Last updated: November 2026
Most people do Pisa in a dash: the Tower, a photo, back on the train. If you have a little longer, walk the river. The lungarni, the embankments along the Arno, are lined with tall pastel palazzi, and on a clear evening the reflections are lovely. The best news is that one loop is flat and ramped, so it works with a wheelchair or a pushchair, and the dog can come too.
The short version
- The step-free loop: Lungarno Gambacorti, Ponte Solferino, Lungarno Pacinotti and Ponte di Mezzo.
- Ramps link the pavement and the road on both sides, so you can make a full circuit.
- Dogs are welcome on a lead in Pisa’s public spaces, including the riverside.
- Free, at any time of day, right in the middle of the old city.
The ramped loop
The Comune di Pisa has built ramps between the riverside pavements and the road at key points, on both sides of the two lungarni. It describes the result as a working loop: along Lungarno Gambacorti on the south bank, across the Ponte Solferino, back along Lungarno Pacinotti on the north bank, and over the Ponte di Mezzo, the bridge at the heart of the old city.
Ponte di Mezzo is where the Gioco del Ponte is held in June. The Luminara on 16 June lights these same embankments with thousands of candles. I have more on both in Tuscany’s big festivals. On an ordinary day it is simply a calm, wide walk with cafés on the corners.
Along the way
On Lungarno Gambacorti, look for the little Gothic church of Santa Maria della Spina, covered in pinnacles, right on the river. The council has also made Palazzo Gambacorti accessible, and a new step-free entrance to the Museo delle Navi Antiche on Lungarno Simonelli, further downstream. The ancient ships museum is in Pisa beyond the Leaning Tower.
With a dog
The Comune di Pisa says dogs, cats and ferrets have free access to public places in Tuscany under regional law, including public transport, shops and bars, unless the person in charge has restricted it. In public spaces, dogs must be on a lead, with a muzzle carried in case of risk or if asked, and you must clean up. For a beach day, Pisa has a dog beach at Calambrone, and the green zone of San Rossore welcomes dogs on a lead.
With a wheelchair
The old centre is medieval, and the council says so itself: there is a lot still to do. The lungarni loop is the best flat walk I can point you to with a source behind it. Wheelchair friendly Tuscany covers Piazza dei Miracoli and other flatter places, and Accessible Tuscany has the general tips.
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Frequently asked questions
Is there a flat walk in Pisa for wheelchairs?
Yes. The council has ramped a loop along Lungarno Gambacorti, Ponte Solferino, Lungarno Pacinotti and Ponte di Mezzo.
Can I walk my dog in Pisa?
Yes, on a lead, in public spaces. Carry a muzzle in case it is asked for, and clean up.
What are the lungarni?
The embankment streets along the Arno, lined with palazzi, in the middle of Pisa.
Where these facts come from
I checked these in November 2026. Rules and seasons change, so please look again before you travel.
- Comune di Pisa: accessibility works, including the lungarni ramps (in Italian)
- Comune di Pisa: dogs in public places (in Italian)
More from the hills
Susan x
