Jump to content

Livorno, Florence, Pisa??


tkshepard
 Share

Recommended Posts

We are stopping in Livorno for our cruise in July and have about 11 hours in port. In trying to plan out the day,  we definitely want to go to Pisa and were wondering if trying to do Florence as well would be too much. Looking for recommendations of what is doable and enjoyable. Florence/Pisa? Pisa/Lucca? Pisa/Livorno? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You  could do Pisa/Florence, but it will be rushed - it may be more about checking boxes than soaking in the culture.  Pisa itself can be as short as walk in, take a picture of the tower, and leave.  Climbing the tower takes time, and there are several other buildings that are interesting in their own right, with lots of interesting tidbits of history.  The chandelier in the church was designed by Galileo, for example, and the Camposanto was practically empty of people and full of the same sorts of interesting historical trivia.  The train is a straight shot from Pisa, thru Lucca, to Florence, and about 45 minutes, if I remember correctly (maybe a bit more) from Pisa to Florence.  Lucca is much closer.  Personally, I loved Lucca. It's charming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Florence itself is a full day trip. We wanted a more relaxed day so we left the ship early and took the train to Lucca, a really beautiful walled city. The train station in Lucca is directly opposite the walls. We wandered round and had a lovely lunch, we then took the train back to Pisa where we had a quick look round.  We then returned to Livorno and back to the ship. A really lovely day.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This question comes up (here on CC) every Spring as folks get ready for their first trip to Europe.  And our answer is always the same.  Yes, it is possible to couple a quick visit to Pisa along with a visit to Florence.  But you will need to rush your way through Pisa (primarily the Field of Miracles)  and will short-change yourself in Florence.  Pisa has its Tower which is unique.  But Florence is truly one of the world's great tourist cities.  One could spend a week in Florence (we have done that) and it would still not be enough.  As to Pisa, 15 minutes probably is enough for many (accept those who have plans to climb the Tower).  

 

We agree that Lucca is also a nice place to visit, and if one really wants to visit Pisa it actually works well to combine it with a trip to Lucca.  In fact, if you take the train from Livorno to Lucca you must change in Pisa :).  

 

Hank

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've visited Florence then Pisa by train very comfortably in a single port-of-call day.

As per ljandgb 's post, we didn't have time to soak up the culture, but museums and such are not our scene. No inside visits (though we'd had time to go into the duomo), and no time to climb the tower.

 

Most difficult part could be getting from ship to Livorno centrale station. 

I think only NCL provide a (payable) shuttle to the station, the others provide a shuttle to the city centre then you take a local bus - which means you're travelling two sides of a triangle.

Apparently there's often a shortage of taxis at the pier, but we shared an 8-seater to the station.

Train through Pisa to Florence (Firenza S/M.) about 90 (?) minutes. Train back to Pisa, 20-min walk from Pisa centrale to the Field of Miracles, train back to Livorno centrale & taxi back to the ship.

 

I know that others have done the trip (one, or the other, or both) by shared van - check your RollCall.

 

We went armed with a range of train times, and confirmed those times when we got to the station (Italian timetables change marginally but quite frequently). We bought return tickets to Florence - the tickets allow intermediate stops (eg Pisa) in either direction.

Florence first, for a couple of reasons.....

- Florence was our primary aim, if we didn't have enough time in Florence we'd have stayed there longer and consigned Pisa to the back-burner

-  Trains from Pisa to Livorno are more frequent than Florence to Livorno

- If we'd fouled-up it would be a short (20 mins?) taxi ride from Pisa to the ship.

Folk had said Pisa's Field of Miracles was quiet in the morning & busy in the afternoon - but we found it was quiet late afternoon. And because it's a spacious area, it's not wall-to-wall visitors in the middle of the day as we found out on our land trip. 

 

A couple of mentions of Lucca on this thread.

We've stayed there on a land trip.

Very pleasant & historic walled city, not as over-loaded with tourists as the other two.

But not iconic like Florence & Pisa and I doubt it'd be on anyone's bucket-list.  

 

All JMHO as always

 

JB :classic_smile:

 

Edited by John Bull
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having done all three I would have to place Florence way at the top if you have never been before.  We did Lucca on our last cruise as it is easy and enjoyable and we have done Florence on the ground in multiple previous visits.  My usual comment is that Florence is a world class place to visit with amazing art and architecture.  Pisa is a nice town with a tower that leans.  Unless you are set on having a copy of the photo where you hold up the tower, I would spend the whole day in Florence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did a Pisa & Florence ship excursion last summer and actually thought it was enough time! We had around an hour and a half in Pisa and honestly felt that was enough. Aside from the leaning tower and surrounding buildings/area there wasn't a huge amount to see in Pisa itself. We then had quite a long time in Florence (around 5 hours I think) and didnt feel rushed at all. We had a nice lunch, round a good rooftop bar, saw the ponte vecchio and wondered around all the lovely streets and squares. We had also been worried it'd be too much to do in one day but it was perfect for us - everyone is different though! If you do decide to do just one then I would definitely say Florence, it is beautiful.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Lucca is perfect for a one day trip.: train to Lucca (and take that picture of the tower of Pisa when changing trains if your ships schedule, feet and legs allow).   Visit Florence during a landtour and reserve 2 days for a visit. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, MAVIP said:

 Lucca is perfect for a one day trip.: train to Lucca (and take that picture of the tower of Pisa when changing trains if your ships schedule, feet and legs allow).   Visit Florence during a landtour and reserve 2 days for a visit. 

 

This makes sense.  Lucca is a wonderful day trip, especially for people who can’t quite cope with the idea of the crowds in Florence (I went to Florence too soon after foot surgery, it was quite hard).  On the way back from Lucca our train made one stop before Pisa Centrale and this was right beside the Field of Miracles.  It would have been easy to get off the train, see the Tower and then make the shortish walk back to Pisa Centrale and on to Livorno.  

 

We have done this on NCL Epic which does provide the shuttle directly to the station.  More time is required if you have to find a taxi back.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We love Lucca and spent the day there on our Mediterranean cruise since we had been 6 days in Florence a few years back.  If I thought a cruise stop in Livorno was going to be my only opportunity to ever see Florence then I would still make the extra effort to go there. It is a remarkable city with one of the singular pieces of art, the David, ever produced.  Lots of other Things to see as well, and easy to navigate once you are in town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

When we did the Western Med we had Rome, Livorno, and Naples right in a row.  Since we were doing full, busy days with private local companies in Naples (Pompei and the Amalfi) and Rome(including Vatican Museum and Coliseum), we opted to do a relaxed, shorter day in Pisa.  We really enjoyed the Tower and the accompanying sites.  Yes, they are not as grand as in other places but it is easier to take them in and you can really take some time to enjoy them.  We paired this with a winery tour and lunch and it was great for us.  I would say choose what you do here based on what else you have organized in the other ports.  If you try to do too  much overall, you won't remember anything and will be tired all trip! You may sacrifice some important sights but prioritizing is key!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/24/2019 at 7:06 PM, cleobella said:

When we did the Western Med we had Rome, Livorno, and Naples right in a row.  Since we were doing full, busy days with private local companies in Naples (Pompei and the Amalfi) and Rome(including Vatican Museum and Coliseum), we opted to do a relaxed, shorter day in Pisa.  We really enjoyed the Tower and the accompanying sites.  Yes, they are not as grand as in other places but it is easier to take them in and you can really take some time to enjoy them.  We paired this with a winery tour and lunch and it was great for us.  I would say choose what you do here based on what else you have organized in the other ports.  If you try to do too  much overall, you won't remember anything and will be tired all trip! You may sacrifice some important sights but prioritizing is key! 

@cleobello-I agree and I am in the same boat!  We are doing longer days, so I am looking into doing something shorter at Pisa.  We are docking in LaSpezia.  What tour did you use?  I've looked at tons of tours, but most only do longer ones...and looking for something shorter.  We are looking at just doing Pisa DIY...how did you see the Pisa sights?  Thanks for any tips!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I would go to Florence. With the Uffizi Museum and so many other sites to see I would spend all my time there.

For our most recent trip the museums in Florence were closed on Monday, so we just went to Pisa on our own. We had been before and loved it. This time it was much more crowded and touristy. The Field of Miracles was blocked off that day-maybe because of new grass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/5/2019 at 3:50 PM, tkshepard said:

We are stopping in Livorno for our cruise in July and have about 11 hours in port. In trying to plan out the day,  we definitely want to go to Pisa and were wondering if trying to do Florence as well would be too much. Looking for recommendations of what is doable and enjoyable. Florence/Pisa? Pisa/Lucca? Pisa/Livorno? 

If those are your 3 choices, I would do Pisa/Lucca.....Livorno, not much to see. I do not feel there is enough time to see Pisa and Florence.....If you do not think you will ever get back, I would do a whole day in Florence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 4:42 PM, mkaalong said:

@cleobello-I agree and I am in the same boat!  We are doing longer days, so I am looking into doing something shorter at Pisa.  We are docking in LaSpezia.  What tour did you use?  I've looked at tons of tours, but most only do longer ones...and looking for something shorter.  We are looking at just doing Pisa DIY...how did you see the Pisa sights?  Thanks for any tips!!

If docking in La Spezia we would not be dragging ourselves 50+ miles (each way) to Pisa.  Personally we would drag ourselves 2 miles to Pisa :).  From La Spezia, if you want a fairly light day, go to nearby Riomaggiore and perhaps to one or two of the other Cinque Terre Villages (all connected by a local train line or small ferry boats).

 

Getting back to Pisa, the only place commonly visited by tourists is the so-called Field or Miracles where you can see the Tower.  So, you see the Tower....and then what?  Other then that one congested tourist area we have never found any charm in Pisa (and we have looked).   My only caution about Riomaggiore and the other Cinque Terre villages are that they are all being overrun with tourists (no thanks to opening up La Spezia as a cruise port).  But when you are a tourist and want to do tourist things you are going to usually have to put up with lots of similarly minded tourists.

 

Hank

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

If docking in La Spezia we would not be dragging ourselves 50+ miles (each way) to Pisa.  Personally we would drag ourselves 2 miles to Pisa :).  From La Spezia, if you want a fairly light day, go to nearby Riomaggiore and perhaps to one or two of the other Cinque Terre Villages (all connected by a local train line or small ferry boats).

 

Getting back to Pisa, the only place commonly visited by tourists is the so-called Field or Miracles where you can see the Tower.  So, you see the Tower....and then what?  Other then that one congested tourist area we have never found any charm in Pisa (and we have looked).   My only caution about Riomaggiore and the other Cinque Terre villages are that they are all being overrun with tourists (no thanks to opening up La Spezia as a cruise port).  But when you are a tourist and want to do tourist things you are going to usually have to put up with lots of similarly minded tourists.

 

Hank

Thanks Hank for the tips...it's appreciated!  My husband really wants to see Pisa...so it's on the list.  Good knowing these things though...maybe we will be pleasantly surprised.

Kristina  🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi mkaalong...I'm a bit late with this! We actually just did a ship shore excursion for Pisa and Winery. We did local companies for our busy long days but the ship tour was simple, relatively short (less then 6 hours maybe 4, cant remember exactly) and reasonable. We had a group of about 20 with us. Which was ok because we all spread out at Pisa and broke into small groups at the winery. A nice relaxed break in a busy schedule..and we got great pics !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, cleobella said:

Hi mkaalong...I'm a bit late with this! We actually just did a ship shore excursion for Pisa and Winery. We did local companies for our busy long days but the ship tour was simple, relatively short (less then 6 hours maybe 4, cant remember exactly) and reasonable. We had a group of about 20 with us. Which was ok because we all spread out at Pisa and broke into small groups at the winery. A nice relaxed break in a busy schedule..and we got great pics !

5

@cleobella-That's fun!  After talking to my husband, we decided to do Pisa and Lucca...a little shorter of a day than going to Pisa/Florence.  Found a company (Papillon tours) that did this excursion and it sounded like a pretty good fit for us  🙂  We will back to the ship in time to rest up, enjoy the evening and be ready for our big day in Rome the next day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have decided to do a half-day tour just to Lucca. I love the idea of a short drive through the countryside and then visit a compact easy walking town, surrounded by a wall,  with a deep history and fascinating architecture -- and time for coffee and a pastry. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, victory2020 said:

I am also trying to decide between Florence/Pisa or Lucca/Pisa. I'm leaning more towards Lucca. What is the one thing that would make you want to do Lucca?

Want an honest answer?  Having spent a lot of time in Florence (from cruises and just driving trips) we would go to Lucca for a quiet laid back day where we would do little but walk around the compact city, stroll the walls, and enjoy lunch.  We do find Lucca a lot nicer then Pisa (we could care less if we ever see Pisa again).  But both of these towns do not even come close to Florence which is one of the more amazing tourist cities in the world.  Perhaps I could be even more blunt by saying that Florence would make my personal top 20 great cities of the world list while Lucca and Pisa would not be in the top 200!  In fact, Pisa would probably not make our top 1000 list :).

 

Hank

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...