Pisa - City Guide
Eating
Budget: La Tana (via San Frediano,6) A friendly,
cheerful restaurant serving decent food to students and the occasional tourist!
Mid-Range: Il Campano (Via Calvaca, 19, 050 580
585) is a trendy establishment offering a great menu with home-made specials
and lots of choice. Or you could try Osteria dei Cavalieri (via San Frediano
16, 050 580 858) which specialises in traditional Tuscan meals of a high standard,
they also have an excellent
Luxury: Al Ristoro del Vecchi Macelli (Via Volturno
49, 050 20 424). A fantastic, traditional Tuscan restaurant serving a wide
range of seafood and meat.
Drinking
There are some fantastic wines to be found in Pisa, the most well known being
“Chianti”, but you might also want to try “Brunello”
or “Vino Nobil” which are both of a high standard and produced
in Tuscany.
For drinking in Pisa there are several bars situated along the river, or you
could visit Borderline (Via Vernaccini 7,) which is open late, or the extremely
kitsch Dottorjazz (via Vespucci 10).
Things To See And Do
- The leaning tower: An obvious place to visit, but by no means all Pisa has
to offer. You can pre-book to climb the tower alongside a group by calling
050 560 547.
- Campo dei Miracoli area: A wealth of Pisan-Romanesque architecture can be
seen in the “field of miracles”; the “four wonders”
include the Leaning tower, the baptistery, the Camposanto and the Duomo. All
of which exemplify aspects of Pisan, Roman, Mediterranean, Gothic and Moorish
design.
- Santa Maria della Spina: Housed just across the river to the North. This
is Pisa’s other leaning tower, constructed in the 12th century.
- Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Reale: Accommodates a large collection of art
from the Medici period.
- Museo Nazionale di San Matteo: Medieval and Renaissance art retrieved from
Pisan churches and convents.
Shopping
There is a major shopping street running from the train station in the South
of the city known as “Corso Italia” which crosses the “Ponte
di Mezzo” river in the middle and then turns into “Borgo Stretto”
in the North. This is the street to start from as it houses many of the major
stores such as UPIM. Don’t hesitate to venture further a field though
as there are plenty of smaller, individual shops worth a browse.
In general the shops are open from 9.00 – 13.00 and then again from
1600-1930, with the exception on the larger department stores which tend to
open all day.
Beyond The City
- Lucca – 10 miles north-east of the city, the birth place of Giacomo
Puccini makes a great destination for a day-trip or short stopover. Charming
narrow streets and village squares.
- Mountain Towns - There are some lovely, picturesque, and relaxed towns worth
a visit such as Bagni di Lucca, Fivizzano and Pontremoli. Regular bus services
can be found by calling Lazzi on 0583 584 876.
Cost Of Living
33cl bottle of beer - €1
One-litre bottle of mineral water - €0.90
36-exposure colour film - €7.50
City-centre bus ticket - €1.10
Three-course meal with wine/beer - €12
Key Phrases
Yes – Si
No – No
Good morning – Buon giorno
Good afternoon/evening – Buona sera
Good night – Buona notte
Goodbye – Arrivederci
Please – Per favore
Thank you (very much) – Grázie
(molte/mille grazie)
Can you tell me where the telephone is? -
Può dirmi dov'è il telefono?
Can you tell me where there is a good restaurant?
- Può dirmi Lei dov'è un buon ristorante?
How much? - Quanto?
Excuse me - Mi scusi
Pardon me - Mi perdoni
I'm sorry - Mi dispiace
How are you? (familiar) - Come stai?
How are you? (polite) - Come sta?
What time is it? - Che ora è?
Where is the toilet? - Dov'è la ritirata?
I'd like to go to the x Hotel - Vorrei andare
all'Hotel x
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