Things to see and do Pisa

In the heart of medieval Pisa, on the site of the former forum, the Place des Cavaliers (to be taken in the sense of "knights") is a must in the city. A former centre of political power at the time of the Medici, this very pleasant square is now the centre of student life in Pisa. Indeed, the Knights' Palace (palazzo dei Cavalieri), which once housed the headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St. Stephen, founded in 1562, and which was transformed by the famous architect Giorgio Vasari on the orders of Cosme I de Medici, now houses the Ecole normale supérieure (Scuola normale superiore di Pisa), founded by Napoleon in 1810. The Palazzo dell'Orologio (Palace of the Clock) and the church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri, built in 1565 by Vasari, close this noble square, in the centre of which stands a 16th century fountain decorated with a statue of Cosme I. On the façade of the religious building stands a Maltese cross, symbol of the Knights of St Stephen. This order, both sacred and military, was subject to the rule of Saint Benedict and was responsible for fighting Muslim pirates in the Mediterranean. Inside, you can see a surprising coffered ceiling. The frescoes on the facade are also by Vasari. The Clock Palace is composed of two tower-houses (case-torri), the one on the right, the torre della Fame, is the one where Ugolino della Gherardesca, who established a tyranny in Pisa in 1286, died after being locked up there with his two sons.

After five years of major renovation work, the Museum of the Opera del Duomo has reopened its doors. Inaugurated in 1986, the museum is housed in a building attached to the 13th-century cloister and preserves significant works from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Baptistery of Pisa. In particular, sculptures dating from the 11th and 16th centuries, and works by Giovanni Pisano, including a beautiful Madonna and Child and a magnificent polychrome Christ.

With its 45,000 students, Pisa is a city with a lively nightlife. To have a drink at aperitif time or at night, visit piazza delle Vettovaglie, a gathering place for young people from Pisa and abroad, students, bohemian artists and musicians who liven up this warm place, where the market also takes place in the morning. An alternative: the pretty Gambacorti piazza, commonly renamed piazza della Pera because of its pear trees: there are also bars, restaurants and gelaterie but in a slightly quieter atmosphere.