Three itineraries to discover a less known Pisa but equally full of suggestions and history. These are the itineraries designed specifically for the XVII National Day of Urban Trekking scheduled throughout Italy on Sunday 31 October next.
In Pisa, three dedicated itineraries are scheduled for Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November “Discovering the Medici fountains (departure at 10 am on 31.10.2020, time 2 hours); “From the old citadel to the new citadel (departure at 15 on 31.10.2020 and at 10 on 01.11.2020, time 2 h); “Lungo le mura” (departure at 9 pm on 31.10.2020 and at 3 pm on 01.11.2020, time 3 hours). Participation is free, but reservations are required by contacting: associazione@piediincammino.it
Route 1: Discovering the Medici fountains
The Medici fountains, scattered in the historic center of Pisa, are the result of an ambitious urban and building renewal program already undertaken by Cosimo I. The public fountains celebrated the grand dukes who went to offer the city a precious resource, the good water of the Monte Pisano. The first sources date back to the 1500s and 1600s, followed by renovations during the 1700s and 1800s. The route will start from the Fontana dei Putti in Piazza del Duomo, the most famous of the Medici sources together with the Fontana del Gobbo in Piazza Cavalieri. Step by step, crossing the Tramontana and Mezzogiorno districts, we will be surprised by the small details and clues that trace the oldest public sources at the service of monasteries and popular squares. A journey dedicated to the search for those symbols that pass on the history of Medici Pisa to the attentive observer, which has fully become the second capital of the Tuscan duchy.
DATA SHEET
Journey time: 2 hours
Length: 4.5 Km
Difficulty: Low
Departure point: Pisa tourist information point - Duomo, Piazza del Duomo 7
Departure time: 10.00 am (31.10.2020)
Route 2: "From the "Old Citadel to the New Citadel"
The protagonist of this path is the Arno, the city's urban development axis. Mirror on which historical monuments and palaces are reflected, and therefore opportunities to tell the many historical events of the city through the re-enactment of the characters who made Pisa famous.
From the riverside, the itinerary will follow a "vagabonding" tourism imprint, entering the ancient district of Chinzica, to immerse yourself in the medieval atmosphere of the alleys and tower houses. Crossing the Ponte della Cittadella, we will walk in the direction of the Santa Maria district, leaving behind the complex of the Arsenals, which evoke the ancient relationship of Pisa with the sea. The trek will continue through squares and alleys until you reach the riverside of the San Francesco district and the Cittadella Nuova, now known as "Giardino Scotto".
DATA SHEET
Journey time: 2 hours
Length: about 4 Km
Difficulty: Low
Departure point: Tourist Information Office, Piazza XX Settembre
Departure time: 15.00 (31.10.2020) 10.00 (01.11.2020)
Route 3: "Along the Walls"
The Walls of Pisa represent a unicum in the panorama of medieval "walled cities", both for their extension and for their architectural characteristics. We will start from the Lion's Gate, the ancient access to Piazza del Duomo, walking at a trekking pace along the outer perimeter of the walls. Between towers, gates, posts and ramparts, we will travel the entire stretch of Tramontana and the partially interrupted section of Mezzogiorno. A path that will chronologically retrace the complex phases of construction of the walls and that will make us perceive how grandiose and demanding this building work was for the Pisans. We will invite you to observe with different eyes the stones and bricks that jealously guard the secrets of medieval construction techniques and that will reveal the many vicissitudes of the Walls: from abandonment to the resumption of work, the renovations and painful wounds inflicted by battles and time.
DATA SHEET
Journey time: 3 hours
Length: about 8 Km
Difficulty: Low
Departure point: Tourist Information Office, Piazza del Duomo 7
Departure time: 21.00 (31.10.2020) 15.00 (01.11.2020)
