Leaning Tower of Pisa – Italy Travel Guide in Planning a Trip tagged leaning tower of pisa / pisa / pisa-guide / Planning a Trip by Jessica I’ve written before about my experience visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and even about how to avoid the lines by buying tickets to climb the tower in advance . But what I haven’t done is posted the most useful visitor’s information. So, without further ado… Pisa ‘s famous Leaning Tower is simply the bell tower for the adjacent cathedral – cathedrals all over Italy have bell towers, and many of them are also leaning for one reason or another. This is one little fact the folks in Pisa would rather you don’t know, but it’s true. Of course, if you try to convince your friends that you’ve seen plenty of leaning towers in Italy, if you haven’t seen the one in Pisa they’re not going to be all that impressed. Besides, you’ve seen everyone else’s pictures of themselves “propping up” the Leaning Tower, why not have one of your own?

Construction on the Tower of Pisa, called “La Torre di Pisa” in Italian, began in 1173 and went on more or less for about two hundred years. The ground beneath the tower was soft, and so even before the building was near completion it had already started to tilt. It was noticeable enough that the builders even tried to compensate for it by angling the new construction differently than the old construction – if you look at the tower from the appropriate direction you’ll see it’s not perfectly straight on one angle. The Leaning Tower has been closed to visitors at various times as engineers worked to shore up the base, fearful it would eventually topple completely. If a visit to Pisa won’t be complete for you without climbing the tower, check in advance to make sure it’ll be open when you go. >> Spending more than a couple hours in the city? Browse and book these Pisa hotels and cheap hostels in Pisa .

Leaning Tower Opening Hours The opening hours for the Leaning Tower of Pisa are: From November to February: 10:00-17:00 (09:00-18:00 from Dec 25-Jan 1) March: 09:00-18:00 (until the 3rd), 09:00-19:00 (until the 20th), 08:30-20:30 (starting the 21st) From April to September: 08:30-20:30 (until Jun 13 and from Sep 5-30), 08:30-23:00 (from Jun 17) October: 09:00-19:00 The last entry to the Tower of Pisa is a half-hour before closing time. >> It’s been pointed out to me that there are a few days in June not accounted for according to the above list of opening hours.

I’ve taken them directly from the website of the governing body which organizes tourism in the Piazza dei Miracoli, and I’ve checked several times – they have, indeed, left a few June days out of their schedule. Another website indicates that the later opening hours, from 08:30-23:00, are from June 14 through September 15, so it’s probably safe to assume that the later opening hours begin on June 14 rather than June 17 – but it doesn’t hurt to double-check with the ticket office in Pisa. Getting to the Leaning Tower of Pisa It’s easy to reach the Leaning Tower from the Pisa train station, either by walking or by taking the bus or a taxi. Bus lines 3 and 4 run from Pisa Centrale, the main station, as does Shuttle Bus A – all of these will drop you near the Tower. Taxis are plentiful as well, and the ride isn’t very long. The buses and taxis are all available across from the train station’s main entrance. If you’re in the mood for a walk, leave Pisa Centrale’s main entrance and go toward Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.

Turn onto Via Crispi and go as far as Ponte Solferino. Cross the bridge and continue until you read Via Roma. Turn onto Via Roma and continue until you reach Piazza dei Miracoli – the home of the Leaning Tower. The walk will take you just under a half-hour. If you’ve come into Pisa’s San Rossore train station, however, it’s only a five minute walk from where the subway stops. Take the subway from the train station and get out through Piazza Fancelli. Walk to Via Andrea Pisano, turn left and continue until you reach the Piazza dei Miracoli. Tickets to the Leaning Tower Tickets to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa cost €15 (€17 if you book online in advance ), and the proceeds go to the preservation of the monuments themselves. Nearby Attractions: Cathedral & Baptistery With any extra time, a visit to Pisa’s Cathedral and Baptistery are highly recommended as well. Neither is as famous as the Tower, so the lines are shorter, and both are lovely. The Baptistery is also the largest in Christendom.

The opening hours for Pisa’s Cathedral and Baptistery are: From November to February: Cathedral – 10:00-13:00 and 14:00-17:00 (09:00-18:00 from Dec 25-Jan 1) Baptistery – 10:00-17:00 (09:00-18:00 from Dec 25-Jan 1) March: Cathedral 10:00-18:00 (until the 3rd), 10:00-19:00 (until the 20th), 10:00-20:00 (starting the 21st) Baptistery – 09:00-18:00 (until the 3rd), 09:00-19:00 (until the 20th), 08:00-20:00 (starting the 21st) From April to September: Cathedral – 10:00-19:00 Baptistery – 09:00-1

9:00 Prices for the Cathedral and Baptistery are markedly lower than the Leaning Tower, which makes them even more enticing.

It’s only €2 to get into the Cathedral, and the Bapistery will cost you €5. Or, you can get a combo ticket which includes both the Cathedral and Baptistery for €6. But if you happen to be visiting during the low season, take advantage of the fact that from November 1 through March 1 it doesn’t cost a thing to get into the Cathedral. >> The official website for the leaning tower as well as the other sights of the Piazza dei Miracoli is here . 10 Best Hotels in Pisa - Book on Hotels.com Good 3.7 / 5 ( 466 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 109 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Hotel was clean and in a good location close to town and the leaning tower. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful.

Restaurant was quite pricey and not a lot of veg options but they were very helpful and made us a meal specially suited to us " A Traveller, Nov 2016, GB Hotel San Ranieri Excellent 4.3 / 5 ( 586 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 104 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Very unique in design. Very modern. Reception staff very helpful and friendly. Rooms were big compared to typical European hotels. Bathroom was big and clean. Beds were comfortable. Easy free parking. Temperature in room is controlled by front desk. We stayed in October when weather out..." M, Oct 2016, US Good 3.7 / 5 ( 463 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 95 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "The hotel is 3 minutes walk from the central train station and about 20 minutes from the leaning tower, so location for the price is good. The hotel is very clean and the rooms are great for the price.

The breakfast is fantastic, the best I have ever had in Italy. The only down side is that there..." A Traveller, Dec 2016, GB Royal Victoria Hotel Good 3.6 / 5 ( 413 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 90 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "We loved this hotel! Took us back to the Golden Age of Romantic travel. Staff was wonderful, room huge with comfortable beds, and buffet breakfast as good as one gets in Europe. Right on the Arno River, steps from old town Pisa, and walking distance to all main sights. Three nights of heaven. Go,..." P, Dec 2016, US Good 3.9 / 5 ( 682 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 89 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Really comfy hotel in easy reach of the Leaning Tower etc.

Only criticism is that the hotel diner menu never changed." A Traveller, Nov 2016, GB Grand Hotel Duomo Good 3.7 / 5 ( 271 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 79 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Gracious and helpful staff, lovely room with a gorgeous view, nice amenities, and close walking distance to restaurants and sites." L, Oct 2016, US AC Hotel Pisa by Marriott Good 3.8 / 5 ( 213 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 55 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Was a good choice, staff ready to help. The room walls are not that strong isolation wise, we can hear the neighbour on next door. Its a pity the restaurant is closed on weekdays" A Traveller, Nov 2016, GB Hotel Pisa Tower Excellent 4.2 / 5 ( 122 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*!

35 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "A pleasant stay with helpful staff. We were only there for one night." A Traveller, Sep 2016, GB Hotel Touring Pisa Good 3.2 / 5 ( 163 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 33 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "The hotel is close to the station. The staff was good. The price paid compared to the quality is acceptable. " A Traveller, Sep 2016, GB B&B Hotel Pisa Good 3.9 / 5 ( 234 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 33 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Pro's - hotel and hotel staff were amazing, room was well cleaned and aircon and wifi were great. Con's - hotel was in the middle of nowhere, if you didn't have a car, taxi is your only option.

There was a supermarket across the street but didn't have much and most stuff you had to cook yourse..." L, Jul 2016, AU Good 3.3 / 5 ( 249 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 32 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "this was a very lovely hotel right next to leading tower of pisa, baptistery, and cathedral with just a 1 min walk. you can also walk to all the other sites in about 30-45 mins. getting to the hotel was easy, there's a bus stop right in front of the hotel which made it straight forward to get to ..." A Traveller, Sep 2016, GB Relais I Miracoli Star rating not availableExcellent 4.6 / 5 ( 144 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 29 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "The perfect place to stay in Pisa. Unbelievably wonderful view of the Tower out of the window.

Very friendly staff - we were allowed into our room early as it was ready. Someone carried our bags up the stairs for us. We stayed in the family room with a mezzanine floor with the two single beds..." A Traveller, Oct 2016, GB Residence Villaggio Solidago Star rating not availableExcellent 4.1 / 5 ( 14 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 18 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Hotel Roma Good 3.7 / 5 ( 292 genuine reviews ) Hotels.com™ RewardsFor every 10 nights, get 1 free*! 12 people looked at this hotel in the last hour Most recent review "Had a great time in Pisa , hotel was friendly near to leaning tower , hotel recommend reastarants near , wouldn't hesitate to book again" A Traveller, Sep 2016, GB body PISA, Italy -- For many tourists, Pisa comes as a mere snack compared with the more elegant and nourishing Florence, its glamorous sister on the Arno River in the bella Italia region of Tuscany. This is not completely unjustified.

If push comes to shove, which it generally does when touring Italy, Pisa can be reduced to a one-site destination. But what a site that is. Known formally as the Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, it includes not only the unforgettable Torre Pendente (Leaning Tower) but also the magnificent Romanesque Duomo (cathedral) and Battistero (baptistery), a threesome that every guidebook lists among the most impressive sights in Italy. It is made more so because they are surrounded by manicured green lawns from which the admiring hordes are politely excluded. Now visitors will have even more reason to linger in Tuscany's "second" city. After 12 years of renovations, the tower was scheduled to reopen Saturday, much to the delight of the local community and post-Sept. 11 tourists, who may be cheered by the way Pisa has overcome a world that tilted. They will once again be able to scale the circular interior stairwell and experience the same gravitational attraction that is said to have lured astronomer Galileo Galilei, Pisa's most famous son.

In the early 1970s, I climbed the internal cylindrical staircase and was surprised to find how steep the tilt, how quickly one picked up momentum coming out the doorway at each level, and especially how interesting it was that there were no guardrails. Rails were finally installed in the '80s, but that was all that was done to counter the pull of gravity until December 1989, when an even younger bell tower that wasn't leaning collapsed in the northern city of Pavia, killing four people. The next month the Leaning Tower was closed for stabilization, a process that was hoped to have been completed in time for the millennium. Given the tower's universal fame and proven drawing power--more than a million visitors in 1989--the decision was made not to right it completely but to restore it to a degree of relative stability. And there's more to the celebrated Campo than just the tower.

The standard combination admission ticket also includes the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (cathedral construction museum); the Camposanto, or cemetery, a cloistered aboveground mausoleum in which the bodies of noble Pisans were placed in the vacated sarcophagi of noble Romans amid 53 shiploads of soil brought back from Calvary; and the Sinopie museum, containing the red ink sketches that preceded the application of frescoes. Seeing all six takes a full day and is substantially more satisfying when interspersed with meals and a little shopping. In April my wife, Stacie, and I celebrated our fifth anniversary by spending the night in Pisa rather than continuing on to Florence, an hour away. Not only were comparable high-quality accommodations and meals about 25% cheaper (justifying our splurge at the Grand Hotel Duomo), but after the exodus of day-trippers around 6 p.m., we had the old city largely to ourselves, other than the several thousand students who attend the 650-year-old university and give Pisa its ever young, if not always ever studious, vitality.

No brusque "completo" dismissals at the best trattorie; no madding crowds on our evening stroll along the palazzo-lined Arno; and no rush to choose a flavor at the popular gelateria in the Piazza Garibaldi. And as we discovered, there's another advantage to spending the night in Pisa: a second chance for a clear day. The weatherworn tower doesn't photograph well against a weather-beaten sky. After an introductory day of constant rain, we were particularly thankful when the morrow broke clear and cloudless, with the snow atop the 6,000-foot Apuan Alps glittering in the background. It was then that the glory that is Pisa shone brightest. A bustling seaport in the Roman empire, Pisa became a great naval power in the 9th century. Construction of the celebrated tower began in 1173 during what became known as Pisa's Golden Age.

The tower, designed by Bonanno Pisano (the "Pisano" identifying his hometown, not his family name), was to be Europe's tallest and most ornate bell tower, a fitting symbol for the new regional superpower and the gem of Pisa's ambitious urban renewal program. No sooner had the first three of six colonnaded tiers been completed than the tower started leaning. The fault, however, lay in neither the design nor the execution, but in the unstable alluvial plain upon which the resplendent new city was being built. A century later, with the base tilting southward, construction resumed. Successive architects compensated for the lean by making the features on the southern side correspondingly "taller." As soon as the recessed belfry, now purposefully angled 6 feet northward, was added in the 14th century, the finally completed tower became an unintended symbol of proud Pisa's own shifting fortunes. In 1284, Pisa had seen its naval supremacy negated by archrival Genoa at the battle of Meloria; in 1406, Pisa fell under Florentine control.

During the next 400 years, the lean gradually increased from 1.6 degrees to 5 degrees, more than enough to allow Galileo to prove his theory of the uniform acceleration of gravity in 1590 by dropping objects of different weights from its top (though modern historians doubt this story). By the 19th century, it was apparent that if something wasn't done to arrest the tower's downward progress, Pisa would soon lose what had already become its world-famous attraction. The first two government-sponsored restorations succeeded only in making matters worse. In 1838, the original, now sunken walkway encircling the base was excavated in an effort to analyze the foundations for a more comprehensive restoration. The tower responded by slumping a full foot and a half. A century later, dictator Benito Mussolini ordered 80 tons of concrete poured unequally into the foundation in the hopes of nudging it northward. The tower again slipped farther south. But when heavy Allied bombing in 1944 didn't budge it an inch, the authorities concluded that the long-standing tower was indeed a miracle and that it was destined to stay that way forever.

And so matters stood until the Pavia collapse forced the government into preemptive action. After two false starts, the first of 41 steel extraction tubes--long and thin but sturdy tubes through which the compacted soil was sucked out--was angled underneath the tower's north side in February 1999. To ensure that the tower remained steady during the two-year process, steel cables tethered to sunken weights were looped around the third tier. By the time the extraction process was completed last January, about 110 tons of compacted silt had been removed, enough to reduce the overhang (the distance the top of the tower extends above the base) from 17 to 15 feet but not enough to be discernible to the untrained eye. The steel cables were removed in May, followed by the last of the extraction tubes. The delays have been unfortunate, but as Nerio Nesi, minister of public works, said at Pisa's three-day annual festival in June, "Eleven years of work are not too much if you consider that to build this monument it took two centuries.

We can tell the Italian citizens with pride that we have spent their money well." And though they will be limited to guided groups of 30, 21st century tower toppers aren't likely to disagree. Recent gravitational corrections notwithstanding, the top of the tower is destined to be its old compelling self. But intent on going beyond the tower and seeing overlooked Pisa, we wandered south through the town's 12th century core. Eventually we emerged onto the Borgo Stretto, the meandering commercial thoroughfare whose overhanging second stories are supported by a series of graceful, fluted Gothic columns. Just to the east lies the university, a six-block conglomeration of pastel ochre and orange buildings, where Galileo studied and taught. Students, not tourists, abound here, whether lingering in the cozy, cafe-laden Piazza Dante Alighieri or scurrying to class through the expansive Piazza dei Cavalieri. Dominating the latter are the Palazzo dell'Orologio (Palace of the Clock Tower), complete with central bell tower, and the Scuola Normale Superiore with its ornate graffito decorations.

For our anniversary meal that evening, we lingered over boar and venison and a bottle of Chianti Riserva selected by our waitress in the upscale Antica Trattoria il Campano in the Vicolo Santa Margherita, housed--no surprise to Italian speakers--in the base of a 12th century bell tower. But before turning in, it was once more round the softly floodlit Campo, which, except for a lone cyclist on his way home, we had to ourselves. If there was no other reason to overnight in Pisa, this was it. Devoid of the daily hordes, it was only at night that the Campo fulfilled its original, spiritually inspiring duty. The next morning we were the first tourists inside the Duomo, and the first ushered out. (The time before 10 a.m. is reserved for worshipers.) Fortunately, we had spent two hours here the previous day, soaking up the Moorish-influenced cream and green striped marble walls and the lavish paleo-Christian interior, the undisputed highlight of which is Giovanni Pisano's monumental marble pulpit with its nine panels depicting scenes from the life of Christ.

The Duomo is worth no less than an hour, and it was to see it without the roving crowds of babbling tour groups (all speaking their own languages) that I tried sneaking in early the next morning--unsuccessfully, as it turned out. So we made our way over to Santa Maria della Spina, a diminutive Gothic chapel originally built on the bank of the Arno but reassembled atop a quay in 1871 after a series of devastating floods. In contrast to the overwhelming Duomo, Santa Maria della Spina is small and intimate. People clearly came here to commune with God. Today, the object of their veneration, the reliquary box containing the thorn, or spina, believed to have been taken from Jesus' crown--along with most of Pisa's medieval and Renaissance ecclesiastical art--is housed at the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo, a converted 15th century convent that overlooks the Arno. Not surprisingly, the artists tend to be local as well, reflecting Pisa's status as one of Italy's leading cultural centers.

Besides the paintings and sculptures of Nino, Nicola, Giunta and Giovanni Pisano are those of such "foreigners" as Donatello, Masaccio and Fra Angelico. For more secular offerings, including the private collections of the Medici, Lorraine and Savoy dynasties, head to the nearby Museo Nazionale di Palazzo Reale. By now it was late afternoon, and we too were late in making our departure for Florence. After a fortifying caffe latte and torta pisana, a wedge-shaped custard pastry topped with pine nuts and powdered sugar, at the strategically situated Caffe Duomo, we finally headed east. I know it's not polite to keep a beautiful woman waiting, but I'm still inclined toward her more manageable older sister.

For more information: For general tourist information, visit the city of Pisa's Web site at For detailed information about the Leaning Tower: the official Web site, and the unofficial Web site, Also, Italian Government Tourist Board, 12400 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Los Angeles, CA 90025; (310) 820-1898, fax (310) 820-6357, and Getting there: Pisa is virtually equidistant from Rome and Milan, so you have your choice of international gateways. From LAX, connecting service (change of planes) to Rome is offered on Alitalia, Lufthansa, KLM, Delta, British, Swissair, Continental and US Airways. Fares begin at $838, dropping to $712 after Christmas. From LAX, nonstop service is available to Milan on Alitalia, and connecting service is offered on Lufthansa, KLM, United, British, Air France, Air Canada and Continental. Restricted round-trip fares begin at $712 (higher at Christmas).

Telephones: To reach numbers below, dial 011 (the international access code), 39 (the country code for Italy) and 050 (the city code for Pisa), followed by the local number. Where to stay: Reasonably priced pensioni and alberghi can be found near the train station, but do your eyes and feet a favor by staying in one of the many slightly more expensive hostelries closer to the Campo, such as Albergo Gronchi, 1 Piazza Arcivescovado, 561-823, $29 double; or Albergo Helvetia, 31 Via G. Boschi, 553-084, $37-$46 double. For more expensive rooms with that world-famous view, head for the Grand Hotel Duomo, 94 Via Santa Maria, 561-894, fax 560-418, $150 double; or the Villa Kinzica, 2 Piazza Arcivescovado, 560-419, fax 551-204, $83 double.

Where to eat: Perfectly adequate tourist fare can be found in the streets leading into the Campo dei Miracoli, but for traditional Pisan fare, head straight to Antica Trattoria il Campano, 44 Via Cavalca, 580-585. Entrees $10-$20. Also recommended: Osteria la Grotta, 103 Via San Francesco, 578-105, housed in a vaulted wine cellar (closed Sundays), entrees $8-$15; and Antica Trattoria da Bruno, 12 Via Luigi Bianchi (just outside the city wall), 560-818, fax 550-607 (closed Monday evening and all day Tuesday); entrees $12-$17. For a midday snack, there's no place better than Caffe Duomo. Tickets: Forty-five-minute guided tours, offered in groups of 30, are available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in summer. Tickets (about $13) must be reserved.

For information and reservations, call 560-547 or fax 560-505. • Italy (on Crutches!) - Navigate my website via the tabs above or sitemap below. □ <-- Map of summer 2016 climbing roadtrip (click to enlarge) CALIFORNIA: Condorphamine Addiction, Condor Buttress NEVADA: <-- Map of summer 2015 climbing roadtrip (click to enlarge) PREVIOUS TRIP REPORTS: (until June 10, and then I have 3 months to climb...) Climbs/Areas I am interested in for Summer 2017 • Chehalis Range, BC (Viennese-Clarke Traverse, Bardean Tuning Fork, Grainger S Ridge or 5.10 route on S Face, ...) • Canadian Rockies, BC/AB (Robson, Edith Cavell, Mt. Temple, Mt.

Louis, ...) • Leaning Towers, BC • Pasayten, BC/WA (MMG Traverse, The Deacon Sentinel Direct, Amphitheater Pilgrimage to Mecca & Middle Finger Buttress) • North Cascades, WA (Slesse NE Buttress, Early Morning Spire, Dorado Needle, Middle Gunsight EF, Gunrunner Traverse, Salish Peak Flight of the Falcon, Dome Peak Grand Torino, Paisano/Burgundy Rampage/Action Potential, Whine Spire Gato Negro, Supercave Route) • Squamish, BC (Wonderful World of Tiggers, Mt Habrich Life on Earth, Right Wing) • Deep Lake, WY (Haystack Major DIhedral, Lost Temple Spire Separation Anxiety and SW Arete) • Cirque of Towers, WY (Cirque Traverse, Warbonnet Feather Buttress, Wolf's Head south side route) • Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO • Sierra, CA (Evolution Traverse, Keeler Needle, ...) • Yosemite, CA (Nose, Rostrum, North Dome SF, ...) • The Needles, CA • Montana somewhere • more...

I am always looking for partners who are strong, motivated, fun, and live for long days in the mountains moving efficiently over large amounts of technical terrain. Please shoot me an email if you are interested! Upcoming Presentations/Workshops "Two highlights of Summer 2016: Bugaboos & Nesakwatch Spires, BC" When: December 13, 2016 @ 7:30pm Where: Backcountry Essentials, Bellingham, WA Bellingham Mountaineers Winter Speaker Series Presentation Description: In this edition of the Bellingham Mountaineers Winter Speaker Series, Steph Abegg will show photos from two of her favorite Summer 2016 climbing destinations. The first half of her presentation will focus on a spectacular week in the Bugaboos, where she and her climbing partner Jon Pobst climbed four Bugaboo classic 5.9-5.10 routes: Beckey-Chouinard on South Howser Tower, Northeast Ridge of Bugaboo Spire, Sunshine Crack on Snowpatch Spire, and Surf's Up on Snowpatch Spire.

For the second half of her presentation, she will show photos from a three-day trip to the Nesakwatch Spires, a little-known gem of an area in southwest BC just over an hour's drive from Bellingham. From their gorgeous basecamp in Nesakwatch Basin, she and Will Surbur climbed to the three main summits: Mt. Rexford via the West Ridge (5.6), North Nesakwatch via Dairyland (a newish and awesome 5.10d route on the steep west face), and South Nesakwatch via the SW Ridge (5.9). Come and be inspired! Washington Weather Forecast for Climbers (Click image) • My friends Luca and Ephrat have created a wonderful mountain weather matrix which shows the 5-day NOAA point forecast for various locations in the US. As they are Californians, they mostly have CA locations, HERE . Since I cannot run .php on googlesites, they have generously created a PNW-oriented version HERE , for which I provided the data points for various climbing locations in Washington. This is very handy for seeing multiple weather forecasts all at once to help choose the weekend climbing destination. Gone are the days of obsessive refreshing of a slew of NOAA point forecast tabs!

Quick Link to Night Photography Here's a quick link to my page on night photography, which gives lots of photos as well as a technical discussion on the physics of night photography. Hi! My name is Steph Abegg. Please see my Who is sTePh? page for more details. I am happy to share route beta or sell photos on request. I am also always looking for good climbing partners and destinations. XXX *on Crutches! In Nov-Dec 2010, I spent five weeks in northern Italy. The main reason for my trip was as a TA for a course in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, taught at the ROSE School in Pavia by Dr. Steve Kramer (my advisor at the University of Washington). Nevertheless, I managed to do several unique day trips to nearby areas (like Cinque Terre, Lake Como, Certosa di Pavia, Pisa, Lucca, Milan, Trento-Bolzano-Renon, and Venice), and I took lots and lots of photos. My time in Italy was especially challenging because I was on crutches, due to a badly broken leg I suffered in a climbing accident a couple of months previous.

Getting on and off buses and trains, shopping in crowded and narrow aisles, hopping out of the way of fast Fiats on narrow streets, carrying a backpack loaded with camera gear or textbooks, and negotiating wet cobblestones, uneven stairways, and 4-ft entryways — Italy was like a daily obstacle course! But I was determined not to let my broken leg stop me from enjoying this unique and beautiful country. A few shots of espresso always helped! Since I plan on someday climbing in the Dolomites of northern Italy, I decided a trip report of my crutching adventures would be a good way to set up an Italy section for my webpage. This page gives photos from the specific areas I went to in the area around Pavia. Photos My photos are arranged into photosets. Below are direct links to the photosets. These links are also provided on the itinerary to the right. (** = personal favorites) Map Below is a map showing where I went on my mostly day trip adventures in Italy. Crutches The photos below show me and my crutches in Cinque Terre and Pisa, 9 and 10 weeks after my climbing accident .

Espressos (and Gelatos) Anywhere along an Italian city street, you are not far from a cafe where you can sit down and enjoy an espresso. Referred to "caffes" in Italian, these bold and flavorful 1 oz shots are a true Italian experience. There really is no such thing as the North American 16-20 oz coffee in Italy, although you can order espressos in a watered down "Americano" form. My favorite form of caffe was a "Caffe Macchiato" which has steamed milk foam on top of the espresso. Coffee in Italy is not cheap, usually 1 euro (~$1.50) for a standard espresso (the most I paid was 3 euros for a couple of sips of caffeine in Milan, and the least I paid was 0.40 euros in a vending machine at school). But my generous coffee-drinking dad offered to fund to my goal of sampling all of the cafes within 10 min crutching distance, and an espresso addict was born.....

Speaking of goals, I've also got a goal of sampling all of the flavors of gelato (Italian ice cream) I come across — nocciola (hazelnut) is definitely my favorite so far. • Number of espressos, Macchiatos, Americanos, and Cappuccinos consumed: 40 * (*a grand total of 40oz of espresso - just a normal Venti+refill day at Starbucks, right?...) • Gelato flavors sampled: nocciola (hazelnut), stracciatella (cookies n' cream), vaniglia (vanilla), cioccolato (chocolate), cocco (coconut), caffe (coffee), fior di soia (soy cream), fragola (strawberry), pistacchio, nutella, yogurt Given my espresso and gelato intake thus far, it's probably a good thing I'm not much of a wine drinker or pasta or pastry eater.... Itinerary Below is an itinerary for my five weeks in Italy. Click on the links to jump to photos from that area.

• Nov 14 (Sun) - Fly from Seattle to Milan, and take a taxi to Pavia, where I would stay at the CAR College across town from the ROSE School. • Nov 15 - Touring old-town Pavia ( Photoset 1 ). • Nov 16 - Touring old-town Pavia ( Photoset 1 ). • Nov 17 - Exploring the colorful villages of Cinque Terre ( Photoset 2 ). • Nov 18 - Rainy day photo processing and espresso drinking. • Nov 19 - Day trip to a tourist-free Lake Como ( Photoset 3 ). • Nov 20 (Sat) - A no-photography-allowed morning at Certosa di Pavia ( Photoset 4 ) . • Nov 21 (Sun) - Church service at the cathedral, supermarket adventure, and exploring some old and beautiful churches and basilicas ( Photoset 1 ). • Nov 22 - Class starts and I begin my tasks of teacher assisting. • Nov 23 - Teacher assisting. • Nov 24 - Teacher assisting. And some night photos of the streets of Pavia ( Photoset 1 ). • Nov 25 - Teacher assisting.

No Thanksgiving here. • Nov 26 - Climbing the 296 leaning stairs of the Tower of Pisa (no class on Fridays!). I then took a train to Lucca and stayed the night there ( Photoset 5 ) . • Nov 27 (Sat) - A day in the walled Tuscan town of Lucca ( Photoset 6 ) . • Nov 28 (Sun) - Rainy day photo processing. • Nov 29 - Sunny day grading and fielding homework questions. And some night photos of the Christmas lights in Pavia ( Photoset 1 ). • Nov 30 - Teacher assisting. • Dec 1 - Teacher assisting. And discovering that crutches don't work too safely on snow. • Dec 2 - Teacher assisting. • Dec 3 - A museum, cathedral, and pigeons in the heat of Milan ( Photoset 7 ). • Dec 4 (Sat) - Castles, markets, and cable cars in Trento ( Photoset 8 ). • Dec 5 (Sun) - Dolomite views from a Bolzano to Rittner Horn di Renon cable car and mountain train ( Photoset 8 ).

• Dec 6 - Photo processing, fielding homework questions, and carrying 50lb of groceries across a few kilometers of slushy cobblestones. • Dec 7 - Teacher assisting. • Dec 8 - Teacher assisting. And some night photos of Christmas festivities in Pavia ( Photoset 1 ). • Dec 9 - Teacher assisting. • Dec 10 - Exploring the canals and doing night photography in Venice ( Photoset 9 ). • Dec 11 (Sat) - Markets and glass-blowing factories of Venice ( Photoset 9 ). • Dec 12 (Sun) - Photo processing and fielding homework questions. • Dec 13 - Teacher assisting. • Dec 15 - Teacher assisting. Any my first cappuccino ( Photoset 1 ). • Dec 16 - Final exam and real Italian pizza party ( Photoset 1 ). • Dec 17 - Fly back to Seattle (leave Italy on Dec 17 and arrive in Seattle 26 hours later but still on Dec 17 due to time change). I was definitely not ready to leave Italy!

Photoset 1 Colorscapes, night photography, and churches in old-town Pavia (Nov 15-Dec 17) A little about Pavia: Pavia is a university town in northern Italy, about 35 km south of Milan. It has a population of around 71,000. Dating back to pre-Roman times, Pavia (then known as Ticinum) was a municipality and an important military site under the Roman Empire. Pavia reached its greatness over 1300 years ago when it became the capital of much of the Italian peninsula. Pavia possesses a vast amount of artistic and historical cultural treasures. I found myself enchanted by the basilicas and churches, and the timeless aura of their grand architecture, glowing candles, shadowed crypts, ornate carvings, colorful mosaics, and magical murals. I visited all of them I could find on the map; my particular favorites were the Basilica San Michele, Basilica San Teodore, Chiesa di Santa Maria Canepanova, and Basilica S. Pietro in Ciel d'Oro, which were all within 5-15 minutes walk of where I stayed.

For five weeks I stayed at the CAR College in old town Pavia. The College is surrounded by cobblestone streets, delicious bakeries and cafes, and beautiful old churches. Very few of the shop owners speak English. It was a great place to get acquainted with Italian life, architecture, and coffee. Just watch out for wet cobblestones and fast Fiats! Photos (nighttime shots): Exploring the colorful villages of Cinque Terre (Nov 17) A little about Cinque Terre: The Cinque Terre is a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera, due south of Milan. Over centuries, people have carefully built terraces on the rugged, steep landscape right up to the cliffs that overlook the sea. "The Five Lands" comprises five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The population of each of these villages is between 1000-2000 residents. Paths, trains and boats connect the villages, and cars cannot reach it from the outside. Part of the Cinque Terre National Park, the area is a very popular tourist destination.

I left Pavia in the morning darkness, and three hours on the train brought me to Riomaggiore. I explored the marina and photographed the colorful buildings, and then I hiked the 1km paved Via Dell'Amore connecting the towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola. I then hopped onto the train to Vernazza, where I explored the main street and the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia and bought some souvenirs. Then back on the train to Manarola for a sandwich, gelato, sunset, and night photography. The colors and shapes of the village became even more spectacular at night, and I was glad I had decided to stay despite the fact it meant I might miss the last bus from the train station and have to crutch a ways back to my apartment (fortunately, I caught the last bus with 1 minute to spare). With a whole day of steep streets, uneven stairs, and crawling in and out of trains, Cinque Terre was quite the crutching challenge. But I always love a good workout, and it was worth every bit to experience this amazing and unique place.

Photos from Riomaggiore: (Nov 19) A little about Lake Como: Lago di Como, referred to as Lake Como by English-speakers, is widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful lakes in Italy. It is the third largest lake in Italy. The lake has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times, and a very popular tourist attraction, which boasts many artistic and cultural gems. My one-day adventure to Lake Como started with taking a train to the quaint town of Varenna on the east shore of the Lake. From Varenna, I took a 15-minute ferry ride to Bellagio, which is a lush town that sits on the point where the lake's western and eastern arms split and head south. I enjoyed exploring the tight streets of Bellagio, which contain many small shops, restaurants, and hotels; many of these shops were closed since it was the off-season, but Bellagio is doubtless a bustling place in the summer season, when the gardens are in full bloom.

I decided to take a scenic way home via a 12 euro fast passenger boat along the western arm of the lake all the way to the city of Como; a boat is difficult for photography, so I just enjoyed gazing at the passing colorful villages practically perched on the water at the bases of incredibly steep slopes. In Como I was entertained by the Italian menu of the local McDonalds and entranced by the the architecture of the cathedral, which was built from the 14th to the 18th centuries and contains elements of baroque, Gothic, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles crowned with a high octagonal dome. My return to Pavia should have been a simple train ride via Milan. But I ended up missing my transfer stop because my crutches got stuck, and then a series of language misunderstandings led to finding myself way off route and very confused. Defaulting to my North American ways, I jumped into a taxi cab and 60 euro (~$90) later was in Pavia. I'll add the $90 to my growing tally of my accident-related expenses thus far....

Photos from Bellagio: No photography allowed at the Certosa di Pavia (Nov 20) A little about the Certosa di Pavia: One of the most notable buildings produced during the Italian Renaissance was Pavia's splendid Certosa, a Carthusian monastery 10km north of Pavia. Founded by Gian Galeazzo Visconti of Milan in 1396 as a private chapel for the Visconti family and a home for 12 monks, the Certosa soon became one of northern Italy's most lavish buildings. The interior—which has a main nave as well as Central, South, and North Apses and chapels, all which are decorated with colorful paintings and soaring ceilings—is Gothic, although some Renaissance decoration is evident. The Certosa di Pavia also includes a monk house, a big cloister, a refectory, and a small cloister. To get to the Certosa di Pavia involved a 7 minute train ride from Pavia (I could also have taken a bus but I was already familiar with the train by now). Then it was a 1km walk to the Certosa.

I was disappointed to see a sign restricting photography, but I still relished in the spectacular architecture, ornate artwork, and historical richness of the Certosa. I did take one discrete photo of the ceiling in an empty chapel, but most of my other photos were outside the Certosa. Although unintentional, the photos I took are in stark contrast to the grandeur and extravagance of the interior of the Certosa. Photos: 296 leaning stairs of the Tower of Pisa (Nov 26) A little about Pisa: Once, if briefly, a maritime power to rival Genoa or Venice, Pisa now draws its fame from an architectural project gone terribly wrong: its Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente). The lean was caused by differential settlement of the soils beneath the Tower. By the late 20th century, the tower had reached a point where it threatened to tip over, so in 1998 soil extraction techniques were successfully employed to stop the slippage. The tower continues to be monitored by devices installed throughout the tower.

The world-famous tower is only one of a trio of Romanesque splendors — the Cathedral, the Baptistry, and the Tower — on the green carpet of the Campo dei Miracoli. The piazza teams with tourists and cheap gift shops that will sell you a menagerie of leaning objects or plastic models of the leaning tower, and prices are high (15 euros to climb the tower, 4 euros to enter the Baptistry or Cemetery), but it's definitely worth the experience. "There's no lift [elevator], you know," said the guy in the ticket office when I asked for a ticket to climb the Leaning Tower. The 296 leaning marble stairs were a bit challenging on crutches, but it was worth it for the view from the top looking down on the city of Pisa and the Campo dei Miracoli. After climbing the tower, I took the required photo of my crutch propping up the tower. I also checked out the Cathedral and Cemetery. Then it was back to the train station to catch a train to the walled city of Lucca and find a hostel to stay in for the night.

(I had actually planned on going to Lucca and not going to Pisa at all (I'm afraid of tourist crowds), but I had missed the connection to Lucca when i could not get to the departure track fast enough, and I decided to get on a train to Pisa rather than wait until afternoon for the next train to Lucca. It worked out well, as I enjoyed Pisa, and was able to get to Lucca that night and tour Lucca the next day. The night at the hostel in Lucca cost less than taking the train back to Pavia. Scroll below to Photoset 6 for photos of Lucca.) I've given some of my favorite photos below. Photos: A night and day in the walled Tuscan town of Lucca (Nov 26-7) A little about Lucca: Hidden behind imposing Renaissance walls, Lucca — according to my guidebook — is an essential stopover on any Tuscan tour.

Now with a population of about 90,000, Lucca was founded by the Etruscans and became a Roman colony in 180 BC and a self-governing city during the 12th century. There are lots of things to see and do in Lucca, and the town is popular among tourists. The Cathedral and Chiesa di San Michele in Ford have wonderful Romanesque architecture and artwork. Climbing to the top of the Torre delle Ore (clocktower) or Torre Guinigi gives a sweeping view of the city. There's also a path atop the whole circumference of the town wall. And the Plazzas and Vias in the medieval heart of the old city — where cars are banned — are a fascinating mix of buildings of great charm and antiquity, smart boutiques, and bakeries, pizza shops, gelaterias, and cafes. I arrived in Lucca at night, and was greeted by a chocolate fair in Plazza Napoleone — I was drawn to the vats of hot chocolate, which was actually just thick and rich melted chocolate of all varieties.

As I walked through town searching for a budget hostel to stay in, I couldn't resist taking a few photos of brightly-lit churches or piazzas. I finally found Ostello San Frediano, a reasonably-priced hostel in an old schoolhouse. The next day, I did all the standard tourist stuff named above, including browsing and spending way too much money at the Saturday outdoor market booths. Lucca is a great place to get all your Christmas shopping done! I found the overcast skies and shaded streets difficult for photography, but I've given some of my favorite photos below. Photos: A museum, the cathedral, and pigeons in the heart of Milan (Dec 3) A little about Milan: When I had arrived in Italy, I flew into Milan, which is 35 km north of where I stayed in Pavia. Milan is the capital of the region of Lombardy, and has the largest metropolitan area in Italy. The city is a shoppers paradise, but it also has a host of museums, historical buildings, statues, and a famous cathedral ("Duomo" in Italian).

The first glimpse of this late-Gothic wonder is memorable, with its marble forest of pinnacles, statues, pillars, and flying buttresses. Some 132 spires and 3200 statues are crammed onto the roof and into the facade and the central spire is capped by a copper statue of the Madonnina. Inside, the cathedral boasts a seating capacity of 40,000 and the 15th-century stained glass windows are masterpieces of color and detail. Having not seen more than the airport in Milan, I was glad to get a free day to see the city. My main destination was the cathedral, but I also went to the Museo d'Arte e Scienza, which is a small museum with some interesting exhibitions of Leonardo da Vinci's works and authenticity of antiques. The highlight of my day was being handed some corn kernels in Piazza Duomo and being instantly covered in pigeons. I didn't get many good photos, but I included a few below.

Photos: Cable cars and Dolomite views from Trento - Bolzano - Rittner Horn di Renon (Dec 4-5) A little about the Dolomites, Trento, and Bolzano: The Dolomites are a mountain range in the Italian Alps stretching across northern Italy. The Dolomites offer spectacular scenery as well as world-class climbing, mountaineering, skiing, Via Ferrate, and hiking opportunities. Naturally, during my time in Italy I wanted to check out the Dolomites, if only from a distance. The calm capital city of Trento (population about 110,000 and capital of the Trentino-Alto Adige region) and the German-speaking town of Bolzano (population around 100,000) just to the north provided the most reasonable viewing base reachable by train from where I was staying in Pavia. Getting there and back was part of the adventure; over the course of 36 hours, I took 2 buses, 9 different trains, and 3 cable cars rides! When I arrived in Trento, I was a bit disappointed that the mountains were so far off and unphotographable.

So I spent the day touring the Castello del Buonconsiglio, the cathedral, and the cheery outdoor Christmas markets and roasted chestnut stands. I also rode a 5-minute cable car (the Funivia Trento-Sardagna) to the small town of Sardagna, which had a treacherous covering of snow but gave a great view of the populated Trento region below. A kabob, a youth hostel, and an early morning train ride later, and I was taking another cable car (the Funivia del Renon) 1000m up the Rittner Horn di Renon just north and east of Bolzano. When I reached the top of the cable car ride, I made the fortunate choice to hop on a small mountain train to the quaint German-speaking town of Klobenstein, located some 20-25 km around the hillsides of the Rittner Horn di Renon. The train took me through a winter wonderland of tiny homesteads and snowy forests, with the frozen Dolomites peaking over the horizon. Now that I've seen the mountains of northern Italy, if only from a distance, I know I will someday be back to climb some of them.

At times, the icy sidewalks caused my photography to suffer, but I still managed to take several photos. Below are some of my photos from my trip to snowy northern Italy. Photos from the Trento area: Photos from the Bolzano to Rittner Horn di Renon area: Photoset 9 Canals and night photography in the magical city of Venice (Dec 10-11) A little about Venice: Venice would be the grand finale of my non-academic adventures in Italy. Once a great maritime republic and now a world famous tourist city, Venice is built on 117 small islands and has some 150 canals and 409 bridges. Around 60,000 people live in the historic city of Venice. The main means of transport through the town is via the canals, on boats called vaporettos. Largely at sea level, Venice has for centuries dealt with problematic flooding and erosion. Now, with the gradually increasing sea level due to global warming (and to some extent the compaction of the soft alluvium and groundwater withdrawal), the romantic city is in danger of being swallowed by the sea.

The MOSE project was started in 2003 with the intent to install rows of mobile gates that will isolate the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea when the tide reaches above an established level. If funding continues to arrive regularly, the work is expected to be completed in 2012. Until then, tourists can enjoy the raised walkways that are put up in areas like St. Mark's Square when the city floods. Venice has a myriad of things to see and do. I had some TA duties to attend to, so as usual I tried to fit a week's worth of highlights into one weekend. I started off with a vaporetto ride weaving through the city along the S-shaped Grand Canal; the water and buildings were beautiful on the sunny December day. I disembarked at St. Mark's Square, where I enjoyed the 10th century Romanesque-Byzantine splendor of St. Mark's Basilica and associated museum, rode an expensive elevator up the Campanile (Bell Tower) to get a priceless birds-eye-view of the canalled city and the square below, and tried to count which there were more of in the square: pigeons or tourists.

Then I headed north to the Rialto, which is the location of the city's first bridge and has historically been one of the liveliest and most characteristic areas of Venice. After my standard lunch of espresso/tomato-lettuce-mozzarella sandwich/gelato, I immersed myself in a maze of enchanting streets criss-crossed with canals and dotted with churches and utterly free of tourists. There are also no motorized vehicles on the streets, which is a unique experience in itself. I found the hostel I would be staying in (which was part of an old mansion in the heart of the maze), and then headed back out to enjoy Venice at night. I've decided Venice is one of my favorite places to explore at night. I stopped at nearly every bridge to take a photo of the mysterious narrow canals shimmering with the lights from the buildings above. I also took some colorful nighttime photos in St. Mark's Square and the bridge at Rialto. The next day I woke up early to walk over to morning markets just west of Rialto; these lively markets have been a part of this location since 1097, and I was happy to find few tourists in the bustling scene.

The variety of the seafood was utterly astounding. After photographing thousands of dead fish and sharing my fresh apple core with one of Venice's 87 million pigeons, I hopped onto a vaporetto to Murano, which is an island famous for it's glass blowing. The factories and shops are filled with colorful and fascinating glass creations. I went on souvenir overload, and didn't buy anything. Then it was back to the train station and a 3.5-hour train ride back to Pavia, where the students eagerly awaited me with questions about the upcoming final exam. Some of my favorite photos from Venice are below. What a great way to conclude my time in Italy! Photos:

Question: Torre Pendente is the local name for what world-famous visitor attraction?
Answer: Leaning Tower of Pisa