Livorno to Pisa

[Shir Hayam]

My DH and I are considering travelling on our own from Livorno to Pisa during our upcoming Western Med. cruise. Have any of you done this by train? taxi? What are the respective costs? Is there a fair amount of walking to and from the train stations? Any other tips/suggestions anyone can provide will be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

Sheila

[MickyBridges]

Not much to do/see in Pisa. I would recommend picking up a rental car from the dock (can be booked in advance from Hertz or Avis) and driving to Lucca with a stop at Pisa on the way back. You won't regret it. The car rental companies have the cars right there as you get off the ship.

[JudeeJim]

I agree with Micky. Last year we spent a couple of days in Lucca. We had a rental car and drove to Pisa. We looked at the tower bought a couple of post cards and headed back to Lucca. When we go back to Italy we will for sure return to Lucca. It is a nice small city surrounded by a wall. I believe it is the only city in Italy completely surrounded by a wall. The wall is very wide at the top and is used for walkers, runners, strollers and best of all bicycles. You can rent a bicycle and peddle all around the city. We were there on a Sunday and it was nice seeing the Italian families with their small children enjoying the wall and the merry-go round in the small plaza.You will love it.

[GSPLover]

My DH and I are considering travelling on our own from Livorno to Pisa during our upcoming Western Med. cruise. Have any of you done this by train? taxi? What are the respective costs? Is there a fair amount of walking to and from the train stations? Any other tips/suggestions anyone can provide will be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

Sheila

Suggest my document: www.ftroute.com/ItalianTrains.htm to get answers to most of your questions.

[Cruiser Nonna]

We are thinking of doing the Livorno-Pisa-Lucca with a rental car - did have a question - where do you suggest parking in Lucca and was it difficult to do?

 

Thanks for the help

[Broch]

You have several options here, but can I recommend the following company to you. We had them on our trip to Livorno last year and I have to say it was one of the better trips I have ever made with a private tour. The driver picked us up at the ship and took us to Pisa for an hour then on to Lucca. I would go back there in a flash, loved it and so did my wife. The driver of course can make a trip good or bad, and we had an excellent driver called Massimo who was so relaxed and laid back he just told us to take as long or as little time as we wanted. He just read his paper or had a sleep until we were ready to move on. Here is the link in case you want to contact the company. http://www.tuscanybytaxi.com/ Also no money was paid up front. We paid him at the end of the trip. I recommended them to a friend this year and their port was cancelled. They e mailed him from the ship and he understood. Now they are going back next year on the Independence and they are using him again.

[Shir Hayam]

Thank you for all your great suggestions! Several of you are confirming what I've read about Pisa (not much there) and Lucca is another place we've been considering visiting. We may well want to think about renting a car or booking a private tour to do both. Do any of you recall what the costs were for a car rental versus the taxi tour?

 

Sheila

[seapenarth]

Not much to do/see in Pisa. I would recommend picking up a rental car from the dock (can be booked in advance from Hertz or Avis) and driving to Lucca with a stop at Pisa on the way back. You won't regret it. The car rental companies have the cars right there as you get off the ship.

 

Lucca is of far more interest than Pisa It`s a fascinating walled town and entering the gates is like stepping back 500 years. Magic. :cool:

[Fblack]

We took a ships tour last year to Lucca and Pisa. We thought Pisa was just spectacular. The Miracle Square is something to see. In addition to the Tower, be sure to tour the Cathedral and the Baptistry.

[luvcdays]

Ally,

 

Can you please tell me how many people were in your party and how much did you pay for your driver to Pisa and Lucca? Also, what did you do in Lucca?

 

Thank you.

 

Luvcdays

[seapenarth]

Ally,

 

Can you please tell me how many people were in your party and how much did you pay for your driver to Pisa and Lucca? Also, what did you do in Lucca?

 

Thank you.

 

Luvcdays

 

Well you do`nt just look at a sloping tower. The town has got so many interesting features. Churches monuments squares and is pure history. It`s not Batman :p

[Jacques O]

Hello!

 

I disagree. There is a lot to do in Pisa.

 

You can do the whole town within a day, on foot, which is not the case for Firenze (Florence) for instance.

I agress with FBlak, the Miracle Square is wonderful.

Like any Italian cities, there is a lot to do and see, just like visiting churches for example. They are worth many museums sometimes.

 

A return ticket from Livorno to Pisa cost 3,6 euros last June. it's only a short ride by train.

 

Now, a good tip: go from the ship to the train station by taxi (flat fare : 20 euros), and share with fellow passengers (sometimes, there are mini vans too). The shuttle buss at the pier does not drop you off near the railway station, but into the centre of Livorno, and it's a long way to the train station.

Livorno is a big industrial harbour, so you can't walk outside the harbour... and I guess it's forbidden.

 

 

I know that Luccas is worth a visit. Never been there, but maybe next time. The ride by train is a bit longer than for Pisa, and there is a change.

 

But if you want to hire a car, you can do half a day in Pisa and the other half in Luccas!

 

You can read why I wrote about Pisa in my review of the cruise on the BOTS in late June (section : ship's itinerary).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=822352

 

 

I hope this help.... re consider your excursion plan.

 

Jacques O, Paris

[Broch]

Ally,

 

Can you please tell me how many people were in your party and how much did you pay for your driver to Pisa and Lucca? Also, what did you do in Lucca?

 

Thank you.

 

Luvcdays

 

There were four of us in our party and I think the cost was 150 euros for the half day from 8.30 and back to ship for 2 pm. It was definately cheaper than anywhere else we found and the advantage was he took us right to the field of miracles where the tower bapistry and cathedral. Also right in to the centre of Lucca. I believe. but I may be wrong that it is a fair walk from public transport stops or tour bus stops.

[JudeeJim]

We had a rental car and there were lots of parking spaces inside the wall. The drive was easy.

 

Judee