Shore Excursion - San Gimignano & Volterra

We are due to sail on Celebrity Equinox on 25th July and are starting to look at shore excursions for the ports. Me and my darling wife fancy doing the Tuscan Countryside - San Gimignano & Volterra shore excursion in Pisa port that Celebrity offer as figured Florence and Pisa will be where everyone is heading. However, there is very little info on the tours on Celebrity website which makes it hard to decide whether it is worth it.

Can anyone who has been on this tour, provide some info on it e.g. what sights do you see; do you get any free time to explore; what is the lunch like etc

Thanks

For what it's worth, we are taking a private tour in Tuscany in September through Romeinlimo and will be visiting both places. If you can get others on your cruise to join you it can be a lot less expensive than the ship tour and you can structure your time and activities the way you want.

I must say that DW and I really like both Volterra and San Gimignano and have spent many days and nights in that region. We are somewhat "impressed" that the cruise lines have excursions to these places although we would never dream of paying cruise line excurison prices :). We assume your port is Livorno (cruise ships do not normally go to Pisa) and not sure what we can say to sway you one way or another. San Gimignano is an historic walled town (used in quite a few scenes in "Tea with Mussolini") that is a delight for most tourists. You basically walk up the main street, browse the shops, perhaps do some eating, and enjoy the fantastic architecture and atmosphere of this city. We love it so much that we have spent several weeks staying at hotels within sight of the towers.

As to Volterra, it is just one more charming Tuscan city most famous for their little statutes that are sold everywhere. When we are driving around the region we will often stop at Volterra to just browse the shops and perhaps have lunch.

You are right that most folks will be heading for Florence, which we think is among the best tourist cities in the world. If you have never been to Florence it is where you should visit. DW and I have been to Florence more than 6 times (including 2 land trips when we stayed in a local hotel). I cannot imagine ever of tiring of Florence.

Hank

ditto to everything Hlitner says.

Renting a car is not difficult and is a great way to see the countryside. For Florence you would need the train.

I have been in Florence for multiple nights and there is still more to see and do.

Renting a car when you are in port only for a day is not a good idea if you don't know your way around!

I would definitely choose a private tour rather then a ship tour tho.

Only my 2cent

Renting a car when you are in port only for a day is not a good idea if you don't know your way around!

I would definitely choose a private tour rather then a ship tour tho.

Only my 2cent

Well, we have been renting cars in ports (and on long driving trips) for about forty years and think its a great option. As to "knowing your way around" that is why they invented road maps...and now GPS makes finding one's way nearly mindless.

In the Port of Livorno we actually think rental cars are a great idea for a few reasons. Getting out of the port on your own can be difficult since there are a limited number of taxis and most of them will not take folks to the train station. And there is at least one local rental car agency (Sifracar) that will deliver cars right to the pier (for an extra fee). This saves cruisers a lot of time, avoids having to pay the taxi fees to the station, and gives maximum flexibility. For those gong to a place like Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre) we can be in that village and parked by 9:30 while those on tours are often still waiting at the port. We do agree with you that private tours are also an excellent option if you have a group to share the cost. As to cruise line excursions, well......., if that were the only option on earth and DW could get me drugged or drunk I might do one of those :)

Hank

Renting a car when you are in port only for a day is not a good idea if you don't know your way around!

I would definitely choose a private tour rather then a ship tour tho.

Only my 2cent

I'll just add that in this part of Italy, it's not as much fun to be the driver especially if you want to see the scenery or want to have a little wine :) with lunch. If you haven't driven in Italy before or are not used to a manual transmission either, a tour bus or private tour van can be a reasonable option. It depends on your travel style, of course, and your comfort level. I know that many seasoned travelers on CC will not want to take any kind of tour, but sometimes on the first visit to Europe or to Italy, it may be appropriate and helpful to have the benefit of a driver or even, a guide.

If money is not an issue then by all means avoid the ship's tour and go private. Romeinlimo is an outstanding choice if you are not comfortable driving and you can be the most efficient with your time. However, car rental is economical, the area is very easy to navigate (GPS) and roads are well-marked. If on the otherhand if you have never been to Florence you may want to consider it by shuttle or train. Florence is a jewel of a city and easy to DIY. If you want to go to Uffizzi or to the Academia see The David be sure to book ahead.

We are due to sail on Celebrity Equinox on 25th July and are starting to look at shore excursions for the ports. Me and my darling wife fancy doing the Tuscan Countryside - San Gimignano & Volterra shore excursion in Pisa port that Celebrity offer as figured Florence and Pisa will be where everyone is heading. However, there is very little info on the tours on Celebrity website which makes it hard to decide whether it is worth it.

 

Can anyone who has been on this tour, provide some info on it e.g. what sights do you see; do you get any free time to explore; what is the lunch like etc

 

Thanks

It seems like none of us replying here have been on this particular excursion, so you may want to ask this question on the Celebrity forum. Have a great cruise.

We haven't been on that tour, but visited San Gimignano during a land based trip this past October and found it extremely crowded and touristy.

We haven't been on that tour, but visited San Gimignano during a land based trip this past October and found it extremely crowded and touristy.

So true. Most of Tuscany is a major tourist destination and nearly every land-based tour does a day trip to San Gimignano. But in the late afternoon, when most of the day trippers are gone, the city becomes very pleasant. And after dark when the streets are deserted the city takes on a magical glow from the street lights. I should add that "crowded and touristy" would apply to Florence, Volterra, Siena, and just about every popular city in Tuscany.

So, if you want to escape the tourists you can go to Italy on your own and rent a car. Then drive yourself up to the Marche area and then go a little further and spend a few days in Urbano. You might find a few German tourists, but for the most part you will hardly see any tourists. Or, you could head south to the boot of Italy and not see many tourists. But when you decide to take a cruise you will generally go to major tourist places and you will be there during the main part of the day with all the other day trippers.

Hank

I currently on the Equinox and did this tour. The lunch at the BnB is definitely the highlight of the trip. Pretty much everything they serve including the wine, pasta, and produce, is grown on site and the grounds are gorgeous. Volterra was small enough to comfortably wander around without a map, taking pictures. San Gimignaro is bigger and busier (ie a lot more tourists). I didn't have much energy or motivation to explore it since it was after our big lunch. Overall I was pleased with the tour but if it had just been the two towns without the luncheon, I would not recommend it.