Hire taxi from Livorno port to Tuscany countryside?

[newyorker123]

Hi!  How easy is it to hire a taxi from the Livorno port to Tuscan countryside for 3 or 4 hours?  Any idea on prices?  Thanks!!

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, newyorker123 said:

Hi!  How easy is it to hire a taxi from the Livorno port to Tuscan countryside for 3 or 4 hours?  Any idea on prices?  Thanks!!

You really need to reserve a taxi  - we used Tuscany Taxi (rates dependent on where you wish to go - you can email for a quote):

http://www.tuscanybytaxi.it/

 

[newyorker123]

Thank you!

 

[John Bull]

Very easy, that's the sort of work the drivers in the port are looking for.

But pot-luck on the driver's knowledge and English language skills. And question marks on what price you can agree.

 

So better to research (dogs4's suggestion is a good start) and pre-book at a set price for a set time-scale. If you don't have any ideas on itinerary you could ask for suggestions at the same time. 

 

JB 

[bennybear]

Highly recommend Lucca if you haven’t been.   You can book round trip or one way and take the train back.   You are a long way from the typical Tuscan countryside.  

You could also visit Volterra and San Gimignano,  but over an hour each way on very windy roads🤢

Edited July 19, 2020 by bennybear

[euro cruiser]

For three or four hours could be a challenge, drivers in the morning at the port are looking for full day fares.  

 

That said, eventually you will be able to find someone, you may just waste some time in the process.  Booking in advance takes away the element of spontaneity but it also prevents wasting time and allows you to know in advance exactly what it will cost.

[newyorker123]

Thank you everyone!!  Much appreciated.  I'll book ahead of time.

[Hlitner]

Agree with the other comments.  Also keep in mind when you hire a taxi you are simply hiring a taxi/driver.  The drivers are not licensed guides (in Italy, licenses are necessary for guides to go with you into many places) and most drivers speak little to no English.  A taxi if fine if you want a driver to simply take you from Point A to B to C, but do not expect more.  Also keep in mind that prices are negotiable and, depending on supply/demand, can be very expensive (we are talking many hundreds of Euros for a day).  

 

Instead of booking a "taxi" you might want to consider booking through a reputable tour company (i.e. Romecabs, Romeinlimo, etc).  In the end it may not cost you more then a taxi and you will get more for your money.   Also consider that if you simply want to go from Point A to Point B and that is a major city (such as Florence) it is much cheaper to take a train and then make your way around the city with the use of a decent guide book (we like the Rick Steves books) or a phone with the right app or data service (T-Mobile works in Europe and other cell providers offer data packages).

 

Hank

[newyorker123]

20 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Agree with the other comments.  Also keep in mind when you hire a taxi you are simply hiring a taxi/driver.  The drivers are not licensed guides (in Italy, licenses are necessary for guides to go with you into many places) and most drivers speak little to no English.  A taxi if fine if you want a driver to simply take you from Point A to B to C, but do not expect more.  Also keep in mind that prices are negotiable and, depending on supply/demand, can be very expensive (we are talking many hundreds of Euros for a day).  

 

Instead of booking a "taxi" you might want to consider booking through a reputable tour company (i.e. Romecabs, Romeinlimo, etc).  In the end it may not cost you more then a taxi and you will get more for your money.   Also consider that if you simply want to go from Point A to Point B and that is a major city (such as Florence) it is much cheaper to take a train and then make your way around the city with the use of a decent guide book (we like the Rick Steves books) or a phone with the right app or data service (T-Mobile works in Europe and other cell providers offer data packages).

 

Hank

Thank you!  I love this wealth of information!

 

[Travlin grrl]

I've used Rome in Limo and I've used ships excursions.

The first time I used "Rome in Limo"" for Rome, Livorno, and Naples. We did the usual tourist things but we went to the roll call to get people. You can usually do anywhere from 2-8 people. The more people, the cheaper it is. And they will customize. But the second time we went , we wanted to go off the beaten path. We wanted to do Sienna and San Gimignano but couldn't find fellow cruisers who wanted to do this. It was a smaller ship and most people wanted to do the city etc. This time we did the ship one. I definitely prefer "Rome in Limo", we had a great experience. I blogged about it on my blog which was about 3 years ago when I used them. 

[Hlitner]

I thought it might be fun to keep this blog going since its nice (for a change) to talk about travel :).  The OP talks about a 3-4 hour ride in the "Tuscan countryside"  which is probably not the best way to plan a trip (and spend hundred of Euros for a car/driver).  Tuscany is actually a very large area of nearly 9000 square miles :).  We have spent months exploring Tuscany (mostly in our own rental car) and still have not seen it all.  A 3-4 hour drive from Livorno would be very limiting and somewhat of a challenge when it comes to itinerary.  I guess it would be possible to just drive something close to a circular route but I think a "drive" would get boring (a tree in Tuscany looks like the same tree in other places).  Planning a picturesque drive on some of the smaller country roads combined with some stops at smaller towns, wineries, etc. could be a good plan.  But one should do their pre-trip homework and actually have some kind of itinerary.  By the way, another poster talked about a trip to San Gimignano (one of our favorite towns) and Siena.  We have done that, with a rental car, on a port day but it does become somewhat rushed in both places.   The problem is that it takes about 2 - 2:15 to drive one-way between Livorno and Siena and this does not include the time to get into Siena near the walled part of town that is where folks usually visit.  Toss in a stop at San Gimignano and you are talking about at least 5 hours just driving.  When we did this with our own rental car there was additional time needed to park in Siena (parking at San Gimignano was not a problem).  San Gimignano visits need about 2 hours to simply walk the main street and more time if one plans on having lunch.  Siena can take even more time depending on what you plan on doing and seeing (DW's patron saint's bones are in the Cathedral).  

 

So all this goes to how folks spend port days.  One can choose to cover a lot of ground and spend very little time at any place.  When the day is over you might be able to say I went to 10 places but you would have obviously missed just about everything in those 10 places.  Even with 2 places this can happen..especially if you must spend many hours with transportation,    So, when planning a day trip itinerary it is usually wise to carefully look at the geography, driving times, and even parking (if driving your own car).  So, for example, stopping at San Gimignano and Volterra would allow more time to explore and less transportation time.  or Visiting Pisa and Lucca in one day is a very workable itinerary.   If you are like DW and me and want to leave enough time for a decent lunch (we love eating in Italy) then that also needs to be factored into your timeline.

 

Hank

P.S.  Posting this kind of stuff is much more fun the dealing with all the COVID-19 related stuff

[bennybear]

Agree about talking about other things😄.   Hank, you must have been to San Gimignano not in the summer!  I still have vivid Memories many years ago about crazy parking!  Now we travel off season and it is usually saner..

 

Will have to disagree about the trees in Toscana,  but this quintessential scenery is nowhere close to Livorno.

Edited August 6, 2020 by bennybear

[Hlitner]

Just now, bennybear said:

Agree about talking about other things😄.   Hank, you must have been to San Gimignano not in the summer!  I still have vivid Memories many years ago about crazy parking!  Now we travel off season and it is usually saner..

 

Will have to disagree about the trees in Toscana,  but this quintessential scenery is nowhere close to Livorno.

We have driven to San G. in the Spring, Summer and Fall.  We have always been able to find parking although sometimes it means driving around the outside of the walls (there are many different parking areas) until we find a lot an empty space.  In the summer trying to find a spot near the front gate/entrance is hard, but there are some lots around the back side where we have always been able to park although it leaves a bit of a hike (some of it uphill) to get into the city.  Our favorite time in San G. is at night and we have sometimes stayed outside the walls at various hotels within a few miles (one of our favorites has been the Villa San Paolo).   Late at night, after dinner, we have strolled through the streets when they were completely deserted and it is a special eerie place with the street lights playing off the buildings and creating all kinds of shadows.  DW figures it is not much different then it was hundreds of years ago except that the electric lights used to be gas lanterns.

 

Hank

[bennybear]

We did find parking round the back and down a hill, our kids who were teens at the time wondered if it was an extra cute hill Town?   We actually haven’t been back there, as we tend to stay further south around Pienza, Montalcino, San Quirico d’ Orcia and visit if at all possible during truffle season.  Sigh....

 

We love exploring later in the day too, and we have some tiny villages that we adore and love the restaurants too.   Unfortunately last year, we noticed some were becoming more discovered.

Edited August 6, 2020 by bennybear

[Hlitner]

17 hours ago, bennybear said:

We did find parking round the back and down a hill, our kids who were teens at the time wondered if it was an extra cute hill Town?   We actually haven’t been back there, as we tend to stay further south around Pienza, Montalcino, San Quirico d’ Orcia and visit if at all possible during truffle season.  Sigh....

 

We love exploring later in the day too, and we have some tiny villages that we adore and love the restaurants too.   Unfortunately last year, we noticed some were becoming more discovered.

Now you have started an entirely new topic (Truffles) which has made me very hungary :).  Last fall when we were last in Florence, DW and I went to a restaurant (recommended by DD) called Tre Pancha!  This tiny crammed place is famous (among locals) for using truffles with almost every dish.  The night we were there they gave us the regular menu and a 2nd supplemental menu.  Both menus had the same items but the prices on the supplemental menu were nearly double.  Why?  One menu used the normal black truffles and the more expensive menu used a less common white truffle (very seasonal).   I still can taste my starter which were ravioli stuffed with white truffles in a heavy cream sauce!  For truffle lovers this was like eating the holy grail!  Oh my!

 

For anyone that has any interest here is a link to that restaurant's site:

https://www.osteriadelletrepanche.com/en

 

To continue the gastro tale, we were crammed into tight quarters with two young (20s) French ladies seated next to us.  They both immediately reacted to the fragrance of our ravioli dish and asked us about the dish.  We managed to work through the language differences and they both ordered the same starter.  The one French lady (from Marseille) said it was the best pasta she had ever had in her life.  And I think that might have been an understatement.

 

Hank

[bennybear]

Ok, now we’re talking!   We had both white in my veal dish and black on the steak.   We had the best meal of our lives in a small family run restaurant in a small town in Tuscany.   In the fall they have had a special truffle menu as well.    I think I actually prefer the black.   Made my husband return the next night because he only shared one bite😂.   Also so if you like wine they have cases of Brunello,  we have found their house wine excellent😉

 

 I have to make do the rest of the year with truffle popcorn.  Even my young granddaughter uses truffle salt on her popcorn.   

Edited August 6, 2020 by bennybear

[bennybear]

L

Edited August 6, 2020 by bennybear

[nini]

If your cruise begins or ends in Rome, why not arrive a few days earlier or

stay a few days longer and take a more relaxing tour of Tuscany from Rome?

There are many companies (or private) that do that.

[newyorker123]

Well, boo.  Not surprisingly, my cruise has been cancelled but I have some excellent advice here for the future.   I kept doing all of my research until the dreaded email.  Thank you to everyone for their help. 

[marazul]

bennynear and Hank -

you are killing me! I want truffles!

The photos are of Taverna da Ciacco in San Quirico d'Orcia.  Yes, yum!

[bennybear]

3 hours ago, marazul said:

bennynear and Hank -

you are killing me! I want truffles!

The photos are of Taverna da Ciacco in San Quirico d'Orcia.  Yes, yum!

 

 

😂. Yes, you are correct!    Such a great place!  Have you been there?   Meet you October 2025,   I too am in serious withdrawal.  

[marazul]

47 minutes ago, bennybear said:

 

 

😂. Yes, you are correct!    Such a great place!  Have you been there?   Meet you October 2025,   I too am in serious withdrawal.  

Yes, quite a while back.

Oct 2025 is on my calendar! 😁

[bennybear]

21 hours ago, marazul said:

Yes, quite a while back.

Oct 2025 is on my calendar! 😁

I am so happy to “meet” someone who has been there!  We have been fortunate to visit three times on two trips.  I still regret not going back our last evening.   I so wanted to try their seafood and cheese!  

Have you also visited La porta or Daria’s new restaurant in Montecchiello?

 

I  

[marazul]

No I haven't been to the new ones.  Then again, it was really a while back while doing the wine routes. I think we stayed at Montalcino that trip.

[Hlitner]

France and Italy really know how to torture this American.  We have had 2 cruises (Aug and Oct) that would have gotten us to Europe for quite a few extra land days and some excellent European cooking (including Truffles).  But alas, Princess dashed our plans.  But in May we had developed a back-up plan to fly to France at the end of August and spend some independent time in Europe (likely would have trained down to Italy from France).  So the EU has dashed those plans with their ban on we sickly Americans.  I am not critical of the policy but my taste buds and tummy are crying out for some good European cuisine.  Accordingly, we did manage to get to one of our favorite country French restaurants in Washington DC where they have the best Quenelle de Brochet (pike dumpling baked in lobster dauce) this side of Lyon!  Sadly, they excellent (and usually booked) restaurant was nearly empty during our visit.

 

Hank