Free time
Pisa is a university city full of life. Its centre boasts a wide range of meeting places: piazzas, bars, pubs, restaurants, pizzerias, clubs and live music pubs. Around Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza delle Vettovaglie you have the chance to plunge into the heart of a youthful lifestyle and enjoy the classic "happy hour" in one of the many bars of this area.
The cultural life in Pisa revolves around museums, cultural associations, cinemas and theatres where programmes of events include theatre, concerts, opera, dance and other events.
The most important theatre is the Teatro Verdi located in the city centre, built between 1865 and 1867 which was officially opened with the opera "Guglielmo Tell" by Rossini. This theatre has one of the biggest stages in Italy. Besides the Teatro Verdi there is Sant'Andrea Theatre located inside the Romanesque Sant'Andrea Church (12th Century).
There is also CinemaTeatroLux located in Santa Caterina Square in the ancient chapel of SS. Salvatore (14th Century). The two latter theatres often host shows of local companies at very cheap prices.
If you like going to the cinema, there are many in the city centre as well as outside the medieval walls. At the Arsenale Cine Club you can find movies in various European languages. Wednesdays is
Spectator's Day at the cinemas, so tickets cost only 4,50€ instead of 7,00€. Many young people take advantage of this discount to go to the cinema.
If you like exhibitions many of them are hosted at the Palazzo Blu and at the Expo Center SMS San Michele degli Scalzi.
Events
During the year you can participate in several events. Don't forget to mark the following dates on your calendar:
May
The feast of Saint Ubaldo, flower market along the river Arno at Le Piagge.
June
In this month many events are organized, which is why residents call it "giugno pisano".
- 16th June: the Luminara, on the eve of the feast of the Patron Saint, all the façades of the buildings on the Arno embankmentsare illuminated by candles and nightlights (also called lampadini). The feast, also called "the Lights of San Ranieri" reaches its climax with a beautiful firework show.
- 17th June: Palio of San Ranieri, feast of Pisa's Patron Saint. In the afternoon four boats representing the colours of the most ancient districts of the city take part in a regatta on the river Arno. This is a vestige of the prestigious tradition of Pisa as oneof the ancient Maritime Republics.
- Last Sunday of June: the Battle of the Bridge (Gioco del Ponte). It is played on the Ponte di Mezzo (the Middle Bridge) between the teams of Tramontana and Mezzogiorno. The Gioco del Ponte starts in the evening after the historical 16th century costume parade.
Mid October
Pisa Book festival: reading, publishing workshops and discussions take place and food is also available.
End of October
Dolcemente Pisa. Festival of typical sweets of the Tuscan tradition.
November
Pisa Vini: an important exhibition dedicated to wines and to the typical high quality products of the Pisa area.
More
Every second week end of the month, Pisa hosts a craftsmanship market.
Every second and fourth Saturday of the month in Piazza Santa Caterina there is a food market with a wide variety of local and organic vegetables, honey and cheese.
Accommodation for international students and guests
The University of Pisa is not a campus-based university and instead has its buildings and departments spread throughout the city.
In terms of accommodation, students usually find housing through the city's many estate agents or by checking out postings placed on notice boards in each of the University's departments. Students often share an apartment with other Italian or international students. The cost of renting a room is roughly 250.00/400.00 euros per month excluding the cost of utilities and the individual share of general expenses for the building's maintenance.
DSU Toscana (Regional Agency for the Right of Study) offers accommodation to students who win the DSU scholarship. For more information, please read art. 18 of the call for application.
♦ When to start looking for an accommodation
To look for an accommodation in Pisa could be challenging, especially if you arrive when lessons already started. The International Office cannot help you finding an accommodation but can support you with information about dedicated portals and websites. We strongly recommend you begin your searching quite early and book an accommodation well in advance (before your arrival). We suggest you that the right time to book an accommodation in Pisa is in summertime, namely June and July. This is the time when most of the students leave the city for Summer holidays and rooms are available for renting.
For a more detailed list of accommodation in Pisa, please consult our guide, attached at the bottom of this page.
♦ Safestay Hostel
They offer special discounts for Unipi students as you can see in the flyer attached at the bottom of this page. To book a room, please, visit Safestay Hostel website.
Plus, you can consult the Comune of Pisa's website Walking in the City to find a complete list of accommodation (for a short period of stay) and facilities.
♦ HousingAnywhere
To book your accommodation in Pisa before your arrival, University of Pisa recommends HousingAnywhere, the international housing platform for mobile talents. Through HousingAnywhere you can safely book your new room, offered by verified private landlords and by outgoing students.
To receive a 20% discount on the booking fee, a University of Pisa VIP profile and priority access to the listings, sign up here.
NB: First you will have to pay the entire price and then e-mail Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo. to have that amount back.
You can find information about finding your new place on the how it works page. Do you need more information or have a specific question? Send an e-mail to Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo..
♦ Cerco Alloggio
Find your accomodation is a service that has been recently activated to find accommodation for students. It is funded by the Regione Toscana and the ARDSU (the Regional Programme for the "Right to Study"). It is a web-based application where you can find single or shared rooms and flats.”
♦ What do you need to know when signing a rental agreement for a private accommodation
Carefully review the rental agreement for a private accommodation (single or double room and studio). When you visit the apartments, check if the price they ask you is consistent with the settled price and make sure you are clear on all the services and household items the rent includes. For example, is the cost of bills inclued or not? Are there any extra costs? Is the washing machine available? Remember that landlords will ask you to pay a deposit (usually is equal to 2 o 3 monthly rent). To be sure that you do not forget anything, note down all the details and, when it comes the signing step, check both price and rental conditions in the contract have remained the same.
Cost of living
The cost of living in Pisa can be quite low but of course this depends on a student's individual needs and how much is spent on monthly rent.
A suggested monthly budget could be:
Option 1: student living in his/her own room in a rented apartment
Accommodation with utilities: 350/400 euros +
Food: 300 euros +
Other living expenses 150 euros =
TOTAL: 800/850 euros
Option 2: student living in a rented studio apartment
Accommodation with utilities: 600/700 euros +
Food: 300 euros +
Other living expenses 150 euros =
TOTAL: 1050/1150 euros
The cost of some basic food items in Italy is the following:
- Milk (1 litre) 1,60 euro
- Coffee (1 cup) 1,20 euro
- Loaf of bread (1 kilo) 3,50 euros
- Pasta (1 kilo) 2 euros
- A beer at a pub 5 euros
- Whole pizza + drink 15-20 euros
- Bus ticket within the city 1,40 euros
- Magazines 1-5 euros
- Newspaper 1,70 euros
- Movie ticket 8-12 euros
How to reach us
By plane: Pisa International Airport "Galileo Galilei" offers a large and ever-growing number of flight connections with Europe, America and Asia. It is the preferred hub in Tuscany for Low Cost companies as well as for major airlines. The airport is very close to the city centre, and can be reached very quickly by bus, "people mover", car or bicycle.
By train: Pisa Central railway station offers frequent connections with Florence, Lucca, Viareggio and other Tuscan destinations as well as with major Italian and European cities. The train journey to Rome takes 3 hours. For further information see the official FS Italiane website.
Transportation in the city: the urban bus service is operated by the CPT (Pisa Transport Consortium). By far the most popular means of transportation among students, given the convenient size of the city, is by foot or by bicycle.
Student insurance (accident)
All students enrolled at the University of Pisa, including exchange programme students, are covered by insurance.
The University of Pisa has activated an accident policy for students of the University. This is a broad insurance cover which, in addition to providing for basic guarantees, also covers the costs of treatment incurred for the treatment of the accident and a daily allowance in the event of hospitalization and immobilization of the limbs.
The policy was activated with the company Poste Assicura S.p.A. with the number 90104. Find out moreat this link.
Who is insured?
Under this policy, the list of those covered is very broad, and includes: students, undergraduates, foreign exchange students, PhD students, research assistants, interns, postgraduates, specializing students, students with scholarships, master's students, those on traineeship courses, refresher courses and the like, representatives who carry out work for the benefit of disabled students, experts and visitors, and in any case all those engaged on behalf of or with the University of Pisa for an academic or research activity, at university facilities and at third party institutions.
For what, how and where are you insured?
Given that it is an accident policy, you are only covered for the following damages that result from an accident and thus, for example not those caused by illness.
Those who fall into the student category are automatically covered by insurance:
- for all activities carried out in the university facilities;
- for travel between the various university facilities;
- for participating in sports activities organized by the University of Pisa or operated by the CUS (University Sports Centre), with the exclusion of certain types (boxing, weightlifting, wrestling in its various forms, hiking with rock or ice climbing, caving, ski jumping, waterskiing, acrobatic skiing, bobsledding, rugby, skydiving, paragliding and air sports in general);
- for travel from home to the university facilities or to any other facilities open to students.
All other activities elsewhere (other universities, research organizations, companies etc., worldwide) are covered by insurance if:
- carried out under the auspices of the University of Pisa;
- authorized by an officer of the University of Pisa.
*in this case, it means the director of the department of reference, the president of the course of studies, and so on.
Guarantees and coverage
The basic guarantees are:
- for death: 250,000.00 Euros (two hundred and fifty thousand euros)
- for permanent disability: 250,000.00 Euros
In the reimbursement for permanent disability, an exemption system is included, which penalizes permanent damage of a lower ranked disability, but favours the most serious cases.
Some additional guarantees are also included:
- Daily allowances for:
- Hospitalization: 50,00 Euros a day (up to a maximum of 300 days);
- Immobilization of one or more limbs: 50,00 euros a day (up to a maximum of 100 days).
- Compensation for medical expenses with a maximum of 10,000.00 euros (ten thousand euros), which includes:
- Hospitalization stays and fees;
- Surgery and operation fees;
- Use of the operating theatre, equipment, therapeutic, prosthetic and endoprosthetic appliances used during operations;
- Examinations, laboratory and diagnostic tests;
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatments, baths, supplies and other necessary medical treatments;
- Transport of the injured person to the hospital or clinic and safe return home by ambulance and/ or special rescue vehicles;
- Medical and nursing services, medicines, blood, plasma, purchase and/ or rental of prosthetic and sanitary appliances and similar equipment.
In the event that a payment of a daily allowance is provided, this is only paid for any excess over the original compensation allowed for medical expenses.
In the event that the person insured is not considered treatable at the hospital nearest to where the accident happened, a reimbursement is included of up to 3,000.00 (three thousand) euros for the transfer fees to the hospital closest to the place of residence of the injured person.
What to do when there is an accident
If the accident happened in a scientific, educational or services building (department, interdepartmental centre, etc.) or while travelling to the said structures, the following original documents must be sent to:
David Arduini
Settore Economato e Servizi Generali
Lungarno Pacinotti, 43/44 - 56126 Pisa
(tel. 050 2212163 - e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.):
- copy of first aid medical certificate, or the equivalent;
- description of the events, with the date, time and place of the accident indicated and the process of the event by filling out the form*;
- information from any potential witness who was present at the accident;
- entire contact information about where to access the company’s insurance information needed to deal with the accident;
- If it is a sports injury, statement issued by CUS (e.g. arbitration report) which states that the activity carried out was amongst those organised by the University of Pisa or managed by CUS Pisa;
- Any further documents that may be considered useful.
- *A signature is essential for the authorization of the processing of personal data required for dealing with the accident.
- If the accident happened outside of one of the structures previously mentioned, send the documentation listed above to:
Direzione Didattica e Servizi agli Studenti
Settore Studenti - Esami di stato e servizi esterni
Largo Pontecorvo, 3 - 56124 Pisa
(ala nord - sportello 8 - orario 9-12 dal lunedì al venerdì)
referente: sig.ra Antonella Mannucci
tel. 050 2213438-424 - fax 050 2213408 - e-mail: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
The student must then follow the prescribed treatment and keep all receipts, invoices and anything else related to document the expenses incurred.
He/she will then receive from the insurance company the information and documentation to use for the processing and closure of the reimbursement procedure.
Welcome Office
Our goal is to provide for the needs of our incoming international students and guests. Our office runs a welcome service which is set up as an information and support centre solely for international students and teaching staff.
The Welcome Office provides information on visas and residence permits, the possibility of attending Italian language courses, services offered by the University and in the city of Pisa such as public transport, cultural, recreational and sports events.
Info
Ufficio Accoglienza - Welcome Office
Lungarno Pacinotti 44 I-56126 Pisa - Italia
Tel. +39 050 2212249
e-mail Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
Opening hours
Monday - Friday 11-13
Português, Español, English, Français
中文 周一15-17 周三11-13 or send an e-mail to Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo..
Funding for activities and trips
Funding for students' activities
Every year, the University of Pisa assigns part of its budget towards the organization of cultural, sporting and recreational activities. Usually, the call for the allocation of these funds is published in the autumn. Some of the activities that have been funded in the past include conferences, exhibits, publications, student newspapers, film reviews, theater and musical activities, video production and sports activities.
The requests may be made by the president of students' associations and committees in which at least 70% of the members are enrolled at the University. They may also be requested by the leader of groups composed of 5 University students. Some of the financed activities have been a Film festival, the Pisa Rock Festival, the Pisa Folk Festival, amongst others.
Please consult the activities financed in 2015 (only in Italian).
Funding for students' trips
The request may be made by the president of students' associations and committees in which at least 70% of its members are enrolled at the University. They may also be requested by the leader of groups composed of 5 University students. Previous trips include visits to factories such as Danone in Vidolasco (CR) or Maserati in Rome; the National park of the Majella (Abruzzo); London and Istanbul. For more information, please visit the related page (only in Italian).
Associations
Besides the Orchestra and the Choir, you can also sign up to participate in many other university associations:
- The VOICES OF HEAVEN GOSPEL CHOIR is formed by a group of 30 people (some of whom are students) who come from various Italian regions and share a love for singing, in particular for Gospel music. The choir performs at social events which may include the support of humanitarian and volunteer activities at a local, national and international level. Since 2010 the VOHGC has also performed in wedding celebrations which involve Catholic, Evangelical or non-religious rituals.
- A.L.A.P. Associazione Laureati Ateneo Pisano (Alumni association).
- E-Team. Squadra Corse is the University's racing team which is made up of students from Engineering and other departments.
- Radioeco is the Student web radio at the University of Pisa.
- Ingegneria senza frontiere (ISF) is an association involved in international cooperation in developing countries. In collaboration with other organizations, ISF implements appropriate sustainable technologies which can work in a given social and cultural context.
- Chiesa Universitaria di San Frediano is the University Church of Pisa.
Sports and leisure
The University of Pisa sporting facilities are among the best in the country and reflect the popularity and significance of sports in the university. This is evident in the wide range of both indoor and outdoor facilities available.
The University Sports Centre of Pisa (CUS) is a member of CONI (the Italia Olympic Committee) and offers a full programme of fitness classes including aerobics, gymnastics, yoga and pilates. The centre has modern facilities and is used by many students.
It is not necessary to pay a membership fee to join the Centre. You can use many facilities for free, and if you want to participate in sports activities led by an instructor, the exact cost will depend on the sport. On average, it will be about 55/60 euros for three months.
Info and contacts
C.U.S. Pisa a.s.d - Centro Universitario Sportivo di Pisa
Via Federico Chiarugi, 5 - 56122 Pisa
Tel. +039 050 2211260/262/263 - Fax +39 050 551222
e-mail Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
Pisa is a small yet culturally lively city which offers various leisure opportunities for university students, who further benefit from discounted rates for many cinemas, theatres and concert tickets.
You can join the University Choir mostly made up of university students but also of teaching and technical/administrative staff. The choir, instructed and directed by Maestro Stefano Barandoni, organizes a Christmas concert every year in which traditional and modern Christmas music is proposed as well as an important concert during the Giugno Pisano.
Students could also join the Centro per la diffusione della cultura e della pratica musicale (Centre for the dissemination of culture and the practice of music), which organizes and coordinates the University of Pisa's Choir and Orchestra activities.
The Centre aims to propagate interest in music, introducing students and university staff to a great choral and symphonic repertoire, symphonic-choral and classical chamber music, as well as to experiences of contemporary music and film.
The Centre organizes social events for the university community and exchange programmes with other choirs and university orchestras.
Info and contacts
Maestro Stefano Barandoni
Tel. +39 050 48621 - Mobile +39 339 4220709
e-mail Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.
Giancarlo Dell'Amico
Tel. +39 050 47048 - Mobile +39 349 4026450
e-mail Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.