7 Family-friendly day trips from Pisa Airport

Traveling with the kids can be difficult for many reasons, but finding activities and adventures that hold their attention is one of the most pivotal ways to keep the trip running smoothly. Pisa is an amazing place to bring the kids, with so much captivating history and culture to enjoy and medieval architecture to charm the younger ones.

But you can only stare at the Leaning Tower of Pisa for so long, so perhaps it’s best to look into a few fun day trips to keep the kids engaged. Luckily, Pisa is situated near some of Italy’s best travel destinations. Pisa’s proximity to the wonderful coastline allows you to visit beach towns along the Cinque Terre. It’s also a short train ride from epic travel destinations like Florence and Lucca. There are even amusement parks in the region worth stopping at.

When you’re carrying excess luggage with you, instead of dragging it all the way to your day trip destination, visit a Pisa Airport bag storage spot first and enjoy your trip to the fullest.

Here are the best day trip destinations near Pisa Airport:

Stay local and head to Marina di Pisa for a day at the beach

Marina di Pisa

More of an afternoon excursion than a full day trip, you can get to this pebbly beach from Pisa’s city center in about 20 minutes via bus or even quicker in a taxi. The tiny seaside village is worth strolling through, and the kids will absolutely love taking a dip in the wonderful Mediterranean waters of the Ligurian Sea.

The whole beach area is public, aside from a few cabana-covered private areas. The swimming situation is ideal, but the rocky conditions make water shoes or sandals helpful. On the weekends, the village comes alive when their markets open and local producers begin to sell fruits, vegetables, and other artisanal products. The town also has cafés and tiny trattorias for grabbing lunch, but the main attraction is the beach. Marina di Pisa is the perfect local alternative to lengthier adventures out to Cinque Terre.

See The True Old Italy in Siena

Siena

Italy has some of the best-preserved Medieval architecture of any country in the world, which makes it an ideal travel destination for families with young children. These ancient castles, bridges, walls, and churches will capture their imaginations, especially if they’re old enough to have learned about knights and battles.

While Pisa is as good a place as any to appreciate these places, the nearby city of Siena offers some of the best medieval structures. The Torre del Mangia pierces the sky, and when you ascend to the top of this tower, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside.

The city itself is wonderful, with the colorful Piazza del Campo, which is shaped like a seashell and lined with cafes and even a few gelaterias. If you’re visiting during the spring, you can enjoy the Palio di Siena horserace. From Pisa Centrale, you’ll get to Siena in a little over 90 minutes, making it a doable day trip or stop on a road trip up the peninsula from Rome.

See the Picturesque Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre

If you’re looking for unforgettable experiences on the Mediterranean, then Cinque Terre should be at the top of your list of places to visit. You can easily plan a few days around exploring these five fishing villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso) on the Italian Riviera that make up the region, but you can also pick one of the closer ones and make a quick trip from Pisa.

You can take the train through La Spezia from Pisa Centrale to Monterosso in a little over an hour. Each village is connected via train, so you can see them all in one day, but that would leave little time to enjoy the magnificent views of the coastline and charming fishing villages.

Take a Short Trip to Lucca

Lucca

One of the easiest cities to get to from Pisa Centrale is Lucca, which only takes about 40 minutes. While it’s primarily known for being the birthplace of legendary composer Puccini, it’s not the worst to bring the kids to. There is plenty of medieval architecture to capture their imaginations, especially the formable city walls, which were built by the Romans, along with the Guinigi Tower that you can climb for panoramic views of the city.

Head to Florence’s Vincigliata Adventure Park

Vincigliata Adventure Park

The kids have been to all the museums and piazzas they could possibly imagine. They’ve stared at paintings and sampled pastas their palates are too immature to appreciate. They’re not necessarily ready for Italy… If this “worst case scenario” describes your trip, then it might be time to head to the suburbs of Florence for some high-flying fun at Vincigliata Adventure Park.

This treetop theme park is connected with zip lines and rope bridges where the kids can take on challenges or simply fly through the trees. You won’t want to admit it, but you’ll enjoy a trip here just as much as the kids!

Head to the Pisa Charterhouse for a quick trip

Pisa Charterhouse

Situated just outside Pisa’s city center is a former Carhusian monastery that’s been repurposed into a museum. Founded back in the 14th century, this complex combines Renaissance and Baroque elements, so mom and dad can enjoy some wonderful architecture while the kids run around. Inside the Charterhouse is the Pisa Natural History Museum, which features exhibits on a wide range of disciplines like geology and paleontology. There are plenty of fossils and taxidermied animals. The most notable feature is the massive whale skeleton.

Explore Tuscany in Castiglioncello

Castiglioncello

Another coastal town in Tuscany, you can reach this quiet seaside oasis in less than 90 minutes from Pisa, but it does require access to a car. If you have a set of wheels, then planning an adventure to Castiglioncello is a great way to get the kids onto the wonderful waters near this fishing village.

The coastline is rugged, with craggy outcrops that offer insane views of the Mediterranean, but there are a few sandy beaches for swimming and sunbathing. There’s even a castle in town, with the imposing Castelo Pasquini dominating the town center. If you’re traveling with older children, you’ll be able to navigate the nearby cliffs for even better views of the coastline.

It’s one thing to look for traveling tips, but if you’re already lugging your young children around or trying to wrangle in your toddler, the last thing you want to be carrying is your luggage. Traveling with kids comes with plenty of challenges and frustrations, so removing as many inconveniences as possible is imperative to your enjoyment of visiting a city as beautiful as Pisa. That’s why the Bounce luggage storage network is so popular with traveling families.

With a flexible and affordable system for storing a wide range of items, you can drop the luggage and some of the kids’ things off on travel days while you explore Pisa or head out on day trips. This eliminates the need to head to the hotel right away and frees you up for making memories.