DIY at Pisa and Florence

[puffy]

My ship will dock at La Speiza not Lovirono on Aug 13 next month, what is the best way to reach both Pisa and Florence on our own. We only have 2 people and private tour is out of our budget. I search roll call but not see any member post on the ship date. I search couple share tour web like romeinlimbo and don"t have group tour on those days. Anyone can give me any suggestion where to look into the information how to DIW or group share tour. Thank you

[euro cruiser]

You are overreaching. Unfortunately, La Spezia is further from Florence than Livorno and you'll spend more time getting there and back, I don't think you can reasonably expect to also squeeze in a stop at Pisa. Just getting to Florence requires between 2 - 2.5 hours of train travel, plus time to and from the stations.

 

Pick one or the other. Getting there by train is pretty easy.

[see you soon]

You are overreaching. Unfortunately, La Spezia is further from Florence than Livorno and you'll spend more time getting there and back, I don't think you can reasonably expect to also squeeze in a stop at Pisa. Just getting to Florence requires between 2 - 2.5 hours of train travel, plus time to and from the stations.

 

Pick one or the other. Getting there by train is pretty easy.

If you don't have your heart set on Florence or Pisa, consider Cinque Terre. It is easily done from La Spezia. It is a very different kind of Italian experience.

 

See you soon

[puffy]

thanks all the advice, cruise ship offer both but it is expensive, I may just chose to do Pista, how I do it from the port?

[euro cruiser]

Of course they offer it, because there is a segment of the population who merely want to see a place and check it off their list. If that's your goal you can do this on your own; you'd have very little time in each location (a couple of hours, at most) but you could tell yourself that you've been there.

 

The process is the same, whether you are going to Florence, Pisa, or both. You need to get from your ship to La Spezia Centrale train station, where you purchase your ticket and get on the next train to your destination. The most direct route to Florence requires a change of trains at Pisa Centrale, so regardless of your final destination Pisa Centrale is likely your first stop.

[puffy]

thank you eurocruiser, pista is my buck list, but I will have 2 days in rome after cruise, and I can always take train to florence if I want too. Is the train schedule post on line and how far the train station from port? Do I take public transportation to port or taxi, which one is more faster and best way to do.

[euro cruiser]

There are two different docking locations in La Spezia, from one you can walk to the train station, the other will require a longer walk or a taxi.

 

You can see the train schedule at http://www.trenitalia.com. There is an English language version of the site. Note, however, that regional trains are only shown one week in advance. To know the schedule for your travel day, use the same day of the week this week.

Edited July 8, 2014 by euro cruiser

[puffy]

thank eurocruiser,Maybe I can find out the where our ship dock from RCCl , but even walk or taxi, it is not a issue. I plan to buy the pista leaning tower ticket advance and save time, or should I just wait. The other member recommend the cinque terrce, it is on the train route or need to change. Please advise.

[euro cruiser]

Cinque Terre is in the opposite direction, but you'd leave from the same train station. It sounds to me that you need to do a little research and figure out what's of interest to you, rather than trashing about wildly.

 

If you want to climb the tower at Pisa, absolutely make your reservations in advance. While there are tickets available on site, you may have to wait several hours for an available time slot, time that you simply don't have on a port day.

 

At this point it's already getting late, make your reservation today!

 

http://www.opapisa.it/en/plan-your-visit/ticket-office.html

[puffy]

got it. I will do it today and greatly appreciated the advice.

[puffy]

it seems the ticket office do not have August window open, does it only allow to book in no more than 3 weeks advance?

[euro cruiser]

it seems the ticket office do not have August window open, does it only allow to book in no more than 3 weeks advance?

August is open for sales, it's just a poorly designed web site. It says July at the top, but the numbers flow into August as well.

[puffy]

yes, but there are no option for me to choose beyond July even August show few days, my ship arrive on 13th of august

[euro cruiser]

There appears to have been a change from their past procedure. If you read the details, it says you can only purchase up to 20 days prior: http://boxoffice-info.opapisa.it/index.php?id=482&L=1#c1652

[puffy]

Thanks Eurocruiser, I decide to take train From port to Florence after cruise and spend 1 night there and return to rome airport Friday night to catch the flight back to state Sat am at 7am. We do not plan to rent a car, so any public transit to recommend DIY in Florence.

[puffy]

Anyone has recommendation hotel close to train station in Florence since we plan to stay overnight after cruise?

[euro cruiser]

I've stayed at the Machiavelli Palace a couple of times, about a block and a half from the Santa Maria Novella station.

 

http://www.hotelmachiavelli.it/

[puffy]

Hank,

I am greatly appreciated, I go to Pisa website again, they will not allow you to reserve the tower up to then end of month. I guess they change their policy

[mikawalton]

Of course they offer it, because there is a segment of the population who merely want to see a place and check it off their list. If that's your goal you can do this on your own; you'd have very little time in each location (a couple of hours, at most) but you could tell yourself that you've been there.

 

The process is the same, whether you are going to Florence, Pisa, or both. You need to get from your ship to La Spezia Centrale train station, where you purchase your ticket and get on the next train to your destination. The most direct route to Florence requires a change of trains at Pisa Centrale, so regardless of your final destination Pisa Centrale is likely your first stop.

 

Hi Eurocruiser and anyone else who has information about the train process from LaSpezia....Does anyone know if there are taxis waiting at night once the trains come in from Florence? I am on the June 13th MSC Divina Med Cruise and was thinking about leaving Florence at 6:30 putting me back in La Spezia at 9. I was curious if my family would have to walk back from the train late at night or if taxis are waiting at the train station for returning cruisers. We are in LaSpezia on a Sunday. It is actually Father's Day and we wanted to have dinner in Florence.