Pisa and Tuscany vs. Florence

If you had your choice of doing Pisa and a tour sipping wine in Tuscany or spending the day in Florence what would you do?

Both of these two options have a lot to offer. However, if you've never been to Florence, I think you should definitely spend a day there, unless you plan on coming back and you'd rather take it easy that day.

Spending the day in Florence will be busy, but oh so magnificent! JMHO!!

MC

I agree with previous poster. I would recommend Florence if you've never been. I think it was the favourite of all the ports I visited.

Pisa you need no more than an hour for, less if you're not climbing the tour. I liked Pisa but was there by 8:30 am and there were only a few people in site. I've heard later in the day it's really crowded and have heard that that has put some people off.

If you were going to Naples, maybe you could check if there was a wine sipping tour there as the Amalfi coast drive is absolutely breathtaking.

Frances

I have been to both, and I can say that there is more to see in Florence. It was nice to see the Leaning Tower, Cathedral and Baptistry in Pisa, but remember the sights and atmosphere in Florence much more.

I am having the same debate in my mind. I am leaning (oops, no pun intended :) ) towards Florence because of the history and art and the reports I have heard of Florence. But i would like to drive by the Leaning Tower in Pisa and wine in Tuscany would be lovely too..Choices Choices.

What cruise are you on? I am on the HAL Noordam leaving on the 10th June 2006.

I'm on the Carnival Liberty leaving May 7th.

I think I would go with Florence. Tuscany and the countryside is wonderful, Pisa is ok but a circus atmosphere, Florence just has so much to offer and soak up! The Duomo, the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio and oh, my gosh, DAVID!!!

Enjoy! Susie

We chose Florence last year when trying to make the same decision, and were very happy that we did. We did the 'Florence on your own' trip through Celebrity and with the help of a guidebook, explored on our own.

We had prebooked tickets at the Accademia to see the original statue of David .... the highlight of our day there. The city is a fascinating mixture of art and architecture and the statues are amazing!

If it is a once in a life chance you should go to Florence. It is the more important of the two cities.

Yet there is no chance to do it justice in just one day, thus if you are able to, you might spare it for another visit with more time.

The other tour looks like a lovely day. Pisa is worth a days visits on its own.

There are so many important beautiful sights just around one square, the cathedral, the baptisterium, the cemetery (actually a building with great art), the tower, the museums - no way to do this in one hour if you want seriously to see and get to know something.

A couple of hours here, maybe taking as stroll around the city and have a look at the other less known sights is a great way to spent the day. Rounded up by some wine tasting - great!

Just one thought. What day of the week will you be in Livorno? I agree with the others that I would choose Florence unless you are scheduled to be there on a Monday when all the museums are closed. Even on Mondays, there is still a lot to see (Il Duomo, the Medici Palace, etc,) but you can not see David or visit any of the major museums. Therefore, on Mondays I would say it is a toss-up between Florence and Tuscanny.

We will be there on a Thursday. How do I get tickets for the major attractions?

We will be there on a Thursday. How do I get tickets for the major attractions?

Phoning for tickets to the Accademia was the easiest and least expensive way - you can reserve your tickets for an entry time, and pay once you arrive. (Uffizi and Accademia are the most popular for prebooking as wait times can be 2 hours without reservations.) http://www.firenzemusei.it/00_english/home1.html Choose "Services" and then scroll down to booking for info on how to book by phone. With a long distance card, the call cost less than 20 cents. You can also book through an on-line agency, but will have to pay for tickets at the time of booking and the cost is usually higher.

I received a great map in the mail... sent a request by email to: infoturismo@provincia.fi.it and asked for a tourist map. It arrived within 2-3 weeks of emailing them.

If you had your choice of doing Pisa and a tour sipping wine in Tuscany or spending the day in Florence what would you do?

We know this region well (will be there again this May) and would agree with the others that for a first time visitor Florence is not to be missed. To really see Tuscany you need to be there for days (if not weeks) and have a rental car. Lucca is also a good option (easy to get there yourself on the train) but Florence is just too good to miss. Personally, we are happy just walking around Tuscany, eating gelato (its the best on earth), having a nice lunch in an outdoor cafe, and soaking up the atmosphere. If you are concerned with getting worn out on a tour just take the transportation to Florence and go on your own. If you want to save about $50 per person, you could take the train from Livorno to Florence (it is a bit of a hassle getting to the train station in Livorno).

Hank

Absolutely without a doubt, FLORENCE.

Pisa is ok, but pales in comparison to Florence. If you go to Pisa you'll take the obligatory photo shot of you "holding back" the leaning tower and that's really about it. On the other hand you will leave Florence with a sense of awe. There's something magical about Florence that I can't describe - go there and see for yourself.