Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower is the bell tower of Pisa Cathedral, and it began to tilt soon after building started in 1173, because the soft ground beneath it settled. Engineers stabilised it between 1990 and 2001, and it still leans by about four degrees.

It stands on the Piazza dei Miracoli beside the marble cathedral and the round Baptistery, all part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Climb the spiral stairs to the top, or simply take the photograph of yourself 'holding it up' on the lawn. Step inside the cathedral too, for its striped marble interior.

Climbs are by timed ticket, and children must be at least eight years old. Pisa is about an hour from Florence by train or road, so it fits into a half day.