The 4 Best Places To Get Gelato In Pisa

Written by: Travel With Wally

Ice cream may be one of America’s favorite desserts.  Add it to a slice of warm pie, a brownie, make it into a shake, or a sundae – the possibilities are endless. It was my favorite cold dessert back in the US.  But that’s before I met gelato. And the gelato in Pisa has yet to disappoint.  Check out the best gelato in Pisa at the bottom of this post. 

But What do I know?

Personal History with the Royalty of Dessert

One of my earliest fond ice-cream memories was, of course, as a youngster.  My dad was traveling at the time and it was summer.  My brother and I missed our dad and would be tired and hot after a day helping our mom on the farm, and so my mom created (perhaps unknowingly) a little ice cream tradition.  She would create an ice-cream masterpiece, in the eyes of children who never went to Dairy Queen, that made us feel like royalty.  It was a bowl of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate NesQuick powder, chocolate chips, and a Hershey’s kiss.  Seriously, it’s SO good!!  My brother and I would whisk it into a slurry and slowly savor it as we watched reruns of the Andy Griffith show on our ancient and finicky television.  

Well as you can probably discern from my anecdote, I am a fan of the sweet and icy treat.  When my mom comes to town or we travel together we go out and find and indulge in the frozen treat almost every day.  It’s our ‘reward’ for all of our daytime adventuring.  It’s hard, but we muscle through.  

If Ice Cream is Royalty then Gelato is the Matriarch 

So, what does this all have to do with gelato? I first heard of the mythical and foreign treat from friends who came back from trips to Italy and raved about it. They said they had it every day, it was one of the best things they had there, that it was just AMAZING!  Needless to say, I had high hopes for gelato.  When I moved to Italy, I was more than excited to try it but was also worried that the hype had set my hopes too high.  HA!  

Before I get to my favorite spots in Pisa, let’s play a little catch-up:  

Gelato, A history

According to ‘ITALY Magazine’, gelato dates back 12,000 years to the time of Mesopotamia.  People would travel up to 100 kilometers to collect ice and snow to cool drinks and food for the wealthy.  Later in the 11th century, a sugar syrup (shrb) was developed by the Arabs to flavor sorbets with different flavors such as flowers, herbs, and spices. This then traveled to Sicily when it was under Arab rule.  Fast forward to the Renaissance, when alchemist Cosimo Ruggieri created the (supposedly) first gelato for the Medici Family in Florence.  Gelato only continued to become more and more popular and more widely spread.  I recommend this article in ‘italy magazine’ to learn more about its history. 

Gelato? Ice Cream? What’s the Difference?

So what makes Gelato so different from ice cream? Good question. Gelato and ice cream are very similar when it comes to their ingredients.  They both only require milk, sugar, and air.  The difference lies in the proportions of these ingredients.  Ice cream has a lot more air incorporated into it, causing the fluffy and creamy texture.  Ice cream also uses cream, which means more fat, while gelato uses more milk which in turn results in it being lower in fat (this means it’s healthy, right?).  In my experience gelato does tend to melt faster than ice cream, which makes getting a cone a messy experience.  I am a big fan of cones because it’s like getting a cookie with your ice cream, so the melting bums me out.  

So many choices!

Italy has its fair share of phenomenal gelaterias, they are not in short supply.  And Pisa is no exception, I swear there is a shop everywhere you look.  We admittedly have yet to sample every single one, but we do have our (so far) absolute favorites, which I want to share with you.  Many shops pride themselves in using local ingredients and making their creations with seasonal fruits and sometimes even vegetables.  Gelaterias have also began to label their flavors for those that have allergies or are avoiding certain ingredients such as dairy, nuts, and gluten.  How modern!  

The servings may not be as big as you would expect, but believe me, it’s enough.  Gelato is so rich and creamy that you will be left satisfied with your size of choice 🙂  I challenge you to try all of these gelato shops during your adventure to Pisa. What a chore 😉  

What to avoid: Brightly colored gelato. This is a huge indicator that it isn’t authentic gelato.  I too have fallen victim to the enticing colors, like a crow to a diamond bracelet.  You will see these shops in the very touristy areas; the colors catch your eye and draw you in.  Don’t be fooled!  Sometimes the best gelato is to be found where you can’t even see it because it’s being kept cool under the counter with easy access from the top.  Something to remember when looking for the best gelato in Pisa and beyond: Dull colors = YUM

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Our 4 Favorite Gelato Shops in Pisa (Gelaterias)

1. Gelateria De’Coltelli
2. Gelateria Arigianale Rufus
3. La Bottega del Gelato
4. Tuffo 13 Gelateria

1. Gelateria De’Coltelli

This is by far our favorite gelateria, and it just so happens to be on one of our Wally walking routes.  It sits just north of the river Arno and just down the street from Borgo Stretto.  It’s just a bit off the main street so the line is almost never as long as at La Bottega del Gelato (also yummy). 

Their gelato is so rich and creamy, and it tastes incredibly fresh.  Some of our favorite flavors are: chocolate, salted caramel, and cassata. They also have Granita, which is similar to a slushy or crushed ice, but I think it is superior. They have several flavors that change depending on the season and what they have available (lemon, strawberry, coffee, pistachio etc.).  I recommend trying it with panna, which is essentially freshly whipped cream (Wally approved).  An Italian brought us here for the first time, so you know it’s good 🙂

where: Lungarno Antonio Pacinotti, 23, 56100 Pisa Pl

website: https://www.decoltelli.it/

2. Gelateria Artigianale Rufus

I fell in love at Rufus, our second-favorite gelato shop.  Pistachio gelato! It’s my favorite flavor.  I try it almost every time we go to a new shop, and this gelateria makes my favorite version of it. Maybe Rome will top it, but I doubt it. The gelato at Rufus is incredibly fresh and made with local ingredients.  They have vegan and gluten-free options and they are well labeled. Check out their site for more information about their ingredients. 

Along with the delightful sweet flavors, they also will have some odder ones that are atypical for dessert, I have seen: spinach, onion, gorgonzola with pear, and a few more.  So if you are brave or like savory over sweet, go for it. 

Rufus is located next to Piazza Martiri della Liberta. You have your choice of enjoying your gelato under the shade of large trees or the warm Pisan sun.  Rufus also provides covered outdoor seating. 

Where: Piazza Martiri della Libertà, 25, 56127 Pisa PI

website: https://www.gelateriarufus.com/

3. La Bottega del Gelato

La Bottega is probably the most centrally located of the top 5 gelaterias on our list.  It is the oldest Gelateria in Pisa, in operation since 1979.  And amazingly, 

beginning in 1993, the same family has been managing La Bottega.  It is located in Piazza Garibaldi, just north of the Arno.  Because of this, it can have long lines of tourists waiting for their treat.  If the line is too long for you, remember that De’Coltelli is just around the corner (our favorite). 

The lines are of no surprise to me, as Bottega has a wide range of flavors, all made with natural ingredients.  The gelato is very creamy and tastes like it was made freshly that day.  On my last visit, I tried the coco (coconut), cheesecake, and Amareno (cherry and vanilla).  Andrew went for a trio of chocolate, nutella, and salted caramel.  Both cups were slurped up without delay and did not disappoint.  

Where: Piazza Garibaldi, 11, 56127 Pisa PI

Website: http://bottegadelgelatopisa.it

4. Tuffo 13 Gelato Gelateria

I have two things I love about this Gelateria.  One is that is really close to where we live, I guess that can be a bad thing too, or at least for my waistline.  Two, it is owned by a really friendly family that seems happy to see you every time you come in.  

I like Tuffo more than Andrew does, and our disagreement kept it on the list but put it at number five.  They have great reviews on Google, and because it’s a bit harder to come across, that’s impressive. 

It is next to Palazzo Blue, the art museum. If you aren’t sure if you have found it, just look for the giant colorful ice cream cone outside :). If you do both, then you have treated your eyes and your taste buds!  They have a great variety of flavors, including beer!  They also use natural ingredients, which I love.   If you are looking for great service and a tasty cold treat, I would recommend this little shop. 

Where: Lungarno Gambocorti, 13, 56125 Pisa PI

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I scream, you scream, we all scream for GELATO!  

In the end, yes, Pisa has good gelato.  I have stayed quite happy with the choices and am looking forward to continuing our gelato sampling journey.  I hope that you find what you are looking for and are just as satisfied.  The best gelato in Pisa is of course subjective, but I have some pretty sophisticated taste buds in this particular area. Let us know what you think and check back for any gelato-related updates.  

*there are no affiliate links in this post, we did not receive any compensation.  All opinions are our own.