48 hours in ... Pisa

If you've a leaning towards fine wines, window shopping and picturesque walks, take the first flight to Pisa, suggests Tony Grant, where the Tower is just the beginning

Why go now?

Since Ryanair began operating services to Pisa four months ago, it's never been easier, or cheaper, to get there. Autumn can also mean beautiful, sunny, clear weather with temperatures much more tolerable than during the baking hot days of August. Tourist hordes diminish, too. And then, of course, there's the pound, whose current strength makes accommodation, eating out and shopping considerably less painful on the wallet.

Beam down

Ryanair (0541-569569) has a range of cheap fares from Stansted: from pounds 115 for a mid-week return, pounds 125 at weekends. Watch out, though, for special offers, which can reduce the price dramatically. Alternative airlines are BA and Alitalia, both of which are having to cut prices to compete.

Get your bearings

Pisa is a small city, and the airport is comfortably close. A No 5 bus will get you to the centre of town - be sure to buy your ticket (1500L one way, about 65p) in advance from the airport information office - or just take the train from the airport to Centrale, in the south of the town.

Check in

For five-star luxury, right by Pisa Centrale station, try the Hotel Cavalieri, Piazza della Stazione 2 (00 39 050 43290); 360,000L (pounds 127) for a double. A cheaper option, overlooking the River Arno, is the historic Royal Victoria, Lungarno Pacinotti 12 (00 39 050 940111); 160,000L (pounds 55). Close to the Leaning Tower, one-star accommodation is provided by the Gronchi, Piazza Arcivescovado 1 (00 39 050 561823); 54,000L (pounds 18).

Take a hike

Most tourist itineraries begin with a trip to the Piazza dei Miracoli, in Pisa's northern-most corner. This square contains the 12th-century Leaning Tower. It started to lean after they had completed less than half of it... but they continued anyway.

You can walk from any of the above hotels to just about all the sights, and a stroll along the River Arno, which runs through the middle of the city, can be particularly pleasant.

Lunch on the run

For a quick pizza, try La Cereria, not far from the station, at Via Pietro Gori 33. Good for a bowl of pasta is the spaghetteria Alle Bandierine, at Via Mercanti 4, in the centre of town, near the Ponte di Mezzo.

Cultural afternoon

The Leaning Tower, currently closed to climbers, is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Yet it stands next to two far more beautiful ones - the Cathedral and the Baptistery. The Monumental Camposanto (cemetery) is also there, constructed, as legend has it, upon soil brought back from Calvary by the Crusaders.

And can it be true that a photographer, employed for decades by a French news magazine, sits in his rented apartment on the Piazza, permanently aiming his Pentax at the Tower, ready to capture that moment when it finally falls?

Window shopping

The strong pound can lull you into a dangerous false sense of security. The prices in the big shopping streets - the Corso d'Italia and Borgo Stretto, linked by the Ponte di Mezzo - certainly compare favourably with those in Britain, but the array of treats mean you can end up spending a great deal! The best buys here are Italian designer clothes, shoes, kitchen and tableware, parmesan cheese, olive oil and wine.

If the tacky souvenir is more your style, you've come to the right place. Dozens of stalls around the edges of the Piazza dei Miracoli sell model Leaning Towers in all shapes and sizes, including one fashioned to look like a lavatory.

An aperitif

Visitors from northern-European climes may be surprised that, despite the array of attractive drinks and bars, Italians are not committed drinkers. It is thoroughly acceptable, however, to drink corretto at breakfast time - an espresso containing a shot of cognac or rum. And then there's the wine. Pisa stands in the centre of the Tuscan wine-growing region and close to Chianti, which produce some of Italy's finest wines.

Demure dinner

Pisa boasts an eating place for almost every day of the year. One that specialises in regional specialities is Bruno, in Via L Bianchi 12, close to the Piazza dei Miracoli. If you're hungry, tuck into the zuppa, a thick soup made with bread, beans, cauliflower and other vegetables.

Local opinion suggests that one of the very best places to eat is 7km out of town at Pugnano, the Villa di Corliano da Sergio (00 39 050 818858). The restaurant is in the old stable block of a grand villa. It's not cheap, but Sergio's cooking is excellent.

Sunday-morning worship

Despite the best attentions of the wartime RAF and others, which ensured that much of Pisa was rebuilt in a rather uninteresting manner, many ancient churches remain. Attend a service at the Abbey of San Piero a Grado, just outside town. According to legend this was the spot where St Peter delivered a sermon shortly after stepping off his boat while on his way to Rome from Antioch. It's a huge, atmospheric church, parts of which date back to the sixth century.

Take a ride

A half-hour train ride takes you to the enchanting medieval city of Lucca. A stone's throw from its station lie the tree-lined walls which encircle the city. Stroll or cycle around them before descending into town and exploring the ancient streets. Order an espresso in the bar Puccini used - Di Simo in Via Fillungo; eat a cheap delicious lunch at the jolly Da Leo restaurant, close to the church of San Michele; then visit the cathedral, squares and historic amphitheatre.

A walk in the park

Use the cheap, frequent Italian State Railways to reach the neighbouring seaside resort of Viareggio. Wander through its ancient pine forests or join its gilded youth for the evening passeggiata along the seafront, which stretches for miles and boasts spectacular examples of Art Nouveau architecture, endless shops and some fine fish restaurants. Two favourites in the port area are Trattoria al Porto and da Alfredo.

Icing on the cake

Surely a self-service canteen would never be mentioned in an article about Italy? Well, if you have time for a quick bite before your plane leaves, there's a certain charm about the rather basic restaurant at the Galileo Galilei airport - great for children and popular with aiport workers. Get a huge portion of pasta, with a generous helping of parmesan cheese, a delicious mixed salad (glug on the balsamico) and half a bottle of wine while watching the comings and goings of planes both civil and military.