day trip from Livorno to Pisa and Lucca

It depends on what kind of experience you are looking for in your visit.

Both are easily accessible by train from Livorno - Pisa 1 hour direct from Livorno and Lucca is another 30 minutes on from Pisa. The train station is across town from the cruise port but given the number of people trying to get from the cruise ship to the train station I would be surprised if the cruise line (or some enterprising company) doesn't fill that gap. There are also places that arrange cruise excursions from Livorno that include Pisa and/or Lucca from Livorno including transportation.

Pisa obviously has The Tower as well as the Baptistery and the walls around the Field of Miracles. If you have an interest in seeing it then it is probably worth going and doing the very touristy thing. (See posts about getting a time for the tower in this forum.) Pisa aside from that is a work a day Italian college town. I know some people really like it and you'll get a mini tour if you do the 25 minutes walk from the train station. Outside the charm of Pisa will be more on you to search out and find.

Lucca is a charming medieval town built on top of the Roman town and expanded and surrounded by thick walls. There are walls to walk, several towers to climb if you want and many churches and piazzas to visit and see but no blockbuster "sights" like Pisa. Everyone has their favorites and I like Lucca. It is touristy but nothing like Siena or the really famous sites and the tours groups you do see are generally smaller and most people look like they just want to find a place to sit down and rest since I think most them are coming in the afternoon after Pisa. Because Lucca city continues outside the walls the interior is generally more curated shops and restaurants and less 'everyday' Italian life but not anywhere near the point of San Gimignano or Venice or someplace super touristy.

I'd check out both options in Google maps and decide what interests you more and how much time you're willing to spend doing it and then plan accordingly.

Have a great visit,
=Tod

I am going to them both myself this month. Go to Lucca for the old-world genuine Italian experience. Have gelato at the Coltelli place, walk on the wall and let Lucca relax you.

I have heard that De' Coltelli closed but the replacement in the same spot has the same woman making the same crazy flavor combinations. My wife loved the Sea Buckthorn combination flavor when we were there. It is still recommended.
I think the guy running it may have moved the original De' Coltelli to Pisa instead.

Other reccomendations:
Gelateria Veneta Via V. Veneto, 74
Momo Gelati Via della Fratta, 11
Cioccolateria Caniparoli - sorbets Via San Paolino, 44 (for chocolates and sorbets)

Many of these cribbed from the consensus in the Life in Lucca podcast which I recommend if you are interested in Lucca.
=Tod