4 Best things to see & do in Pisa

One of Italy’s most popular sights, this astonishingly beautiful belltower dates back to 1173. An architectural marvel at the time, the tower was doomed from the outset, having been built on unstable sand and clay.

It began to lean once the third storey was completed; work was suspended for a hundred years, with the tower only being completed in the late 14th century. It housed seven bells, one for each musical note, and eventually reached a height of just over 58m.

In 1993, at 15 feet off the vertical, the tower seemed so close to collapse that an expensive rescue bid was made involving vast counterweights, steel cables and lots of digging. It worked to a degree; the building is once again safe and open to the public (but with enough lean to keep the hordes coming).

The still-famously titling tower still attracts millions of visitors a year, for the unnerving climb up its 293 steps.

Tuscan cooking is recognised as being among the best regional cuisines in Italy, yet it’s based on the concept of cucina povera (humble cooking) and on modest ingredients.

Traditional Tuscan cuisine is hearty and rustic, and based on simple ingredients such as bread, pulses, meat and poultry, fresh veg and olive oil, all prepared with the minimum of fuss. Close to the coast, you’ll find more fish and seafood, but again, recipes are simple.

Tuscan red wines are highly-respected throughout the world. A local trattoria will usually offer a perfectly drinkable, cheap and cheerful house wine (red is a better bet) sold by the litre. More sophisticated regional wines to try include Brunello, Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile.

Housed in the atmospheric, 17th-century ex-Arsenal, this archaeological museum traces the fascinating 1,000-year history of seafaring and ships in Pisa, once a great Maritime Republic. Star exhibits include the collection of restored Roman vessels, unearthed in the San Rossore area.

Annual festival celebrating local white truffles in the ‘City of Truffles’; local trufflers supply restaurants, hotels and specialist shops all over Italy. The festival takes place over the last three weekends in November with tastings, markets and prizes for the biggest truffle.