SEARCHING FOR WONDERS IN PIAZZA DEI MIRACOLI

In a nutshell

A day to remember in Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa: a place of worship, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover all the wonders of the Baptistry, the Cathedral most envied by Lucifer, and the Tower, also used by Galileo to study gravity, all at a leisurely pace and without any barriers.

Main stops

• Piazza dei Miracoli
• Cathedral: external visit
• Leaning tower: external visit
• Baptistry: external visit

The programme

• Did you know that Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa summarizes the three stages of life? The Baptistry is birth, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Tower are life, the Camposanto (Cemetry) alludes to death.
• Choose the order and times you prefer to visit these eternally iconic symbols of Italian art which have recently been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site: It was Gabriele D’Annunzio who first referred to them as “miracles”. Look at them carefully, each one has something prodigious about it.
• The Baptistry designed by Nicola Pisano not only houses artistic masterpieces but is also the largest in Italy.
• The Cathedral brings together Lombard, Byzantine, Arab and Norman motifs. In addition to which there are the “devil's claw marks”: legend has it that Lucifer left them on the marble in an attempt to sabotage the construction. There is definitely something diabolical about it: there is always a different number.
• The Leaning Tower has defied gravity since 1173, despite its incline of 5 degrees. Yet Galileo Galilei used it for his tests on dropping weights, what a thought.

Good to know

• The bus journey from the port to Pisa takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• During the tour, a local guide will provide you with assistance and information.
• The “No Barriers Tour” is a collaboration between the Costa Cruises Foundation and the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association (AISM) in order to offer “slower” excursions and itineraries with fewer obstructions. The “No Barriers Tour” on this excursion is available exclusively on Costa Smeralda.
  
• If you are a wheelchair user, the “No Barriers Tour” must be booked through your cruise contact.
• This excursion is suitable if you have minor mobility impairment and can walk unassisted for short distances. If you are a wheelchair user, the presence of a companion not provided by the ship is required. Most of our operators require wheelchairs to be foldable. However, in some ports there may not be adequate space to accommodate wheelchairs on the bus. Please therefore inform the on-board excursions office manager immediately after boarding to immediately reserve your seat on the bus before the tour begins.