Florence /Pisa

[Keith.W]

Whats the best way to do DIY for this area, really just want to see the leaning tower Pisa etc.

 

Anything greatly appreciated

 

Keith

[paul929207]

To do it yourself, you will probably want to take a taxi to the train station in Livorno and then a train to Pisa.

[Matcodixon]

On our Med cruise with Princess this August, I booked a ship "Transportation only" tour. It starts with a ride to Pisa for a visit of about an hour and a half followed by a ride to Florence for the rest of the day, and finally a ride back to the port at the end of the day. It was not very expensive and compared well to public transportation and as being a ship tour, they will wait for us in most cases, if there is a delay.

[TyrnaD]

We did 5 days Rome and a 7 day Med. without taking one taxi. Our ship had a shuttle from port to Livorno train station where we boarded a train, went to Pisa and walked directly to tower for pictures and the like, then back to train station in Pisa and over to Florence before heading back to Livorno. Biggest tip for anyone DIY is to plan the sites you want to see in order of where they are, have a good map with the sites circled, and as you;re walking to and from enjoy the other amazing things you'll happen upon.

[Matcodixon]

One more tip: If you plan on visiting the Uffizi or Accademia museums in Florence you should purchase tickets in advance to avoid some very long lines. Google Uffizi tickets and you will get the website.

[Keith1010]

One more tip: If you plan on visiting the Uffizi or Accademia museums in Florence you should purchase tickets in advance to avoid some very long lines. Google Uffizi tickets and you will get the website.

 

Excellent advice.

 

Keith

[Keith.W]

Thanks for the replys everyone. Think we will just take the train to pisa and do pisa and the leaning tower. What train should be be looking at taking to pisa.

 

If we were to to Florence, we are not museum people what else is there to do.

[David&Raja]

Florence is the most beautiful city in the world. You dont have to like museums. Just walk around the old city and look at the wonderful buildings and you will love it. The shops, market and its history are amazing. You catch the same train you got off for Pisa. Its easy to do both in a day and Florence is much better than Pisa.

[Hlitner]

Kind of fun to let the two UK folks slug in out:) This could be a good pub conversation. But regarding a comparison of Pisa and Florence we would offer a few thoughts. The last time we stayed in Florence (3 nights) we never set foot in a single museum. As to Pisa, its an ugly city with a very nice small area "Field of Miracles" and its tower. This tower does lean as do many other towers in Italy but it is more famous than the others :). So you go to the Tower, take a look, perhaps picnic on the grass (we think its the best activity in this part of Pisa) and then what are you going to do? The last time we went to the Tower it was to take another couple (who shared our car when we drove to Cinque Terre) so they could see....they spend about 3 minutes looking...and then it was back to Livorno. As to Florence, in a sense the entire city is a museum as the architecture in this city is 2nd to none. But for anyone sitting on the fence (hopefully with no spikes) about these two places we should mention that Florence seems to have the best gelato on earth. Now a good cone full of gelato will win out over a tower that is constructed so poorly that it would have fallen if not for modern intervention :)

 

Hank

[Ashland]

We also did the ship (RCI) offered DIY for Pisa & Florence...no museums in Florence for us either..however the several hours we walked around the city and had lunch and gelato ended up being one of the highlights...

[Adventures ahead]

Kind of fun to let the two UK folks slug in out:) This could be a good pub conversation. But regarding a comparison of Pisa and Florence we would offer a few thoughts. The last time we stayed in Florence (3 nights) we never set foot in a single museum. As to Pisa, its an ugly city with a very nice small area "Field of Miracles" and its tower. This tower does lean as do many other towers in Italy but it is more famous than the others :). So you go to the Tower, take a look, perhaps picnic on the grass (we think its the best activity in this part of Pisa) and then what are you going to do? The last time we went to the Tower it was to take another couple (who shared our car when we drove to Cinque Terre) so they could see....they spend about 3 minutes looking...and then it was back to Livorno. As to Florence, in a sense the entire city is a museum as the architecture in this city is 2nd to none. But for anyone sitting on the fence (hopefully with no spikes) about these two places we should mention that Florence seems to have the best gelato on earth. Now a good cone full of gelato will win out over a tower that is constructed so poorly that it would have fallen if not for modern intervention :)

 

Hank

 

Hank, you're too funny. I love it!

[randb67]

We will be in Florence and would like to get tickets in advance for Accademia. Does anyone know how I can do that?

[Matcodixon]

We will be in Florence and would like to get tickets in advance for Accademia. Does anyone know how I can do that?

 

Google "Accademia Museum Florence" and it will lead you to several websites. I used Uffizi.com

[euro cruiser]

The official site for the Florence civic museums, which include the Academia and the Uffizi, is here: http://www.firenzemusei.it/home.html#

[redcc55]

Florence is the most beautiful city in the world. You dont have to like museums. Just walk around the old city and look at the wonderful buildings and you will love it. The shops, market and its history are amazing. You catch the same train you got off for Pisa. Its easy to do both in a day and Florence is much better than Pisa.

 

I agree that Florence is beautiful, but going to Florence and NOT seeing David is like going to the Sistine Chapel and not looking up.

[randb67]

Thanks for the website information. I want to get my tickets ahead of time to save standing in line.

[Addict]

We also did the ship (RCI) offered DIY for Pisa & Florence...no museums in Florence for us either..however the several hours we walked around the city and had lunch and gelato ended up being one of the highlights...

 

Hi, I am sailing solo in about 11 days (and counting) and I have booked the RCI "on your own" excursion to Florence with a guide for a short while then about 3 hours on your own. This will not include Pisa as I have been there before. I have a question - do you remember where the bus (coach) dropped you off in Florence? And did they pick you up in the same place? I would like to do some geocaching whilst there, and need to research the caches in the right part of the city. Many thanks if you can help. :D

[ollienbertsmum]

Hi, I am sailing solo in about 11 days (and counting) and I have booked the RCI "on your own" excursion to Florence with a guide for a short while then about 3 hours on your own. This will not include Pisa as I have been there before. I have a question - do you remember where the bus (coach) dropped you off in Florence? And did they pick you up in the same place? I would like to do some geocaching whilst there, and need to research the caches in the right part of the city. Many thanks if you can help. :D

 

I think I have looked at the same tour as you - I am seriously considering it as I want as much time in Florence as possible without stressing out my husband who always likes to catch "the train before the train before" - so I understood that the tour gave 5 - 6 hours in Florence.

 

Anyway the instructions were that we would be dropped off at Lungarno dells zecca Vechia and would be escorted (!) to Santa Croce.

 

What is geocaching ????

[Ashland]

The shuttle bus parked very near to Santa Croce.. the guide walked with us to a small leather store and that was our meeting place...Enjoy !!!

[Addict]

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

Geocaching - it's a worldwide "treasure hunt" although there really isn't any treasure involved, just an opportunity to get out and about and see places you wouldn't otherwise know about. Another cruiser got us started on it earlier this year and we love it. And get exercise at the same time. We walk miles and have found interesting places around where we live as well. Just google geocaching.:D

[ollienbertsmum]

Ashland - Haha - meeting at a leather shop, I wondered how they could do a trip without putting in a shopping stop! At least it is not a time wasting one - apart from the extra expense that is what I hate about ship tours. I really do not go on holiday to buy things (except se below :o)

 

Thanks for the quick replies.

 

Geocaching - it's a worldwide "treasure hunt" although there really isn't any treasure involved, just an opportunity to get out and about and see places you wouldn't otherwise know about. Another cruiser got us started on it earlier this year and we love it. And get exercise at the same time. We walk miles and have found interesting places around where we live as well. Just google geocaching.:D

 

Sue I have looked and it sounds really interesting - but I could do without learning about another obsessive hobby - I collect postcards of Unesco world heritage sites, and while that sounds very passive it is surprising how much energy it takes looking out for my version of 'treasure'

 

I was on the Liberty last year doing the same cruise as you - we had a great time, you get an extra port to us - I really would have liked to go back because I still have both Capri and the Amalfi drive to do. Have a good cruise

[Addict]

Ashland - Haha - meeting at a leather shop, I wondered how they could do a trip without putting in a shopping stop! At least it is not a time wasting one - apart from the extra expense that is what I hate about ship tours. I really do not go on holiday to buy things (except se below :o)

 

 

 

Sue I have looked and it sounds really interesting - but I could do without learning about another obsessive hobby - I collect postcards of Unesco world heritage sites, and while that sounds very passive it is surprising how much energy it takes looking out for my version of 'treasure'

 

I was on the Liberty last year doing the same cruise as you - we had a great time, you get an extra port to us - I really would have liked to go back because I still have both Capri and the Amalfi drive to do. Have a good cruise

 

Amalfi is a must do when you get to return. This cruise is great for me as I am boarding in Toulon (interporting), so while everyone else is disembarking/embarking in Barcelona, I get to enjoy the city for the day and leave the ship the next day in Toulon. Having been to Amalfi and Pompeii, I have decided to see Herculaneum this time. And do the geocaching. :)

 

If you go onto geocaching.com and put in your location, you will see all the caches on the map and will be amazed how many there are. Just here in our county of Kent, I doubt we could pick up all the caches in our lifetime! And every where you go, you can just do one or two as you are there anyway - not much extra time involved! All you need is an app for your mobile phone (or GPS).

 

Thanks both for your replies.