The 10 Best Beaches in Pisa

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, the bell tower of the Leaning Tower and the religious buildings of the picturesque Piazza dei Miracoli are Pisa's most popular attractions and also some of the most photographed buildings in the world, but the Pisan coast on the Tyrrhenian Sea also boasts some of the best beaches in the region.

In fact, among the best things to see and do in Pisa are visiting Marina Beach, which is home to the city's most famous beach resorts, but also taking a dip or relaxing during a walk along the beaches of Calambrone, Vecchiano, Tirrenia, Migliarino, Viperonia and Viareggio, which, although located in Lucca, are the most visited by tourists visiting Pisa.

The Marina di Pisa is the main and most famous bathing area in the city and is connected to the centre of Pisa by the SP224 road, but also by a cycle path, making a bike ride one of the best ways to explore the Marina. Here you will find small but beautiful beaches and some of the best views of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The Marina di Pisa has its own unique appearance and to get there you have to drive along a road lined with modernist buildings, reminiscent of the city's heyday, when the seaside resorts in Pisa were as popular as those in the Cinque Terre, if not more so. It is also located near the Pineto Adventure Park, which offers activities for children and is ideal if you are travelling with kids.

In the Marina, you will also find the marina, one of the largest in the region. The area also has many bars, pubs and restaurants, making it a great place for nightlife. Although it is not located within the city's main tourist circuit, the Marina is usually included in the best tours of Pisa. So it can be a key stop if you book a guided tour of Pisa.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120 and 875 and by express services on line 21.
• How to get there by car: take the SP224 road.

Calambrone is a very special place. Although it is one of the most famous beaches in Pisa, it is also one of the least frequented by tourists, partly because it is the last stop on the Pisan coast before reaching Livorno, so it is a little far from the centre. However, Calambrone, which is the locals' best-kept secret, is well worth a visit.

This beach is ideal if you want to enjoy a relaxing day or if you plan to visit with your family, as it is large, with many amenities nearby and calm waters. Calambrone is also part of Italian history, as it became famous during the Fascist era for the construction of seaside resorts and as a favourite summer destination for the youth of the time.

If you are a wildlife enthusiast, you can also enjoy activities in the nearby pine forest, which is very lush, and have lunch or dinner in the nearby restaurants, many of which are famous for their open views of the sea and the coast of Livorno, a city that you can visit on the best excursions from Pisa.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 70, 80, 120 and 875.
• How to get there by car: via the SS67 and SP224 roads.

Marina di Vecchiano, located in Pisa but halfway between the city centre and the start of the Cinque Terre, is a 4-kilometre stretch of golden sand that runs from the mouth of the Serchio River to Torre del Lago Puccini. So, as well as enjoying a swim, you can admire some of the best landscapes in the region.

Vecchiano is surrounded by the Migliarino Scrub, one of the few unspoilt areas in Tuscany, with its own ecosystem protected by a nature reserve. To the north of Vecchiano, you will also find the first cliffs of the Italian Riviera, where you can take the best photographs of the area.

Most of Vecchiano's beaches are free, although there is a private area that combines modern facilities with a protected natural environment, where you can stay or use the restaurant and bar services.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: there are no options available, although you can opt for private transport.
• How to get there by car: via the SS1 and SP10 roads.

After the Pisa Marina, Tirrenia is the most famous beach in the city's surroundings. This seaside resort, which was founded in the 20th century by a Pisan entrepreneur with the aim of turning it into the Italian Hollywood, is a favourite spot for young peopledue to the wide range of services it offers, its proximity to the marina and because it is also the ideal beach for water sports.

The main area of Tirrenia, called Bagno Mistral, offers crystal clear waters and white sands, and the surrounding dunes, surrounded by pine trees, provide the ideal setting for a relaxing afternoon, especially if you plan to visit Pisa during the summer months. In addition, the Sunlight water park is located in the urban area of Tirrenia, which is ideal if you are planning to visit the city with children.

Tirrenia's proximity to the centre of Pisa allows you to enjoy the beach even if you are planning a short stay. If that is the case, here are the best options for visiting Pisa in one day.

Useful information

• How to get there by public transport: there are no options available, although you can opt for private transport.
• How to get there by car: via the SS1, A12 and E80 motorways.

Near the Vecchiano Marina are the Migliarino beach resorts, which have wide beaches and a wooded area with junipers, Aleppo pines and wild flowers, making it an ideal place for long walks, even outside the summer months or high season.

Unlike the other beach resorts in Pisa, at Migliarino beach you can go on walking or horse riding excursions to discover some of the most popular sites in the area, such as the dry stone cliffs, olive groves and the highest points from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the sea, making Migliarino the perfect place to watch the sunset.

During your visit, you can also explore the Migliarino, San Rossoro, Massaciuccoli Natural Park, which protects the local flora and fauna, and the town of Torre del Lago Puccini, a picturesque village with medieval architecture.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120 and 875 and by express services on line 21.
• How to get there by car: take the SP224 road.

Bocca d'Arno is actually the northern part of the Pisa Marina, but it differs from the latter in that it marks the mouth of the Arno River (hence its name) and the beginning of the sandy gulf that divides Pisa on either side of the river. There you can enjoy beaches that are not very long but very busy, and you can also watch the fishermen as they go about their work, casting their nets.

The horizon at Bocca d'Arno is very varied, with the seascape on one side and the Apuan Alps in the background on the other, offering a different view of the city just a few kilometres from the Leaning Tower and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta.

In the Bocca d'Arno area, you can also visit a small market to buy fresh fish and walk along the promenade that will take you to the marina, where the Pisa Marina begins.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120 and 875 and by express services on line 21.
• How to get there by car: take the SP224 road.

If you want to visit a more rugged and peaceful bathing area, you can opt for Gombo Beach, a wide stretch of sand north of Bocca d'Arno that stands out for its crystal-clear waters and wooded surroundings, but also for the services offered by Villa del Gombo, where you will find a restaurant and accommodation.

Playa del Gombo is a favourite spot for sports boats, which usually moor at the breakwaters that mark the boundaries of the resort, so if you decide to visit, you will come across a large number of sailboats and small boats sailing along the Italian Riviera.

Bear in mind that access to Gombo Beach is somewhat complicated by land and that it is far from the city centre, so it may not be the best option if you are planning a short stay. If this is the case, here is a list of activities you can do to discover Pisa in two days.

Useful information

• How to get there by public transport: there are no options available, although you can opt for private transport.
• How to get there by car: via Viale delle Cascine.

Viperonia is located north of Calambrone and is an even more exclusive option than the latter, as it receives few tourist visits and is not even well known by locals, although it has a wide range of services and is less rugged than the southern resorts, which mark the border between Pisa and Livorno.

Viperonia is the ideal place to escape the crowds of Tirrenia, which, after the Marina di Pisa, is the most famous beach in the city and therefore receives a large influx of visitors who come to enjoy the warm, crystal-clear waters and white sands. The only thing to bear in mind is that there is a large area for renting parasols, which reduces the amount of space on the beach considerably.

If you plan to visit Pisa during Christmas, you will find that Viperonia and Calambrone organise celebrations and fireworks displays, just like in Marina on New Year's Eve.

Useful information

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120 and 875 and by express services on line 21.
• How to get there by car: take Viale Mezzapiaggia.

Fortino Gaspa is a small bathing area located between the Bocca d'Arno and the Marina of Pisa. Although it formally belongs to the latter, it is effectively independent, separated from the Marina by two breakwaters that mark the boundaries of one of the quietest beaches in the city and one of the ideal places to visit with family and children.

The main advantage of Fortino Gaspa is that it is located just a few kilometres from the tourist epicentre of Piazza dei Miracoli, making it ideal to visit after enjoying the Leaning Tower and the Cathedral or the Baptistery and the monumental Camposanto. It is easily accessible and also a very convenient option if you don't want to alter your itinerary around the city.

Precisely for this reason, it is a beach that is very popular with tourists in summer, which is part of the region's high season, although you can also visit it during the winter or autumn months, as it offers clean, wide landscapes towards the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Pisa Marina promenade runs close to the beach.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120, 875, E3 and E25 and by express services on line 21.
• How to get there by car: take the SP224 road.

Although it does not belong to Pisa but to Lucca, Viareggio is one of the most visited beaches by tourists who come to the city, as it offers a wide range of services and some of the best landscapes in Tuscany, especially in the area around the lighthouse and the marina, where you can also try fresh fish in the local restaurants.

What's more, if you want to make the most of your visit, you can combine a trip to the Viareggio seaside resort with a stroll around Lucca, which is considered Pisa's little sister due to the architectural similarity of some of its buildings and its geographical proximity. There you can visit the Torre delle Ore, the Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin, the Romanesque Basilica of San Frediano, the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro and the medieval city walls.

Viareggio is an ideal place to visit during the summer and take a dip in the Ligurian Sea, although out of season you can also enjoy its restaurants and views.

Details of interest

• How to get there by public transport: by bus lines 10, 70, 80, 120, 875 and E3, by express bus line 21 and by Trenitalia train service.
• How to get there by car: take the SS1 and SP9 roads.