A Spasso per Pisa: Guided Walks in the City

Every year the association of the tourist guides of Pisa organizes guided tours throughout the center. The calendar for the 2010-2011 season has just been published:

• September 18th, 2010: Lungo l’Arno – Pisa vista dal Fiume (On the Arno, Pisa seen from the river): it’s a boat tour of the city. The meeting point is Scalo Roncioni at 5pm. It’s necessary to book 5 days prior to the event, but since they have just started advertising these activities, it might be possible to just show up. It’s worth to give it a try.
• October 9th, 2010: Gli Arsenali Pisani – dal Medioevo all’età Medicea (The Pisan Arsenals – from the Middle Ages to the Medicean Era). It’s a visit to the beautiful Arsenals. The meeting point is by the Guelph Tower at 3:30pm. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• November 13th, 2010: Il Museo della Grafica (The Museum of Graphic Art). The meeting point is the entrance to Palazzo Lanfranchi at 3:30pm. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• December 11th, 2010: Il Museo di Anatomia e Istologia Patologica (The Anatomy and Histopathology Museum of the University of Pisa). The meeting point is Via Roma, n. 57 at 10:00 am. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• January 8th, 2011: Il Complesso di San Michele degli Scalzi (The complex of San Michele degli Scalzi). The meeting point is at the entrance to the church of San Michele degli Scalzi at Le Piagge at 3:30pm. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• February 12th, 2011: Palazzo Gambacorti and Via degli Uffizi. The meeting point is Piazza XX Settembre (Le Logge dei Banchi), at 03:30 pm. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• March 12th, 2011: Là dove sbarcò l’apostolo Piero – La Basilica di San Piero a Grado (The place where the apostle Peter diembarked – The Basilica of San Piero a Grado). The meeting point is at the entrance to the Basilica at 15:30 am. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• April 9th, 2011: Il cantiere delle navi romane – storia di una scoperta (The Roman Shipyard – history of a discovery). This must be very interesting: it’s a visit to the excavation site where the Roman ships of Pisa were found. The meeting point is at the entrance of the site in Via Bandinelli 64, at 03:30 pm. It’s necessary to book at least 5 days prior to the event.
• May 7th, 2011: Da Giardino dei Semplici a Orto Botanico dell’Università di Pisa (From the Garden of the Simple to the University Botanic Garden). A visit to the oldest Botanic Garden in Europe. The meeting point is at the entrance of the Botanic Garden in Via Ghini, at 10:30 am.
• June 11th, 2010: Quando Marina di Pisa si chiamava Bocca d’Arno (When Marina di Pisa was called Bocca d’Arno). A visit to the coastal town of Marina di Pisa. The meeting point is Piazza delle Baleari in Marina di Pisa, at 5:00 pm.

For information and reservations, you need to contact the tourism office of the Comune di Pisa at the number +39 050 910365 or +39 050 910789. The office is open from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 12pm. Here is a link to download the poster of “A Spasso per Pisa“. These are great opportunities to see places normally off-the-beaten-path and to learn something more about this neat city.

Make sure you ask for a guide who can speak your language.