Pisa Food Guide: Cecina, Street Food and Tuscan Wine

After seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa, head into the lanes of the old town to discover the flavors of Pisa.

Pisa's signature snack is cecina, a thin flatbread baked with chickpea flour. Visit Tuscany describes cecina as a dish made from chickpea flour, water, salt and extra virgin olive oil, crisp on the outside and soft inside.

From guided food walks to wine bar tastings and vineyard tours, there are plenty of options for travelers who love food.

From Cecina to Gelato: Pisa Street Food

Cecina goes by different names depending on the area. It is called cecina in Pisa, torta di ceci in Livorno and farinata in Liguria.

According to Terre di Pisa, the local tourism site, cecina is a street food sold alongside pizza in pizzerias. It is best eaten right away before the crust softens, and it is also enjoyed tucked into focaccia.

The street food walking tour starts near the Church of Santa Maria della Spina on the Arno River and runs for about 2 hours through Borgo Stretto and Piazza Dante, ending at Piazza dei Cavalieri. Along the way you taste cecina, pecorino cheese, fennel-scented finocchiona salami and gelato made with pine nuts.

A Food Tour with Hand-Rolled Pici Pasta

For a heartier experience, try the Tuscan food walking tour that visits 4 or more stops in about 3 hours. It starts at Piazza Garibaldi and runs in small groups of up to 12 people.

After tasting Tuscan cheeses and cured meats around Piazza Dante, you eat pici, a thick pasta made from flour and water and rolled by hand. Next comes a chickpea flatbread sandwich near Palazzo della Sapienza, and the tour ends with gelato.

Tasting menus may change depending on the season and ingredients. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, let the operator know when you book.

Tuscan Wine at a City Wine Bar and a Vineyard

Tuscany is one of Italy's best-known wine regions, home to wines such as Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino.

In town, the tasting takes place at Il Magazzino, a wine bar about a 15-minute walk from Piazza dei Miracoli, where four local wines are paired with cured meats and cheese. It lasts about 1 hour in small groups of up to 8 people, and pregnant travelers cannot take part.

If you want to see the vineyards too, a tour departs from Porta a Lucca by private van for a vineyard near Lucca, about 30 minutes away. You walk through the vineyard, visit the underground cellar and taste organic wines with garden produce, salami and pecorino.

The tour takes about 4 hours including travel, and the return time may run late, so leave plenty of time before trains or flights. If you are curious about the flavors of Pisa beyond the tower, add a food walk to your trip.