Is it worth climbing the Tower of Pisa?

[JM-1972]

Hi

 

Wondering if it worth paying the extra to climb the tower. Does anyone know how long it takes to climb?

[euro cruiser]

It's not that high and they only allow you a limited amount of time inside the tower. A person in reasonable condition can climb all the way to the top in about ten minutes.

 

Whether or not it is worth it is hard to answer for someone else. I figured that as long as we were there, we might as well. The kids enjoyed it; I prefer higher/longer climbs like the Duomo in Florence, or the cupola of St. Peter's, or Vesuvio, but that's me.

[KirkNC]

Our take was similar to Eurocruiser, as long as we were there, might as well climb it. I agree, it takes about 10 minutes.

 

Kirk

[chipmaster]

YES, unless one physically can't why wouldn't you? Spend thousands on plane fare, thousands on the cruise and get to the "tower" and not climb???

 

Unlesss you can't get tickets why not? Even my 80 year old dad had to do it! Took him the full 30' to get up, but was something special. After all its just a little leaning tower :D

 

 

Hi

 

Wondering if it worth paying the extra to climb the tower. Does anyone know how long it takes to climb?

[TLCOhio]

We loved Pisa on our first visit there in June. We didn't take the time to climb to the top, but below are some pictures showing people enjoying that experience. Our guide explained that this famed tower had just completed earlier this year its full cleaning. It looked super and sparkles!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 47,559 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

From our van, here was the first view of this famed Tower in Pisa. The second picture shows the Tower from the side of Duomo (main) church.:

 

 

 

 

 

On our first visit to Pisa, we were very impressed by its famed Leaning Tower. This tower is much taller than I expected. It is 185’ high. Big for that era and their construction tools/techniques! They just completed a major cleaning of the tower in the weeks before our June visit. Below shows its lower ground-level. The second shot shows the middle details for the tower. The other two shots, from different angles, show the top of the tower with people. Work on the white marble campanile began in 1173, during a period of Pisa’s military success and financial prosperity. The tower began to sink as construction started on the second floor in 1178. This was due to having only a three-meter foundation, set in weak, unstable, sandy subsoil. Construction was halted for almost a century, due to the Republic of Pisa being almost continually engaged in battles with the city-states of Genoa, Lucca and Florence. The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was added in 1372. Also impressive here are the Pisa Baptistry (begun in the mid 12th century) and Duomo (main) church (construction started in 1064 as a model of Pisan Romanesque style of architecture). Pisa has a couple of major universities here. There is another church here that also has a leaning (and shorter) tower. We drove by that site, also. Two leaning towers in Pisa! How many knew that?:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cleobella]

We opted not to climb the tower and felt we saw enough just walking through the field of miracles, viewing the exterior of the tower, visiting the baptistery and the church. For us the climb did not seem too important. I think in the old days the tower must have been considered very high, not now and we had no interest in the architectural detail of the inside of the tower. Just our opinion though, many people would feel differently.

[Chloe1500]

Didn't climb it either --- we were told that if we wanted to climb the tower, no bags were allowed, and that we would have to leave them with someone. That didn't seem feasible for us, so we enjoyed the site from the ground.

[kuldalai]

Why would one go to see one of the defying gravity feats of the world and not climb it ?

 

But just don't bowl up and expect to get in . Only 25 - 30 are admitted each 15 minutes and one needs to have a ticket . Tickets are usually sold out days in advance .

 

Savvy travellers pre-purchase the tickets on line direct (bookings open something like 45 days in advance). Google search leaning tower tickets to find the tower website . Armed with your voucher you bowl up to Cashier 2 and exchange your voucher for the tickets .

 

Front at the base of the tower 20 minutes prior to your assigned time. All bags can be left in a cloak room next to the Ticket Office .

 

You will be counted in at your assigned time and allowed to climb up to about half way where you can go outside and walk around . You are held there a few minutes at this mid level till the preceding group comes down from the top of the tower . Then it is up to the level where the bells are, and finally if you want you can go right up to the very top of the tower for some very spectacular views .

 

It is 300 steps to the top, and anyone reasonably fit will handle the climb without stress . But be careful there are no handrails on the circular staircase and you push against the walls to steady yourself . Also wear rubber soled footwear as the steps are marble and polished to a slippery sheen by millions of visitors before you . The slightest bit of rain makes them very slippery.

 

After 10 minutes or so at the top you are ordered right down and emerge back on terra firma 30 minutes after you entered .

[4774Papa]

We climbed to the top back in 1990. I advise going for it, if you have the opportunity. If you have a vertigo problem, you might not elect to climb. The incline is eerey on the climb.

[Keith1010]

It's not essential to climb to the top of the tower.

 

Our memories are from the outside.

 

Keith

[chipmaster]

One of the weirdiest and coolest memory for us was when climbing up starting going up the look of the worn stone stairs. Think of the millions of shoes that have worn them down before you.

 

Than the narrow stair way how tilted it was, it almost got me sick the difference in what my ears were telling me and my eyes.. pretty neat to see the tilted than climb the narrow stone stairway... If one gets the chance sieze it, you won't regret the few euros and extra 30' to climb a legend. As one poster said its so low, whats the interest, even more reason to. Not like getting to base camp of Mt Everest where even if you wanted you wouldn't make a go at the peak, here anyone with planning and ability to climb 10 flights of stairs can and should, to not is to miss out!

 

We climbed to the top back in 1990. I advise going for it, if you have the opportunity. If you have a vertigo problem, you might not elect to climb. The incline is eerey on the climb.

[lisiamc]

One of the weirdiest and coolest memory for us was when climbing up starting going up the look of the worn stone stairs. Think of the millions of shoes that have worn them down before you.

 

Than the narrow stair way how tilted it was, it almost got me sick the difference in what my ears were telling me and my eyes.. pretty neat to see the tilted than climb the narrow stone stairway... If one gets the chance sieze it, you won't regret the few euros and extra 30' to climb a legend. As one poster said its so low, whats the interest, even more reason to. Not like getting to base camp of Mt Everest where even if you wanted you wouldn't make a go at the peak, here anyone with planning and ability to climb 10 flights of stairs can and should, to not is to miss out!

 

And two of those shoes actually belonged to Galileo! We climbed the tower not too long after it re-opened to visitors, and I was really glad we did. It's fun and interesting, because of the history, the tilt and the view.

 

I say, do it if you can!

[chipmaster]

Them stairs :D, I remember that story from my childhood, and then to see his Tomb only a few hours later...

 

And two of those shoes actually belonged to Galileo! We climbed the tower not too long after it re-opened to visitors, and I was really glad we did. It's fun and interesting, because of the history, the tilt and the view.

 

I say, do it if you can!

[4774Papa]

Them stairs :D, I remember that story from my childhood, and then to see his Tomb only a few hours later...

Yes, his tomb is in the Santa Croce Church in Florence, all but his finger.

[Lancer1568]

Just wondering after reading discussion, How much does it cost to do the climb in the tower?

[euro cruiser]

Just wondering after reading discussion, How much does it cost to do the climb in the tower?

It's 15 Euro, plus 2 Euro for the reservation fee.

 

The ticket office on line is here: http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Torre/index.jsp

[TLCOhio]

Yes, his tomb is in the Santa Croce Church in Florence.

 

Santa Croce Church in Florence has lots of famous people there. Found it to be very interesting. It is the burial place of some of the most famous Italians, including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Gentile and Rossini. It is the largest Franciscan church in the world with its construction started in 1294. Very fascinating place, as is so much in Italy!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Recently back from a June 7-19 Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 47,840 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[StartrainDD]

It was one of the highlights of our cruise. Like others have said, experiencing the centuries of wear on the steps is incredible. The entire field of miracles looks "New" while being very old at the same time. Don't miss the interior of the Duomo while you are there.

 

We did NOT pre-reserve tickets. At this time of year you shouldn't need to. At 12:15 we bought the first tickets for the 1:00 opening, as there were only 2 tickets left for 12:40 and we were a group of four. They allow 40 people every 20 minutes.

 

This was one place I didn't mind paying the entrance fee at all because everything was so sparkling; it made it worth it.

[pjcruise]

One of our best days on our cruise was with Giovanni from Sunflower tours http://www.sunflower-tours.com/. We disembarked as early as we could and Giovanni drove us straight to Pisa. We arrived before the buses and we were able to buy tickets for the climb. We had to wait for 30mins but there was plenty to do and see. If we were not going to be able to get tickets for the climb, we were not going to be too fussed, but we were all glad we did.

[librarylover]

I visited Pisa many years ago as a teenager with my family. I was nervous about making the climb, so my sister and dad went without me. I always regretted not taking the opportunity when I was there, especially when the tower was closed to the public a few years later. If I'm ever there again, I will be going up!

 

Seems to me if you've made the effort to go, and paid such a great deal to be there, you should do it. There's only one Leaning Tower :)

[cruisemom42]

The important thing is to decide whether or not it interests YOU. In contrast to the poster above, I went to Pisa with my parents as a teenager and climbed the tower -- I thought it was a waste of time because we were staying in Florence, and the trip to Pisa took me away from Florence for a day (which at the time I really resented; I loved Florence).

 

Nowadays, neither Florence nor Pisa hold that much interest for me, given my focus on antiquity. (I'd rather go to Volterra, an ancient Etruscan city). However, I'd certainly recommend spending more time in Florence than in Pisa. ;)