Pisa is a walking friendly city. They have expended a lot of time and planning to achieve this. And they tout about it.

I arrived in pisa rather late in the day. it was part of a long journey heading north from Rome. It was around seven pm when I got to the Pisa train station. I had a reservation at a nice little bed and breakfast so I took a taxi cab.

I think it cost me about twelve euros.

The driver dropped me off with my big old backpack and he left.

And the door to the B & B was locked. I couldn't get in! But there was a doorbell so I rang it. And there was no answer, so I rang it again. Still no answer.

Hmmm... not a good development for me. I am in a foreign country. I can't speak the language. There is nobody around, I am in a suburb of Pisa and it is getting dark.

Well, I do have a sleeping bag.

I took a break, walked around the suburbs for half an hour and came back to ring the doorbell again.

This time somebody answered the door! Yay! But it wasn't an employee or the owner of the B & B it was another resident. A young man.

And he helped me out, called the owner and worked everything out. Turns out he is a college student, staying at the B & B long term, and he could speak some English.

It was a long day for me and I was hungry so he also called a local pizzeria and ordered me a pizza! Yay!

That's a margarita pizza and it is famous here in Italy. There is a whole story behind it.

Well anyway, the bed and breakfast was terrific. I spent two nights there. And the young college student spent time talking with me. He seemed to really enjoy the company.

Here is my room in the bed and breakfast. That is my backpack. I took this picture upon arrival and hadn't even unpacked my pack.

Let's take a look at some piza pictures!

The leaning tower of Pisa!

It's famous, and rightfully so! And it is 851 years old.

Construction of the tower began in 1173 and it went through various stages, with difficulties, finally being finished after two hundred years..

After the first six years from the start it, without even being finished it started to lean.

And work was halted for about a hundred years.

In 1272 construction resumed. And construction was halted again in 1284, still incomplete, and still with problems.

in 1319 the seventh floor was completed.

And in 1372 The bell tower was added to the top.

Since it's completion it has been worked on, strengthened and restored several times to varying degrees. The latest of which was in the 1990's.

Here is the doorway of the tower. The photograph is level and straight. You can tell by the horizontal black metal guide rail. The doorway is of course, leaning :)

While the leaning tower gets all the attention, there are three magnificent buildings here. The other two are the baptistry and the cathedral.

The cathedral was built in Romanesque style and it was consecrated in 1118.

Building of the baptistry began in 1152 and was completed in 1363.

Like I had mentioned early Pisa is a very walkable city and I spent the whole day experiencing and exploring it.

I discovered buildings like this beautiful Gothic church right on the river. It is called The Santa Maria Della Spina. And, well, I have a definite affinity for gothic architecture :)

It was constructed around 1230 and expanded after 1325.

And here is a look at the gothic church from across the river. This is how I first spotted it. So I really had to cross the river and get a closer look!

The Knight's Square ( Piazza dei Cavalieri)

Is another landmark in Pisa. It was a political center in medieval times and in the middle of the 16th century it became the headquarters of the Knights of St. Stephen.

The Church of the Knights of the Holy and Military Order of St. Stephen. It is in the Knight's square.

Some more pictures around Pisa

I can't resist leaving you with one more picture of the leaning tower..