Travellers who enjoy going slightly off the beaten track should not miss the Museum of Human Anatomy in Pisa. First opened in 1832, the museum collected thousands of pieces of highly accurate anatomical models made for educational-scientific purposes. Certainly an unusual and macabre attraction. A section of the museum is dedicated to anatomical paintings by Giovanni Paolo Mascagni, who was famed for his mind-blowingly intricate and accurate colour illustrations. Another section contains archaeological finds, such as funerary objects from pre-Columbian civilisations, with fabrics, vases and various utensils, mummies and sarcophagi.

The rather small Santa Maria della Spina church, erected around 1230 and later enlarged in 1325, has one of the most outstanding Gothic edifices in Europe. Its riverside location adds to the iconic status, making it one of the most photographed structures in the city. You can find it on the left bank of the River Arno, opposite the National Museum of Pisa. The name of della Spina, 'of the thorn,' comes from the presence of a thorn, recognised as a part of the crown of thorns placed on Christ. The relic was brought to this church in 1333.

Perched above the northern coast, the Miradouro da Fonte da Areia offers far‑reaching views of the Ilhéu da Fonte de Areia, the cliffs, and the island’s stark, dramatic landscape. The area takes its name from the abundant sand and the spring once considered sacred by locals. Around you, wind‑shaped sandstone formations, made of shell and algae fragments that eventually formed Porto Santo’s beaches, offer a tangible reminder of the island’s volcanic origins.