As part of our southern France / Italy trip we stopped in for a night stay over in Pisa to see what is so special about a wonky building.

We were absolutely surprised to be greeted by a pretty, small city that has moderns touches while maintaining its links to its history.

Our accommodation was the starkest of modern minimalist hotel rooms with an old world flair including domed ceilings which somehow worked as it was comfortable and there was no sign of clutter anywhere. We were on Corso Italia so the position was excellent while the updated windows shut the noise out from the busy street below.

As you looked from the hotel window the Pisa Centrale train station was about 500 metres to the left and the target of most people’s visit, the Leaning Tower, was out of sight about a kilometre down a series of streets to the right. We watched as wave after wave of visitors on day trips wandered past as the trains dropped them off and they start their flat 25 minute walk from the train station to the tower, then seemingly return a short time later to board another train to head away on another adventure. They may pause briefly to grab a bite of food or a souvenir but they tend to only see the one attraction before leaving.

We made our way to the tower mid afternoon in thirty plus degree heat and were surprised by how the area is beautifully presented. The Tower is more than either of us expected and the church and buildings in the area all have outstanding features. While you can take photos at any time, the number of people vying for the perfect shot of themselves positioned to look like they are holding up the tower makes it a difficult task to get a clear line of sight.

So we drank cold beers at a sidewalk bistro while looking at the tower and watched the crowds swell and ebb in the late afternoon heat.

We decide to go exploring and make the walk back early in the morning to see if we have more luck.

To say Pisa is a one hit wonder is not at all fair. It has much more to it so taking the time to wander the streets and enjoy the good natured people and their food, oh their food, is worth the effort.

Wandering back we discovered monuments, statues, community markets, beautiful architecture, well preserved defensive walls, and plenty of interesting shops to fill the afternoon.

Getting back to the food, we ate that evening at a side street restaurant named Ristorante Capodimonte Pisa, that went the extra distance to ensure we enjoyed our meal. Bruschetta, traditional pasta with Ragù Bolognese sauce and maybe, just maybe the best Tiramisu I’ve ever had. The serving staff made the night special including bringing a platter of jellied lollies to the table as an after dinner treat.

There are plenty more dining options like this one that need to be experienced.

The next morning we headed to the Tower early to see if we could beat the crowds, and we did.

We certainly enjoyed our time here and were glad to have stayed a night. Now it’s time to head to Florence where the forecast is for hotter weather.