Pisa Tours from FlorenceHome › Guides › Can You Climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Can You Climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Yes, the Leaning Tower Of Pisa climb is open to visitors on foot, up 251 steps in a timed slot that lasts about 30 minutes, according to the Opera della Primaziale Pisana, the monument's operator. This guide covers the age, bag and timing rules, the €20 ticket with no reduced rate, opening hours and how to get there from Florence. Children who have not turned 8 by the end of the year cannot enter.
Quick answer Yes, you can climb: 251 steps, 30 minutes, timed ticket
Yes, the climb is allowed and it is done on foot: 251 steps, on an uneven and slippery floor, in a visit that lasts about 30 minutes. A timed ticket costs €20 with no reduced rate, children who have not turned 8 cannot enter, and late arrivals are refused without a refund.
Key takeaways
- Book a timed slot in advance on the Leaning Tower of Pisa tour by train page if you want tickets and train travel bundled.
- Travelling light on a half day trip to Pisa from Florence makes the cloakroom rule easy to handle.
- Compare all pisa tours from florence options before you pick a slot time.
- The optional tower entry on the Ciao Florence half-day Pisa tour suits travellers who want the climb with transport included.
Can you still climb up the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Yes, the Tower is open for climbing every day it is open to the public, subject to its seasonal hours.
The rule comes straight from the operator. The Opera della Primaziale Pisana, which runs the monuments of Piazza dei Miracoli, allows visitors to enter the Tower on foot with a timed ticket. There is no lift and no alternative access. The Tower rises about 56 metres, leans up to 4 degrees in certain areas, and its foundations were laid on 9 August 1173. The square itself, Piazza del Duomo, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987.
The steps are worn smooth by centuries of feet. Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The rule and what it means for you
Climbing is allowed, but only inside a fixed 30 minute slot printed on your ticket. You buy a time when you book, you arrive early, and you climb with your group. If you wanted the climb and assumed it was closed to visitors, you can plan a whole day trip around it: pisa tours from florence run daily and most offer the Tower as an optional add-on.
One more rule worth knowing: any Tower ticket also includes a free pass to the Cathedral, with no fixed time on that part. So the climb pays for two buildings.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Climb is on foot, 251 steps | No lift, no shortcut, good legs needed |
| Visit lasts about 30 minutes | Plan photos and views inside that window |
| Timed ticket, fixed date and time | You cannot show up whenever you like |
| Ticket includes a free Cathedral pass | Visit the Cathedral before or after your slot |
Sources: Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Visit Pisa, UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
How much does it cost to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
The Tower ticket costs €20 and has no reduced rate, according to the operator's own benefits page.
This is the one figure that matters, and it comes from the Opera della Primaziale Pisana itself. The operator's published fare is €20, flat for everyone.
What your €20 buys
The €20 covers one timed 30 minute climb plus a free Cathedral pass with no fixed time. Children under 11 with an adult enter the Cathedral free without a ticket, and the same free entry applies to the Baptistery, Camposanto, Sinopie Museum and Opera del Duomo Museum. But for the Tower itself there is no child price, no senior price and no student price. Every climber pays the full €20.
Free admission to the Tower exists in exactly one case: disabled visitors with their helper enter free, but they must email the Opera in advance and use limited early or late slots.
| Ticket | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tower timed ticket | €20 | No reduced rate, all ages pay the same |
| Cathedral pass with Tower ticket | Included | No fixed time on the Cathedral |
| Standalone Cathedral pass | Free | Fixed time, sold only on site, not bookable ahead |
| Disabled visitor with helper | Free | Advance email, restricted slots |
| Children under 11, other monuments | Free | With an adult, no ticket needed |
Sources: Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
How long does it take to climb to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa?
The visit lasts about 30 minutes in total, covering the 251 steps up, your time at the top and the walk back down.
The 30 minute figure is the operator's rule, not a suggestion. Your ticket is for a fixed slot and the whole experience, welcome briefing included, fits inside it.
The stair spirals up inside the thick tower wall. Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the half hour breaks down
Staff welcome visitors with a brief description of the history of the Tower before you start. Then you climb 251 steps on foot. The staircase spirals up inside the cylinder, and because the Tower leans, the steps feel uneven in places and the tilt makes one side of the stair shallower than the other. At the top you step out onto the viewing ring around the bell chamber, with the whole Piazza dei Miracoli below and the Tuscan plain beyond. Then you descend the same stairs.
Wear real shoes. The floor is uneven and slippery, in the operator's own words, so sandals and slick soles make the descent worse than the ascent.
| Stage | Time |
|---|---|
| Welcome and history briefing | A few minutes at the start |
| Climb up, 251 steps | Part of the 30 minute slot |
| Top viewing ring | Part of the 30 minute slot |
| Descent and exit | Slot ends, next group enters |
Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Is it hard to climb the Tower of Pisa?
It is a moderate 251 step climb, but the operator warns that the floor is uneven and slippery and does not recommend the visit for people with cardiovascular or muscular disorders.
This is a rule page, so the operator's health warning is the answer. The stairs are the only way up, there is no lift, and the lean makes the spiral feel lopsided.
Who should think twice
The operator's notice is explicit: the visit is not recommended for people with cardiovascular and muscular disorders. There is no health screening at the door, so the judgement is yours. If 251 steps in a hot narrow stone cylinder sounds like too much, the Cathedral, Baptistery and Camposanto of the square are superb and easy to visit, and your view of the Tower from the grass is the classic photo anyway.
For everyone else the climb is very doable. It is short and it is over in 30 minutes. Keep a hand on the wall on the way down, since the floor is slippery.
| Factor | What the operator says |
|---|---|
| Steps | 251, on foot, no lift |
| Floor | Uneven and slippery |
| Cardiovascular disorders | Visit not recommended |
| Muscular disorders | Visit not recommended |
| Slot length | About 30 minutes |
Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Is it safe to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
The operator runs the climb as a controlled, timed visit and states no structural safety prohibition, but it flags the slippery uneven floor and health warnings above.
The Tower has been stabilised by engineering work over decades and it has welcomed climbers for years under the operator's management. The safety rules that affect you on the day are about the stairs, your bags and your ticket time.
The stairs are narrow, so groups climb in single file. Photo: Tangopaso, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The safety rules that apply on the day
Three rules matter. First, bags: hand bags, bags and luggage must be left in the cloakroom before the visit, large luggage and suitcases are banned, and small bags or backpacks up to 20x30x38 cm are accepted in the Tower with no weight limit. Second, timing: entrance is allowed up to 30 minutes before closing time, and the schedule can change after purchase for security or ceremonies, so check the boards on the square. Third, supervision: visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and may be asked for ID to prove age.
Driving there instead? Pisa's ZTL electronic gates run 24 hours a day and only vehicles with a valid permit may enter, so park outside the zone. The municipal listing names a free car park on Via Pietrasantina.
| Rule | Consequence if ignored |
|---|---|
| Bags to cloakroom, max 20x30x38 cm carried | Larger bags refused at the Tower door |
| Entrance only up to 30 minutes before closing | You lose your slot |
| Under 18s accompanied by an adult | Entry refused, ID may be requested |
| No driving through ZTL gates | Fine from the electronic cameras |
Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Can children climb the Leaning Tower?
No, children who have not turned 8 by the end of the current year are not admitted to the Tower, and in 2026 that means children born in 2019 or later cannot climb.
This is the hardest rule for families and there is no exception, no test and no younger age option at the Tower itself.
What families do instead
The age rule bites hard: if your child turns 8 next month, the operator still refuses entry today. Under 18s who do climb must have an adult with them and may be asked for ID. Every climber pays the full €20, there is no child reduction, so budget the same for a 9 year old as for yourself.
Pisa is still worth a day with younger kids. Children under 11 with an adult enter the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto, Sinopie Museum and Opera del Duomo Museum free without a ticket, the leaning grassy square is a picnic playground, and the Baptistery has its famous acoustic echo demonstration. If you are weighing a base in Pisa against Florence, read our take on pisa tours from florence to see how easy the day trip is either way.
| Age | Tower | Other monuments |
|---|---|---|
| Under 8 | Not admitted | Free with adult under 11 |
| 8 to 17 | Allowed with adult, full price, ID may be asked | Free with adult under 11 |
| 18 and over | Allowed, full price | Standard tickets |
Sources: Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
How do timed tickets work and what happens if I am late?
Tower tickets are for a fixed date and time, online tickets are sold until the day itself subject to availability, and late arrivals are refused entry with no refund.
This is the rule with the sharpest consequence, so read it before you book, not after.
The belfry level at the end of the 251-step climb. Photo: File:Pisa - Leaning Tower - Top.jpg : Ingo Mehling derivative work: Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The booking and arrival rules
Online tickets are limited in number, so you pick your time when you buy and the good slots sell out. Arrive 15 minutes before the time printed on your ticket. If your chosen time is sold out online, try a later time or buy at the on-site ticket offices. You can change the Tower time, though not the date, or cancel the order up to 2 hours before your chosen time. Used tickets cannot be changed or cancelled.
The refund rule is absolute: if you are late for your timed slot you will not be allowed in and will not be refunded. Build in buffer, especially if you arrive on a day trip from Florence.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| On sale | Online until the day itself, subject to availability |
| Arrival | 15 minutes before your printed time |
| Late arrival | No entry, no refund |
| Change or cancel | Up to 2 hours before your time, time only |
| Used tickets | No changes, no cancellation |
Sources: Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Tours That Fit
These day trips from Florence include transport and can add the Tower climb as an option.
Ciaoflorence Half-Day Pisa Tour from Florence with Optional Leaning Tower
The classic half day: a coach to Pisa, a walk in along the old walls, and the choice of a guided Cathedral visit and a skip-the-line tower climb on top of the bus seat.
- Category
- Half-day Pisa trip
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Ciaoflorence Tours & Travel
Gray Line Half-Day Afternoon Trip to Pisa from Florence with Optional Tower Entry
An afternoon coach trip that leaves Florence after lunch, with a licensed guide on the Piazza dei Miracoli and the Leaning Tower climb as an option you add at booking.
- Category
- Half-day Pisa trip
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- CAF Tour and Travel (Gray Line Florence)
Day Trip to Pisa by Train from Florence with Leaning Tower and Cathedral Tickets
The only Pisa trip here with the Leaning Tower and Cathedral tickets in the listing price: you travel by train from Santa Maria Novella and visit without a guide.
- Category
- Half-day Pisa trip
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Around City Florence
Private Half-Day Trip to Pisa from Florence with a Driver
The fastest way to see the tower: a private driver collects you at your hotel, drops you at the Piazza dei Miracoli and has you back in Florence four and a half hours later.
- Category
- Private driver
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Prestige Rent
What are the Tower's opening hours?
Hours change by season: from 17 June to 31 August the Tower stays open until 10:00 pm, while from 13 November to 20 December it opens 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and in the 22 December to 1 January stretch it opens 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.
The operator publishes a seasonal calendar and reserves the right to change hours without notice for security or ceremonies.
Hours by season
The summer night opening is the traveller's gift: from 17 June to 31 August the Tower and Camposanto stay open until 10:00 pm, which is when a TripAdvisor reviewer recommends climbing, at sunset, when there are no crowds or lines and it is not hot. On 4 to 7 December the Tower stays open until 7:00 pm. Cathedral and Baptistery hours can change on Sundays and religious holidays.
Whatever the season, entrance is allowed up to 30 minutes before closing time, so a late summer slot is still a real climb.
| Period | Tower hours |
|---|---|
| 17 June to 31 August | Until 10:00 pm, night opening |
| 13 November to 20 December | 9:00 am to 6:00 pm |
| 4 to 7 December | Until 7:00 pm |
| 22 December to 1 January | 9:00 am to 7:00 pm |
| General rule | Entrance up to 30 minutes before closing |
Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
How do you get to the Tower from Florence?
The regional train from Firenze Santa Maria Novella reaches Pisa Centrale in about 1 h 22-23 min, and from the station it is a 2.89 km walk to Piazza dei Miracoli.
You have four realistic options, and the operator's own connection rules apply once you buy train tickets.
From the top you look down on the Cathedral and the Baptistery. Photo: Eric Kilby, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Train, bus, taxi or tour
Regional trains run frequently from Florence, and paper regional tickets must be validated at the station machine before departure with the journey completed within four hours of validation. Electronic and digital tickets are valid four hours from the chosen train's departure and need no validation, and you can buy them up to five minutes before departure. In Pisa, the urban single ticket for buses costs €2.00, or €3.00 from the driver.
The simplest door to door option is a tour. The Ciaoflorence half-day trip costs $43 per person over 6 hours with optional Tower entry, and the Gray Line afternoon trip costs $44.03 per person over 6 hours, both with free cancellation 24 hours ahead. If you are landing at Pisa airport first, the Pisa Mover shuttle takes about 5 minutes between the airport and Pisa Central station.
| Option | Time or fare |
|---|---|
| Regional train Florence to Pisa | About 1 h 22-23 min |
| Walk station to Tower | 2.89 km |
| Bus to the square | Urban bus, runs to the square |
| Pisa urban bus ticket | €2.00, or €3.00 from the driver |
Sources: Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, Trenitalia, Autolinee Toscane, PisaMover.
Is the Leaning Tower of Pisa climb worth it?
Most climbers say yes, and the strongest case is a sunset summer slot, when a TripAdvisor reviewer reports no crowds or lines and cooler air.
At €20 with a free Cathedral pass included, the climb fits any day trip, and it lasts a tight 30 minutes.
How to get the best slot
Book the latest slot of a summer evening. From 17 June to 31 August the Tower is open until 10:00 pm, so a late climb gives you golden light on the Duomo, thin crowds and comfortable temperatures. Morning slots are cooler too but busier.
If you want the whole square done properly, the Complete Visit plus Tower ticket covers all open monuments and museums in the square plus the Tower. And if you would rather have someone handle timing, trains and the optional climb together, the Day trip to Pisa by train from Florence with Leaning Tower and Cathedral tickets at $83 per person bundles exactly that.
| Slot | Why pick it |
|---|---|
| Summer evening | Sunset light, no crowds, not hot |
| Summer afternoon | Long hours, warmest, moderate crowds |
| Morning | Cooler, busiest |
| Winter midday | Shorter hours, fewest tourists overall |
Sources: Opera della Primaziale Pisana, Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Leaning Tower of Pisa Climb: Frequently Asked Questions
Can you still climb up the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Yes. The climb is on foot up 251 steps in a timed 30 minute visit, sold as a fixed date and time ticket. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Is it hard to climb the Tower of Pisa?
It is a moderate 251 step climb, but the floor is uneven and slippery and the operator does not recommend the visit for people with cardiovascular or muscular disorders. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
How much does it cost to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
The Tower ticket costs €20 with no reduced rate, and it includes a free Cathedral pass. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana. For a trip from Florence with transport, the Ciaoflorence half-day Pisa tour starts at $43 per person.
How long does it take to climb to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa?
The whole visit lasts about 30 minutes, covering the welcome briefing, the 251 steps up, the top viewing ring and the descent. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
What time of day is best to climb?
One TripAdvisor reviewer recommends sunset, when there are no crowds or lines and it is not hot. In summer the Tower stays open until 10:00 pm from 17 June to 31 August, so a late evening slot is a real option. Source: Tripadvisor review.
Why is the tower of Pisa leaning?
The Tower began settling shortly after its foundations were laid on 9 August 1173, and it now rises about 56 metres with a tilt of up to 4 degrees in certain areas. It weighs 14,453 metric tons. Source: Pisa Turismo.
Is Pisa worth visiting with kids?
Yes, with one caveat: children who have not turned 8 cannot climb the Tower, but children under 11 with an adult enter the Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto and both museums free, and the grassy square is a great picnic spot. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
Where can I buy Tower of Pisa tickets from the official site?
The official operator is the Opera della Primaziale Pisana at opapisa.it, where online tickets are sold until the day itself, subject to availability. Source: Opera della Primaziale Pisana.
More Guides
- What Are the Best Things to Do in Pisa on a Day Trip from Florence?
The best Things To Do In Pisa in 2027: a 251-step tower climb, four monuments on one square and trains from Florence in about 1 h 22-23 min. Plan your day.
- How Do You Get from Florence to Pisa: Train, Bus or Tour?
Florence to Pisa by regional train takes about 1 h 22 min. Compare train, bus, car and tours and plan your day trip. 2027
- Is Pisa Worth Visiting on a Day Trip from Florence?
Is Pisa worth visiting from Florence? See the go or skip verdict, tower tickets, crowds and the best day tours in 2027.