is always a good idea to check the official website before your visit.

Credits Federigo Federighi – Pisa Botanical Garden

The Ancient Ships of Pisa Museum

If your children love ships, adventures and stories from the past, the Ancient Ships of Pisa Museum is well worth a visit.

The museum is housed inside the historic Medici Arsenals, close to the River Arno, and tells the story of Pisa’s relationship with water through ancient boats, archaeological finds and objects discovered during excavations in the area of the old river harbour.

Families can learn how people travelled and traded during Roman times and discover what everyday life was like on board a ship.

The highlight for many children is the collection of ancient boats, some of which were found in remarkably good condition.

The museum is divided into several sections and combines original archaeological finds with reconstructions and displays that make the story easier for younger visitors to understand.

It is also a great choice for a rainy day or whenever you are looking for an indoor activity to alternate with sightseeing around Pisa.

Keith Haring’s Tuttomondo mural

Just a short walk from Pisa Centrale railway station, you can discover a very different side of the city: the colourful Tuttomondo mural by Keith Haring.

The large mural was painted in 1989 on the outer wall of the Sant’Antonio convent and is one of the most important public works created by the American artist. It covers around 180 square metres and features 30 figures fitting together like pieces of a giant puzzle.

The main theme of the artwork is harmony between people, animals and nature. Each figure has its own meaning, making Tuttomondo especially fun to explore with children.

Turn the visit into a little visual treasure hunt: can you spot the dolphin, monkey, bat, dog, chicken and butterfly? And in the centre, look for the large yellow cross, one of the details linked to the city of Pisa.

Haring painted the mural only a few months before his death, and it is considered one of the last major public works of his career. Unlike many of his earlier pieces, Tuttomondo was created from the beginning as a permanent artwork, designed to remain part of the city.

Keith Haring’s Tuttomondo mural

Things to do near Pisa with kids

Calci Charterhouse and the Natural History Museum

Just a few kilometres from Pisa, at the foot of Monte Pisano, lies the beautiful Calci Charterhouse, a large monastery founded in the 14th century and home to Carthusian monks for centuries.

Walking through its cloisters, chapels, monks’ cells and decorated rooms feels like stepping into another world. It is one of those places where time seems to have stood still, and children can discover what everyday life was like for the monks who once lived here.

Some of the interiors are so richly decorated that they look more like rooms in a palace than part of a monastery, making the visit interesting for adults and children alike.

Credits Gianni Careddu – Calci Charterhouse

For families, however, there is another big surprise inside the complex: the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa, one of Italy’s most important historic natural history museums.

Its large galleries are dedicated to animals, fossils, geology and the history of life on Earth. Some of the most exciting sections for children include:
✅ the Whale Gallery, with impressive skeletons of whales and other large marine mammals;
✅ the dinosaur and palaeontology galleries;
✅ collections of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians;
✅ the largest freshwater aquarium in Italy, with around 60,000 litres of water and many different species of fish.

Walking beneath enormous whale skeletons, discovering dinosaurs and then watching colourful fish swimming in the aquarium makes the Natural History Museum one of the most interesting things to do near Pisa with kids.

What makes this place particularly special is the combination of two completely different experiences: the quiet atmosphere and history of an ancient monastery and the fascinating world of science and nature. It is an unusual mix that works surprisingly well for a family day out.

Credits Federigo Federighi – Natural History Museum

San Rossore Natural Park

Just a few minutes from the centre of Pisa, the landscape changes completely as you enter the Migliarino, San Rossore and Massaciuccoli Regional Park, a vast protected area where forests, pine woods, wetlands, dunes and beaches create a surprisingly varied natural environment.

The San Rossore Estate is a lovely place to spend a few hours outdoors with children. Keep your eyes open along the trails and you may spot fallow deer, wild boar and foxes, as well as many species of birds including woodpeckers, herons, buzzards and cormorants.

Many of the routes are fairly flat and parts of the estate can be explored on foot or by bike, making San Rossore an easy nature escape for families. There are several marked trails, from walks through the woodland to longer excursions towards the wilder coastal areas.

Not every part of San Rossore is freely accessible. Some areas around Cascine Nuove and Sterpaia are open to visitors, while other routes have specific access rules and the most protected coastal areas can only be visited with an environmental guide. It is always worth checking the official park website before your visit for updated access information and guided excursions.

Il Pineto Adventure Park

If your children are ready for a little more adventure, head towards Marina di Pisa and Il Pineto Adventure Park, set in a beautiful pine forest just a short walk from the sea.

The park has 11 treetop adventure courses with different levels of difficulty and height, from easier routes for children to more challenging courses for teenagers and adults. Suspended bridges, aerial obstacles and zip-lines turn a walk in the woods into a real family adventure.

And you do not have to climb the trees to enjoy the area. Access to the pine forest is free, with walking areas, picnic tables, barbecue facilities and plenty of space to play or simply relax in the shade.

You can buy Il Pineto Adventure Park tickets online.

Credits Franco Simone Baldi Dolfi – San Rossore Natural Park

Pisa and the sea: Marina di Pisa, Tirrenia and Calambrone

Pisa is not only about the Leaning Tower and historic monuments. Just a few kilometres from the city centre, you can also reach the Pisa coastline.

Marina di Pisa, Tirrenia and Calambrone offer beaches, pine forests and seaside walks, making them a lovely addition to a family weekend, especially during the warmer months.

Marina di Pisa has small beaches and rocky breakwaters, while Tirrenia and Calambrone offer longer stretches of sandy beach, beach clubs and green areas just behind the coast.

It is an easy way to combine a day of sightseeing in Pisa with a few relaxing hours by the sea, or to create a weekend mixing culture, nature and beach time.

Pisa with kids: a one or two-day itinerary

If you have one day in Pisa with kids, start in Piazza dei Miracoli with the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistery, then walk towards the Botanical Garden and Piazza dei Cavalieri.

From here, continue along Borgo Stretto to the Lungarni, look for the tiny church of Santa Maria della Spina and finish your day at Keith Haring’s colourful Tuttomondo mural.

If you have two days in Pisa, spend the second day at the Ancient Ships of Pisa Museum and then choose an excursion outside the historic centre.

Families who love nature can explore San Rossore Natural Park. If your children are more interested in dinosaurs, animals and aquariums, head to the Natural History Museum in Calci. For something more adventurous, try the treetop courses at Il Pineto Adventure Park, while during the summer you can finish your weekend with a few hours by the sea in Marina di Pisa, Tirrenia or Calambrone.

What to eat in Pisa: Torta co’ bischeri

A trip to Pisa is also a great opportunity to try some local specialities. If you have a sweet tooth, look out for Torta co’ bischeri, a traditional cake from the Pisa area made with shortcrust pastry and a rich filling usually prepared with rice, cocoa, pine nuts, raisins and candied fruit.
Its unusual name comes from the “bischeri”, the small pieces of pastry shaped around the edge of the cake. Once baked, they give it its distinctive look, almost like the battlements of a tiny medieval castle.

If you prefer something savoury, try cecina, a thin chickpea flour flatbread made with water, olive oil and salt. Crisp on the outside and soft inside, it is a simple and tasty snack to enjoy while exploring Pisa.

Credits Cucchiaio d'Argento – Torta co’ bischeri