History
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is located in Pisa, Italy. The town of Pisa sits in central Italy, on the Ligurian Sea is the region of Tuscany. Construction on the tower ended in 1360, after which it began slowly sinking, causing it to lean to one side. In 1988, the tower was closed to the public so work could begin to prevent the tower from collapsing. The tower reopened to the public in December 2001.
Reservations
You can reserve a tour of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person or online. To purchase tickets on site the day of your visit, you'll want to go to the main office next to the tower. These tours leave periodically throughout the day, but make sure you are on time because they won't wait for stragglers. Tickets cost 15 euro.
To purchase tickets online before your visit, go to www.opapisa.it/boxoffice. These tickets must be purchased at least 15 days in advance. There is a 2 euro fee for online booking, so the total cost of an advance ticket is 17 euro.
All tickets are provided through Opera della Primaziale Pisana, a non-profit organization which maintains the tower and the surrounding historical buildings. Proceeds from purchased tickets are used for the preservation of the monuments in Pisa.
Rules
The guided tour leaves every 30 minutes beginning at 8:30 a.m. The last tour leaves at 8:00 p.m. The tours generally last 35-40 minutes each.
No children under the age of eight are allowed in the tower. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Be aware that climbing the steps in the tower is very physically demanding. Guests are asked to consider whether they are able to climb the 294 steps to the seventh story of the tower before purchasing a ticket.
Private Tours
Several companies offer private tours of the tower and surrounding area. A La Carte Italy Tours (www.alcitalytours.com) offers a chauffeured tour of the area. Viator (www.viator.com) also offers guided tours of the tower.
Article Written By Ashley Henshaw
Ashley Henshaw began her freelance writing career in 2007. Previously, she has worked for a publishing house and contributed to Citysearch in Chicago. She currently writes feature articles for City's Best, an AOL site. Henshaw attended Loyola University Chicago, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English.
