Pisa's Palaces and Prestige: A Guide to the City's Most Elegant Luxury Hotels
Pisa's Palaces and Prestige: A Guide to the City's Most Elegant Luxury Hotels
Pisa
Welcome to Pisa, the iconic city of the Leaning Tower. While famous for its magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa is also a vibrant university city with a charming historic center, beautiful riverside promenades, and a rich maritime history. This guide to the best luxury hotels in Pisa reveals the city’s most elegant and historic accommodations for every visitor.
Welcome to Pisa: The City of the Leaning Tower and Beyond
Welcome to Pisa, the iconic and historic city of the world-famous Leaning Tower. While universally celebrated for its magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), Pisa is also a vibrant and youthful university city with a charming and atmospheric historic center, beautiful and elegant riverside promenades along the Arno River, and a rich and proud maritime history as a former powerful republic. From opulent spa resorts in historic ducal villas to charming boutique hotels with breathtaking tower views, this comprehensive guide to the best luxury hotels in Pisa will reveal the city’s most elegant, historic, and sophisticated accommodations for every visitor to enjoy this magnificent city.
1. Bagni di Pisa Palace & Thermal Spa
The Place: A magnificent and historic 18th-century thermal spa resort, once the summer residence of the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Located just outside Pisa, this spectacular hotel is a true sanctuary of wellness and history. It is renowned for its natural thermal springs, its magnificent spa, and its opulent, beautifully preserved historic interiors for guests.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and historic thermal spa, which features a natural steam grotto and a beautiful indoor thermal pool, is an absolutely unforgettable experience.
1. Bagni di Pisa Palace & Thermal Spa: A Grand Ducal Retreat
The Place: A magnificent and deeply historic 18th-century thermal spa resort, the Bagni di Pisa was once the glamorous and exclusive summer residence of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Francesco Stefano di Lorena. Located in the peaceful town of San Giuliano Terme just outside Pisa, this spectacular hotel is a true sanctuary of wellness and history. It is renowned for its natural, hot thermal springs, its magnificent and comprehensive spa, and its opulent, beautifully preserved historic interiors with original frescoes.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and deeply historic thermal spa is a truly unforgettable experience. It features a natural, hot steam grotto, a beautiful indoor thermal swimming pool, and a wide range of mud and water-based treatments for guests.
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2. Hotel Relais dell’Orologio
The Place: An exquisite and deeply historic hotel housed in a beautifully restored 14th-century tower house, located in the very heart of Pisa’s historic center. The hotel is celebrated for its unique, romantic atmosphere and its magnificent design, which beautifully preserves the building’s historic character, including original wooden ceilings and a magnificent stone staircase for guests.
My Top Pick: The magnificent rooftop terrace, which offers the most spectacular, breathtaking, and up-close panoramic views of the famous Leaning Tower and the city.
2. Hotel Relais dell’Orologio: A Historic Tower with a View
The Place: An exquisite and deeply historic hotel, the Relais dell’Orologio is housed in a beautifully and sensitively restored 14th-century tower house, perfectly located in the very heart of Pisa’s historic city center. The hotel is celebrated for its unique, deeply romantic, and historic atmosphere and for its magnificent interior design, which beautifully preserves the building’s important historic character, including its original wooden ceilings, ancient stone walls, and a magnificent original stone staircase.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and highly sought-after rooftop terrace is the hotel’s crowning glory. It offers the most spectacular, breathtaking, and incredibly up-close panoramic views of the famous Leaning Tower and the magnificent surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli.
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3. Pisa Tower Plaza
The Place: A modern and stylish hotel with a unique and spectacular feature: a magnificent, panoramic view of the Leaning Tower from its beautiful garden and swimming pool. Located just outside the main historic center, the hotel offers a comfortable and sophisticated experience with a focus on providing a relaxing retreat with an iconic and beautiful backdrop.
My Top Pick: The magnificent outdoor swimming pool and its surrounding garden, which offer a beautiful and direct view of the distant Leaning Tower, are spectacular.
3. Pisa Tower Plaza: A Modern Room with an Iconic View
The Place: A modern and very stylish hotel, the Pisa Tower Plaza boasts a unique and truly spectacular feature: a magnificent and uninterrupted panoramic view of the Leaning Tower and the entire Piazza dei Miracoli from its beautiful garden and its large outdoor swimming pool. Located just outside the main historic center in a quiet area, the hotel offers a comfortable and sophisticated experience with a strong focus on providing a relaxing retreat with an iconic and truly beautiful backdrop.
My Top Pick: The magnificent outdoor swimming pool and its surrounding lush garden offer a beautiful, serene, and direct view of the distant Leaning Tower. It is a truly spectacular and unique feature that makes for unforgettable holiday photos.
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4. NH Collection Pisa
The Place: A modern and stylish hotel with an incredibly convenient location, situated directly opposite the main Pisa Centrale train station. The hotel is housed in a beautiful historic building and offers a sophisticated and comfortable experience. It is the perfect and most practical base for travelers arriving by train or planning day trips around Tuscany.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s unbeatable location makes it incredibly easy and convenient for exploring Pisa and for taking day trips to other Tuscan cities.
4. NH Collection Pisa: Contemporary Comfort by the Station
The Place: A modern and incredibly stylish hotel, the NH Collection Pisa enjoys an exceptionally convenient location, as it is situated directly opposite the city’s main Pisa Centrale train station. The hotel is housed in a beautiful and historic building that was formerly a convent and features a chic, minimalist, and contemporary interior design. It offers a sophisticated and deeply comfortable experience, making it the perfect and most practical base for travelers who are arriving by train or who are planning day trips around Tuscany.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s unbeatable location is its greatest asset. It makes it incredibly easy and completely stress-free for exploring the wider region, allowing for spontaneous and convenient day trips to other magnificent Tuscan cities like Florence and Lucca.
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5. Hotel Bologna
The Place: A classic and charming hotel with a fantastic location in a quiet and pleasant area of the historic center, just a short walk from the main sights. The hotel is known for its beautiful and serene private courtyard garden, its warm and welcoming hospitality, and its traditional, elegant style, making it a favorite for visitors.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s beautiful and serene private courtyard garden is a true hidden oasis, providing a peaceful and shady spot for enjoying breakfast.
5. Hotel Bologna: A Classic with a Hidden Garden
The Place: A classic and deeply charming hotel, the Hotel Bologna boasts a fantastic location in a quiet and pleasant area of the historic city center, just a short and enjoyable walk away from the main historic sights and the Arno River. The hotel is particularly known for its beautiful and serene private courtyard garden, its warm, welcoming, and traditional hospitality, and its elegant, classic style, making it a long-standing favorite for visitors to the city.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s beautiful and serene private courtyard garden is a true and unexpected hidden oasis in the city center. It provides a wonderfully peaceful and shady spot for enjoying the excellent buffet breakfast in the morning.
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6. Grand Hotel Duomo
The Place: A classic and well-established hotel with an excellent location, just a few steps away from the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower. The hotel is particularly celebrated for its magnificent rooftop terrace, which offers breathtaking, panoramic views of the city’s most famous monuments. It provides a comfortable and highly convenient visitor base.
My Top Pick: The spectacular rooftop terrace offers some of the most breathtaking, direct, and up-close panoramic views of the Leaning Tower and the Duomo.
6. Grand Hotel Duomo: A Rooftop Overlooking Miracles
The Place: A classic and very well-established hotel, the Grand Hotel Duomo has an excellent and highly sought-after location, situated just a few steps away from the magnificent Piazza dei Miracoli and the world-famous Leaning Tower. The hotel is particularly celebrated for its magnificent and spacious rooftop terrace, which offers breathtaking, panoramic, and unforgettable views of the city’s most famous and iconic monuments. It provides a comfortable and incredibly convenient base for sightseeing.
My Top Pick: The spectacular and expansive rooftop terrace offers some of the most breathtaking, direct, and incredibly up-close panoramic views of the famous Leaning Tower and the magnificent Duomo, especially as they are beautifully illuminated at night.
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7. San Ranieri Hotel
The Place: A striking and unique landmark of contemporary and futuristic design, the San Ranieri Hotel is known for its innovative architecture and its beautiful, expansive gardens. Located just outside the city center, the hotel offers a tranquil and stylish retreat. It is a perfect choice for design lovers and for those seeking a modern experience.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s unique and impressive avant-garde architectural design makes it a true landmark and provides a unique and memorable accommodation experience for guests.
7. San Ranieri Hotel: An Icon of Modern Architecture
The Place: A striking and unique landmark of contemporary and futuristic design, the San Ranieri Hotel is known for its innovative and bold architecture, with its distinctive, angled glass facade, and for its beautiful and expansive surrounding gardens. Located just outside the main city center in the Cisanello district, the hotel offers a tranquil and deeply stylish retreat from the main tourist areas. It is a perfect choice for design lovers and for those seeking a modern hotel experience.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s unique and impressive avant-garde architectural design, which is a well-known landmark in the city, makes for a truly memorable and distinctive accommodation experience. It provides a unique and memorable accommodation experience for guests.
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8. Repubblica Marinara
The Place: A modern and elegant hotel located just outside the main city center, with very easy access to the main roads and the airport. The hotel is known for its spacious, comfortable rooms, its excellent and highly-acclaimed restaurant, and its sophisticated atmosphere. It provides a comfortable and convenient base for both business and leisure travelers alike.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s acclaimed restaurant, which serves delicious and creative interpretations of classic Tuscan and Italian cuisine, is a true and unexpected highlight.
8. Repubblica Marinara: A Taste of Modern Tuscany
The Place: A modern and deeply elegant hotel, the Repubblica Marinara is located just outside the main city center, with very easy and convenient access to the main roads and the nearby Pisa airport. The hotel is known for its exceptionally spacious and comfortable rooms, its excellent and highly-acclaimed restaurant, which is a favorite among locals, and its sophisticated and professional atmosphere. It provides a comfortable and convenient base for both business and leisure travelers alike.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s acclaimed on-site restaurant is a true and unexpected highlight. It serves delicious, refined, and creative interpretations of classic Tuscan and Italian cuisine in an elegant and welcoming setting, making for a memorable meal.
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9. Hotel Galilei
The Place: A large and modern hotel located very close to the Pisa airport, offering a highly convenient base for travelers. The hotel is known for its extensive facilities, including a large conference center, and for its spacious and comfortable rooms. It provides a practical and efficient experience, especially for those with an early flight or on business.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s exceptional convenience for the airport makes for a completely stress-free and seamless travel experience for guests who are arriving late or departing.
9. Hotel Galilei: The Ultimate Airport Convenience
The Place: A large and modern hotel located very close to the Pisa Galileo Galilei airport, the Hotel Galilei offers a highly convenient and practical base for travelers. The hotel is known for its extensive and modern facilities, including a large conference center, its spacious and comfortable rooms, and its efficiency. It provides a practical and seamless experience, especially for those with an early morning flight, a late arrival, or for those traveling on business.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s exceptional and unparalleled convenience for the nearby airport is its main draw. It makes for a completely stress-free and seamless travel experience for guests who are arriving late at night or who are departing early in the morning.
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10. Hotel La Pace
The Place: A historic and classic hotel with a very convenient location, situated right next to the main Pisa Centrale train station. The hotel is housed in a beautiful 19th-century building and offers a traditional and welcoming experience. It is a perfect and practical choice for travelers who are looking to explore the wider Tuscany region by train.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s prime location next to the train station makes it incredibly easy to plan and execute day trips to Florence, Lucca, and Siena.
10. Hotel La Pace: A Historic Stop on the Journey
The Place: A historic and classic hotel, La Pace offers a very convenient location, as it is situated right next to the main Pisa Centrale train station. The hotel is housed in a beautiful and grand 19th-century building and provides a traditional and welcoming experience for its many guests. It is a perfect and highly practical choice for travelers who are looking to explore the wider and beautiful Tuscany region by train, using Pisa as their main base.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s prime location right next to the main train station makes it incredibly easy and convenient to plan and execute spontaneous and enjoyable day trips to other magnificent Tuscan cities like Florence, Lucca, and Siena.
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Bonus: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte
Located in the nearby and elegant seaside resort of Viareggio, this magnificent and historic Art Deco palace is one of the most famous and iconic hotels on the entire Tuscan coast. The hotel offers a spectacular two-Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant, a beautiful rooftop pool with panoramic sea views, and an unparalleled level of old-world glamour and sophistication.
Bonus: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, Viareggio
The Place: Located in the nearby and elegant seaside resort of Viareggio, this magnificent and historic Art Deco palace is one of the most famous and iconic hotels on the entire Tuscan coast. The hotel offers a spectacular two-Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant, a beautiful and chic rooftop swimming pool with panoramic sea views, and an unparalleled level of old-world glamour and sophistication. It provides a perfect and luxurious coastal escape, just a short drive or train ride from the cultural city of Pisa.
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Expert’s Opinion: One to Choose?
Here’s our recommendation to help you choose the perfect luxury hotel in Pisa for your trip:
- For an unforgettable wellness and history retreat: The magnificent Bagni di Pisa Palace & Thermal Spa is a true destination in itself.
- For the absolute best Leaning Tower views: The charming and historic Hotel Relais dell’Orologio or the classic Grand Hotel Duomo are unbeatable.
- For modern design with an iconic view: Pisa Tower Plaza offers a unique and spectacular perspective of the tower from its pool.
- For a charming, historic center stay: The beautiful Hotel Bologna with its serene courtyard is a perfect choice for an authentic experience.
Expert’s Opinion: One to Choose?
Here’s our recommendation to help you choose the perfect luxury hotel in Pisa for your trip:
- For an unforgettable wellness and history retreat: The magnificent and deeply historic Bagni di Pisa Palace & Thermal Spa, located just outside the city, is a true destination in itself.
- For the absolute best Leaning Tower views: The charming and historic Hotel Relais dell’Orologio or the classic Grand Hotel Duomo offer unbeatable and truly breathtaking, up-close vistas.
- For modern design with an iconic view: The stylish Pisa Tower Plaza offers a unique and spectacular perspective of the famous tower from its beautiful and relaxing swimming pool area.
- For a charming, historic center stay: The beautiful and classic Hotel Bologna with its serene and hidden courtyard is a perfect choice for an authentic and tranquil experience in the heart of the city.
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Travel Guides: Pisa, Italy
A stay at a luxury hotel is the perfect start to your Pisa adventure. To make the most of your trip, here is a travel guide that complements the article on luxury hotels in Pisa.
1. Best Time to Visit Pisa
- Spring (April-June) & Autumn (September-October): These are the absolute best times to visit Pisa. The weather is pleasant and sunny, perfect for exploring the monuments and for enjoying the beautiful riverside, and there are fewer crowds than in the peak of summer.
- Summer (July-August): This season can be very hot and is the peak tourist season, which means the area around the Piazza dei Miracoli can be extremely crowded with visitors from all over the world.
- Winter (November-February): The weather is cooler and can be rainy, but it offers a more tranquil and atmospheric experience of the city with very few tourists.
1. When to Go?
- Spring (April-June) & Autumn (September-October): These are the best times to visit, with pleasant, sunny weather and fewer crowds than in summer.
- Summer (July-August): Can be very hot and is the peak tourist season, especially around the Piazza dei Miracoli.
2. Getting Around Pisa
- Walking: Pisa’s historic center is very compact, flat, and a true joy to explore entirely on foot. The beautiful promenades (‘Lungarni’) that run along the Arno River are perfect for a scenic and leisurely stroll.
- Buses: A local and efficient bus service (CPT) is useful for traveling between the main Pisa Centrale train station, the Galileo Galilei airport, and the Piazza dei Miracoli.
- Trains: Pisa is a major railway hub, making it an excellent and highly convenient base for exploring the rest of Tuscany, with very frequent and fast connections to Florence, Lucca, and Siena.
2. Getting Around Pisa
- Walking: Pisa’s historic center is very compact and a joy to explore on foot, especially the beautiful promenades along the Arno River.
- Buses: A local bus service is useful for traveling between the train station, the airport, and the Piazza dei Miracoli.
3. Must-See Sights
- Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles): The magnificent and famous UNESCO World Heritage square, which is home to the city’s four greatest masterpieces: the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral (Duomo), the Baptistery, and the Camposanto Monumentale cemetery.
- The Leaning Tower of Pisa: The city’s iconic and world-famous freestanding bell tower (‘campanile’). Be sure to book your tickets well in advance online if you want to climb to the top for the unique experience.
- The Arno River: Stroll along the beautiful and elegant riverside promenades (the ‘Lungarni’) and admire the colorful historic palaces that line the river, especially at sunset.
- Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knights’ Square): The city’s second main square is a stunning and magnificent example of Renaissance civic design, remodelled by the famous architect Giorgio Vasari.
3. Must-See Sights
- Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles): The magnificent UNESCO World Heritage square, home to the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral (Duomo), the Baptistery, and the Camposanto Monumentale.
- The Leaning Tower of Pisa: The city’s iconic and world-famous bell tower. Be sure to book tickets well in advance if you want to climb to the top.
- The Arno River: Stroll along the beautiful riverside promenades (Lungarni) and admire the colorful palaces.
- Piazza dei Cavalieri (Knights’ Square): The city’s second main square, a stunning example of Renaissance civic design.
4. Unique Experiences
- Explore the Borgo Stretto: Wander through the charming and narrow main medieval street of the city, which is lined with beautiful historic arcades and is home to many traditional shops and cafes.
- Visit the Keith Haring Mural, ‘Tuttomondo’: Discover the huge, vibrant, and joyful ‘Tuttomondo’ mural. It was the last public work created by the famous American artist Keith Haring before his death and is a true hidden gem.
- Enjoy the Local Cuisine: Be sure to try the local and historic specialty, ‘cecina,’ which is a delicious, thin, and unleavened pancake that is made from chickpea flour, a simple but delicious street food.
- Day Trip to Lucca: Take a short and very easy train ride (just 30 minutes) to the beautiful and charming nearby walled city of Lucca, where you can walk or cycle on top of the magnificent Renaissance-era city walls.
4. Unique Experiences
- Explore the Borgo Stretto: Wander through the charming and narrow main medieval street of the city, with its arcades and historic shops.
- Visit the Keith Haring Mural: Discover the huge and vibrant ‘Tuttomondo’ mural, the last public work by the famous American artist.
- Enjoy the Local Cuisine: Try the local specialty, ‘cecina,’ a delicious, thin, unleavened pancake made from chickpea flour.
- Day Trip to Lucca: Take a short and easy train ride to the beautiful and charming nearby walled city of Lucca.
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