Florence/Pisa need info

[Mrs Bucket]

Hi everyone

new to this so please bare with me.

Does anyone know how easy is it to get to Florence and Pisa from where the Destiny docks at Marina Di Carrera. ALso is there much to do in Agaccio corsica. and lastly Palamos to BArcelona is that easy to do.

There are 5 of us travelling so want to know how easy is it to get about.

We are going on the 8th October for one week.

So excited just cant wait.

Thanks

[ROSEBASKETS]

Hi, Welcome. Marina Di Carrera is quite a way from Pisa and Florence. We looked into doing it by train last year but was going to take over 2 hours to Florence and 2 and a 1/2 back, trains only ran hourly and so didn't bother as we'd done them before. I would suggest the ships tours for this trip.

 

The town put on a little road train free of charge and showed you the main areas of the town, stopped near the beach and near the market oposite the main square. We found it far cheaper to buy things here than any other place on our stop and so if you have gifts to take home this is the place to shop and their speciality is Marble, which is fantastic quality, (we found a hand carved stall at the far end of the market and they did us a good deal)

 

Ajaccio is a nice walk around the town square and centre, though expensive. If you want to see more of the island there is a city tour bus directly outside the port gates or a petit train that takes you around the town in the main square, within walking distance from the ship (approx. 500 yards). The road train from the port goes out into the countryside and lasts approx. 1/2 hours and provides some great views and photo opportunities and I think this is the best value trip there is. We did a trip to the tortoise sanctuary, which was nice, but not much to see or do unless you specifically like turtles and tortoises.

 

Palamos has no railway station and buses are infequent. If you want to do Barcelona then go on an organised ship tour. Palamos is a nice place to visit with a main shopping area, just away from the harbour. If you stay there the Tourist information put on a free shuttle into the town centre, you can then walk your way back through the town to the harbour, walk along the front and return to the ship on foot.

 

Please feel free to ask any further questions as i'm sure someone will be able to provide you with some answers:)

[Mrs Bucket]

Thank you so much very helpful at least we know now wether to do the trips or not. My husband has difficulty walking long distances.

Have you been to Rome? Would it be best for him to do the organised tout or do you think we could do that by taxi or train?

Thanks again:cool:

[ROSEBASKETS]

Rome is very tiring whether you do it by yourself or on an organised trip. The Thomson trips are well organised and get you to see most of the sites on one day but you are often very rushed and it's hard going even for those people who are used to walking and sightseeing.

 

If one of your party is less mobile there are several options and several specific ways to see Rome. Rome on your own Thomson tour gets you dropped off in the centre of Rome and you are left to your own devises and provided you get to the coach pick up point in time you can take it at your own pace ans see as much and as little as you like. You are also guarenteed of making the ship before sail away as all organised Thomson trips will wait until the passengers are back, but the capt. wont wait for those who have done trips independently.

 

If there a 5 of you and you aren't on a tight budget book a private trip with a taxi Co. before you go or negotiate with a taxi driver when you arrive to hire him for the day. He will take you to all the places you want to go to and possibly drop you nearer than the coach could, and there will be far less walking. You have a built in tour guide who will also be able to recommend the best places to visit, shop or eat when you get there and they will make sure you get back in time. This is probably the best way to see Rome (in my opinion) in a day with someone who is less mobile than normal, though it may cost upto £500, but having said that shop around, get a price before you go and it may even work out less than the cost of the ships tour when dividing up the price.

 

You could also do Rome the cheapest way and is the most popular with seasoned travellers and those who are confident in other countries. The Port Authorities lay on a free bus to the end of the port (which is a good 1/2 hr walk if docked at the furthest pier).

 

If you do decide to go on your own to Rome follow the crowds off the bus and catch the train. Out of the port gates turn right, walk 1/2 mile down the promonade, look for a large car park on your LHS the station is just behind up the slope and there are loads of carridges on the train for Rome.

 

Journey time is between 52 mins and 1h30m depending on how many stops there are. Last year the price was 9.50e per adult return from Civitavecchia to Rome, the ticket also lets you use the underground FOC when in Rome. Horror stories of people missing the ship due to late trains are exaggerated to scare you into paying for the ships tours (If you are stupid enough to try and catch the last possible train, then maybe you will get left, but if you think about it there will be at least 5 ships that day with hundreds of people making there own way back from Rome and if Trenitalia were late then they would all be stranded in Civitavecchia and they would be lynched!)

 

Get off at Roma St Pietro and head for St Peters Square (most people go into Roma Termini which is really busy if you want to catch an hop on hop off bus) St Peters Square is less busy first thing as the train tourists don't there until 1/2 hour after those who got off at St Pietro.

 

Also it's much easier to get the hop on hop off bus as everyone gets off at St peters Square, so you can get on and have your pick of the seats!

 

Again sorry for the long waffle!:)

[royler]

hi was there in august there was 4 of us doing med renessience cruise, i booked privite driver 180 euro for the day, took us to lucca and pisa was so worth the money and not long if your in a car, in rome did full tour privite driver so ealking was cut to a minium was 500 for the day worth it too,if you want numbers let me know, enjoy

[Mrs Bucket]

Thank you so much for the information it was more than helpful.

We are all getting together this weekend so I will have something to show everyone.

Thanks again

[Mrs Bucket]

thank you so much for infor yes numbers would be great.

[adeathome31]

just got back thurs was brill.rome very hard walk.if your not bothered about barcelona go on best of costa brava its excellent value.lovely scenic coach trip with two stops at tossa del mar and lloret del mar and plenty of time to do a bit of shopping,the towns are lovely and beaches are too.plenty of shops there and if you go into the cafe on the beach where bus drops you and toilets are ask for a medium size coca cola and see the size of it.i was gobsmacked its huge.cosica is beutifull too we did the wine tasting trip and was really nice trip.the nugget factory owner is hilarious and the nuggets taste lovely youll have to buy some.destiny is a lovely ship crew are excellent food great good beer and tea water and coffe on tap 24hrs.enjoy ade.

[sheeper370]

Hi everyone

new to this so please bare with me.

Does anyone know how easy is it to get to Florence and Pisa from where the Destiny docks at Marina Di Carrera. ALso is there much to do in Agaccio corsica. and lastly Palamos to BArcelona is that easy to do.

There are 5 of us travelling so want to know how easy is it to get about.

We are going on the 8th October for one week.

So excited just cant wait.

Thanks

 

Ajaccio

 

I recommend the open topped tour bus if mobility is a problem. Did it last month.

 

Cost is €10 per head for a gentle 90 minute chug around the town and then down the coast and back. The coach picks up and drops off right at the ship, and there's a commentary.

 

The day we were there (a Monday) there were a mixture of touristy and local market stalls about 250 metres from the ship selling local cheeses, herbs, suasage, honey etc.

 

The local eateries mainly had menu boards outside and seemed reasonably priced. The fellow cruisers I spoke to who ate out all had good reports.

 

A pleasant port of call.