We have a cruise stop in Livorno for one day. Trying to decide between a trip to Florence vs. Pisa and Lucca. Any opinions will be appreciated.
If Pisa and Lucca, we are planning to take the train. If the choice is Florence, is the train the best way to get there?
No question Florence. However it is farther and the train/bus station is a good hike to central Florence ie Duomo etc. There is a lot more to see and do in Florence so a tour from your cruiseship would be a better option than a solo trip. that said you could whip thru Pisa/Lucca on your own easily if you prefer to save euros, time and see Florence when you have at least 3 days to see, on some other trip.
Pisa and Lucca are closer but IMHO, the choice is Florence. So much more to see in one day. However, one caution. I have seen postings where some cruise ships dock at Livorno on Mondays. Most of the best tourist sites in Florence are closed on Mondays. Check your schedule. Florence is an easy train journey to and from Livorno Centrale. Your train travel time is about 1.5hrs each way plus the time to get to and from the train station from the ship.
Definitely Florence is the better choice and the train would work well... If you're going to Florence, set up reservation times for the Accademia- to see the David and the Uffizi if possible.
Exactly how long is your cruise stop? Do you arrive at 8 am and leave at 6 pm? How long does it take to disembark? I haven't been on a cruise (yet).
If you only have 8 or 9 hours, you may not want to spend half of that on a train. There is one train an hour to/from Livorno Central Station from/to Florence. What do you do if the train from Florence is late?
What are your interests? Do you very much want to see the fabulous art museums in Florence? Do you want to spend extra euros on cabs to see more?
Definitely Florence. There is really nothing to see in Pisa except the tower! Lucca is nice but it's Florence that you want to see.
Having visited Pisa, Lucca and Florence last Oct. (on a RS tour) and having only the one day, I would definitely choose Florence. It's variety of sites and "must sees" are far greater. I loved Lucca and found Pisa "so-so" but Florence's attractions and restaurants are far superior if you only have the day. I concur that a guided tour would be the best use of your time as your guide can fit in more attractions and inform you as to what you are seeing better than you could ever do on your own.
