Anyone stayed in Pisa????

[muppethasakitten]

We are flying into Pisa in order to drive down to Siena but need to stay one night fairly near the airport on the night we arrive.

Never been before but would love any tips/advice from people who have stayed in Pisa and also what's worth visiting...

... can we climb the tower with a seven year old? Was told it is all ticketed, heaving and you have to be 8 or 9???

Only bit I can answer is that you're supposed to be 8 to climb the tower, but I doubt they check birth certificates

Can't add anything else about Pisa as we didn't really visit for long. Sorry. But it's compulsory to pose for a photo looking like you're trying to push the tower up. Italian legislation makes it so.

Have you been to Italy before? And do you know how their motorways work (we got caught out grand style which is why I'm asking )

Never been b4!! Have no idea about how their motorways work

... do tell... please...!!!!

Well we just had a bit of a disaster really cos we couldn't get through the barrier

Basically, you take a ticket as you go on and pay as you get off. Drive up to the barrier at the sign saying "biglietti / ticket" Some deliver a ticket out of the machine automatically, but some you have to press the big red button to get a ticket. Now that might sound obvious but we saw the big red button and somehow just thought "red button = impending doom. Do not press red buttons. You press green buttons. Not red ones." Next to the big red button there's a smaller red button with an english language sign saying "press here for assistance" It's fibbing, because of course the attendants don't speak English (why would they) so it's of no help and they just shout at you in Italian. So then, if you're anything like us, you reverse up the slip road into the oncoming traffic to get off the motorway. Cringing as I type here. We were probably on some Italian version of "Police Camera Action". thank the lord it was a Sunday and the roads were quiet. We'd not long since got off the plane and I was stressed beyong belief...

I'm sure the majority of people manage to do it very uneventfully. And once our kindly campsite rep explained, we didn't have another problem.

Italy's wonderful. You'll have a great time.

lol peaches

Have made a mental note to press big red buttons wherever and whenever possible!!!

Did you hire a car?

We have hired one but I am assuming there wont be car seats for kids... did you take your own?

We did hire a car but we managed to fit our son's booster seat in the suitcase (was a very large suitcase). Sure you can hire them though.