Livorno Excursions

I'm going on a Mediterranean cruise in October 2019 on NCL Epic. I'm traveling solo so I'm leery of trying to do things completely "on my own" because I'm very directionally challenged. ;) I'm looking ahead at excursions so I can budget accordingly and I'm having trouble deciding what to do in a couple of the ports, so I'd love to hear from others who have visited these places.

I love wine so I'm drawn to excursions that include visits to wineries and/or wine tastings ... probably over seeing some of the popular sights. I also don't want to do a super fast-paced tour that rushes through everything.

Looking at 3 options in Livorno (Pisa/Florence):

But first - is Pisa worth visiting for the leaning tower? It isn't particularly appealing to me but I don't want to skip something that is a "must see" attraction. I certainly hope I'll return to Italy at some other point in the future so this isn't my one and only chance to see it.

• Option 1: If Pisa is a "must see" then my option is an excursion to the leaning tower, followed by a winery, lunch and carriage ride through vineyards but this means skipping Florence (I think). $189 USD - is that reasonable?
  
• Option 2: Hop On/Off bus in Florence w/ hopes of finding local wines to try on my own while seeing the city. Cheapest option at $30 USD.
  
• Option 3: Volterra, San Gimignano, wine tasting and lunch. $142 USD.
  

Also trying to decide if an excursion in Barcelona is worth it - electric bike ride, sightseeing at the beach & vineyard for $85 USD vs just doing the hop on/off bus for $30 USD.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated!

On our first time to Livorno, we did a private tour and it included a stop at Pisa because that is 'the thing to do.' Well, were we amazed!! It is beautiful and the church is amazing. I'm glad we didn't miss it.

As for missing Florence, I have been to Florence on a land tour. Personally, I would try to do it as part of a cruise. Visit the city on your next trip to Italy and plan on spending a couple of days there. :D

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I just reread what I wrote and I missed a word. I would NOT try to do it as part of a cruise. Sorry about that.

OK, so "the leaning tower" is on a lot of folks' bucket-lists.

But there's a lot more to Pisa's "Field of Miracles" than just a screwed-up tower. The church has also subsided a little but the whole place is truly amazing.

So easy to visit from Livorno too.

No admission fee to the Field, but charges to go inside the baptistry or to climb the tower.

It's always busy, but not crowded. Don't expect a photo of the tower totally devoid of tourists, but you'll not be "hemmed in" and you'll always find a seat at one of the many cafes & restaurants in the adjacent pedestrianized streets.

I'm a wine-drinker but have visited far too many wineries in the past to be interested in adding one to Pisa - a winery is a winery is a winery ;).

But if you want to take that tour I don't think that adding a winery would make it a rushed one - the Field of Miracles can be easily covered in a couple of hours.

Alternatively lots to see in Florence.

But not from a ho-ho.

I'm a great fan of ho-ho's generally, but there are a few cities where a ho-ho isn't worth either the time or the money - and Florence is one of those places. Buses are excluded from the historic centre, which makes them pretty pointless.

That centre is tolerably compact & easy to walk, though nowhere near as easy as the Field of Miracles.

Whichever way you do it, Florence is much further from Livorno and with a great many bits to see, so most tours would neatly fit the description "a super fast-paced tour that rushes through everything":(

I'm pretty sure that $30 wouldn't cover travel to rail station + train fare + ho-ho fare - that'd surely be more like $40+

($30 would easily cover independent travel to just Pisa)

Sorry, can't help with your third choice.

All just MHO as always

JB :)

OK, so "the leaning tower" is on a lot of folks' bucket-lists.

But there's a lot more to Pisa's "Field of Miracles" than just a screwed-up tower. The church has also subsided a little but the whole place is truly amazing.

So easy to visit from Livorno too.

No admission fee to the Field, but charges to go inside the baptistry or to climb the tower.

It's always busy, but not crowded. Don't expect a photo of the tower totally devoid of tourists, but you'll not be "hemmed in" and you'll always find a seat at one of the many cafes & restaurants in the adjacent pedestrianized streets.

I'm a wine-drinker but have visited far too many wineries in the past to be interested in adding one to Pisa - a winery is a winery is a winery ;).

But if you want to take that tour I don't think that adding a winery would make it a rushed one - the Field of Miracles can be easily covered in a couple of hours.

 

Alternatively lots to see in Florence.

But not from a ho-ho.

I'm a great fan of ho-ho's generally, but there are a few cities where a ho-ho isn't worth either the time or the money - and Florence is one of those places. Buses are excluded from the historic centre, which makes them pretty pointless.

That centre is tolerably compact & easy to walk, though nowhere near as easy as the Field of Miracles.

Whichever way you do it, Florence is much further from Livorno and with a great many bits to see, so most tours would neatly fit the description "a super fast-paced tour that rushes through everything":(

I'm pretty sure that $30 wouldn't cover travel to rail station + train fare + ho-ho fare - that'd surely be more like $40+

($30 would easily cover independent travel to just Pisa)

 

Sorry, can't help with your third choice.

 

All just MHO as always

 

JB :)

Thanks, this was very helpful :)

We were on the same cruise with NCL Epic. We did the quick morning stop at Pisa - we loved this. After Pisa, we drove to Tenuta Torciano - a winery near San Gimignano. About 1 1/2 hour drive, very easy driving in the tuscan countryside. Spent about 2 hours there - was a great wine tasting with lunch. Lunch was delicious and wine flowed through the lunch - a very enjoyable afternoon.

I think some private tour operators might take you to the winery - we booked a van since we were six in the party headed out together.