Port of Livorno Italy

hi,

Traveling to Livorno but not sure what tour we want to do yet as have covered Pisa and Florence on previous visit, but I was wondering if I don’t make any reservations, are there any tours operators or taxis as you get out of the port that would take you on a tour, I have seen in some ports as you get out there are plenty of available taxis or private tours available waiting for a customer. has anyone had any experience with this?

As a general rule, at European ports you are not likely to find any professional guides just waiting around for customers. One possible exception is Kusadasi, Turkey, but that is pretty far from Livorno :). At Livorno there will be some taxis at the Port and the drivers will be happy to take you just about anywhere for a price (we are talking hundreds of Euros for a full day). But taxi drivers are generally not professional guides and most do not even speak much English. If you are one that simply must have a guide then you should arrange it in advance. On the other hand, if you are a very independent traveler like me, you might want to just reserve a rental car (Sifracar.com will deliver to your pier) and enjoy Tuscany.

So, where can one go from Livorno? Consider that you are in Tuscany, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. If you prefer to go to cities/towns you have places like Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Sienna, and even more obscure towns like Colle val d'Elsa! If you are a wine lover you might find a trip to the Chianti area located between Florence and Sienna.

As to Florence, for many of us its a place to visit again and again. In fact, DW and I did not even like Florence the first time we visited, because it was a rushed visit on a port day. Now, having been to Florence about 8 or 9 times (including multiple night stays, extended driving trips through Italy, etc) we still look forward to returning in the future.

To put your question in perspective we think its like saying, "I have already been on a cruise so why take another!

Hank

There is very little of interest in Livorno - best bet would be taxi to the station to get train (short ride) to Lucca: a beautiful, small walled medieval city - which can be seen in a few hours for just the train fare - plus lunch at one of many great little sidewalk restaurants.

Another recommendation for Lucca.

A beautiful day, leisurely lunch and not far from Livorno.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g187898-Lucca_Province_of_Lucca_Tuscany-Vacations.html

Thanks for the replies, have been looking at Lucca, looks interesting, any Recommendations as to what is available in Lucca?

Thanks for the replies, have been looking at Lucca, looks interesting, any Recommendations as to what is available in Lucca?

Google is your friend -- there are dozens of sites that describe Lucca and its sites, such as this one:

https://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca

One thing many people enjoy is walking along the walls of the city or, if you're up for it, riding a bike along them.

Thanks for the replies, have been looking at Lucca, looks interesting, any Recommendations as to what is available in Lucca?

Lucca is simply an ancient quaint walled city. Since the walls are intact it is actually possible to rent bicycles and ride the entire way around the top of the walls (this takes about a half hour). Otherwise this is just a small city where tourists enjoy walking around the streets, browsing the shops, and perhaps enjoying a nice outdoor cafe with some drinks and lunch.

Getting to Lucca is not difficult. One needs to get a taxi to the local Livorno Centrale Train Station. At the station you purchase a ticket to Lucca and hop on the next regional train that is going to Pisa. At Pisa you will need to change trains and get on the regional train that runs between Pisa and Lucca. Once at Lucca you will see the walls of the city as soon as you exit the train station. It takes about 10 min to walk over to the walls and into the city.

Hank

I have ported in Livorno several times but probably the best excursion we ever did was to