Born and raised in Pisa, Galileo Galilei may be the guideline for visiting this Tuscan city, retracing the steps of the great scientist. 

It was in mid February, 1564 when Galileo was born, son of Giulia degli Ammannati, tradesmen in the wood and construction industry, and Vincenzo, musician and music theorist, in the District of St. Andrew, just a few steps from the church of the same name and today the area of the austere Palace of Justice. 

Opposite and on one side of the Palace is a small square, very characteristic of the area, dedicated to St. Luke and with a well in the center.  This is an excellent starting point for a walking tour of the city, as seen through the eyes of the scientist.  We are close to the Arno, just a few steps from the most important public theater, the Verdi Theater. 

From here we can walk towards the river, following it until we reach the Piazza de Chavoli, today's Piazza Cairoli or della Berlina.  In the past, this was the central point of a vast area that extended to the Ammannati, or Galilei’s home.  Bordered on the north by the Church of St. Pierino and on the west by a portico crowned by the Medici coat of arms, the square was dominated by the statue of Abbondanza (the work of Pierino da Vinci), a reminder of the area's function as a market. 

The market held here must have been a particular delight for the very young Galilei, with its noisy bargaining, the sway of the wagons, the river furrowed by boats loaded with goods, its quay equipped with hooks, rollers, pulleys and other equipment.  Today nothing of the market remains, and although the existing Roncioni slipways on the other side of the river may just provide a glimpse of the landing bringing people from the river to the market, the square remains heavily populated and lively, with a  good selection of places to enjoy a beer or a drink on next to the Arno. 

From the square you can also see the Ponte di Mezzo lower than the original three arches medieval structure. Once framed by a row of buildings, today these have been replaced by two squares; however the bridge remains  most important as it crosses the city, dividing the Corso Italia from Borgo Stretto and separating the area of Tramontana (to the right of the river if you look towards the sea) from Mezzogiorno.  Continuing on our tour we arrive at the statue of Garibaldi, the name given to the square where the people from Pisa and "foreigners" meet. 

On the other side of the bridge are the Seventeenth Century Logge di Banchi.  However, following the footsteps of Galilei, instead of crossing the river we follow the flow of students towards Sapienza.   Palazzo della Sapienza, site of the University with its characteristic courtyard with a double gallery, remains practically intact.  Galileo spent his youth and maturity in Palazzo della Sapienza.  It is here that the scientist lived as a student and a teacher, spending his lucky as well as his unfortunate days in Pisa, due in large part to his rejection of the Biblical injunction that "Fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom", which today is still found at the entry of the center of learning and which was so often used by competitors to limit the scientist's research.

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Reaching Pisa is simple, especially by air.  In fact, to stay within the subject, the public airport, named the Airport Galileo Galilei, offers several low cost airlines and is among the busiest in Tuscany.  For more information, visit the website www.pisa-airport.com.  To reach Pisa by car from Florence, use the Firenze-Pisa-Livorno Highway, or the A11 Firenze-Mare.  Exit at Pisa Nord and then take the Aurelia south to Pisa (approximately 6 km.).  From Rome or Bologna, once at Florence take the A1 and then the A11.  From Genoa or Rosignano, the A12 Genova-Rosignano is the best option, exiting at Pisa Nord or Pisa Centro. 
The city on the banks of the Arno is also well connected by train; from Florence to Pisa’s main station is only one hour by train.  For more information, call Center Trenitalia or  www.trenitalia.com.

For information on Galileo Galilei, you can find the Pisa itinerary at  http://galileo.rice.edu/ , website of the Galileo Project; or visit Wikipedia, the internet research site par excellence.