Livorno attractions?

[tontok]

Hello all,

 

We are visiting the port of Livorno and have decided to take an excursion to Pisa (having previously spent 2 weeks in Florence). I believe that we will have some time back in port. Should I try to book an afternoon excursion, or are there things to see/do in Livorno? I havent found much information on this port.

 

Thanks,

Marina

[seapenarth]

Hello all,

 

We are visiting the port of Livorno and have decided to take an excursion to Pisa (having previously spent 2 weeks in Florence). I believe that we will have some time back in port. Should I try to book an afternoon excursion, or are there things to see/do in Livorno? I havent found much information on this port.

 

Thanks,

Marina

 

Livorno`s main street has some pleasant shops and cafes but there`s not much else. I would go to Lucca and visit Pisa on the way back to Livorno. Lucca is really great. :)

[mcca2]

You might want to check out this page. Have fun.

 

http://www.europeportreviews.com/Florence.htm

[Keith1010]

We also look at Livorno as one of the gateway ports to places such as Pisa and Florence. I wouldn't spend much time in Livorno. You could either consider another tour or just plan to have lunch on the ship, spend an hour or so walking around town and then relax back on the ship.

 

Keith

[Fblack]

There is an inexpensive shuttle to Livorno from the pier. Other than a small church there is not much there. But they do sell great cannoli's at a small shop across from the church.

[ladybug97]

We had about 2 hours or so to spare after our day at Pisa. We did as most have suggested...walked around on the main street. It will be the street that the buses load and McDonald's. There was a grocery/retail (2 stories) store on the street that I really liked. I was able to pick up some snacks, souviners and even an outfit! It was a one-stop-shop :D

[Ship's Wake]

We were docked in Livorno on an April Oceania cruise. Depending on your port times, you should have plenty of time to take the train to Lucca and Pisa, which is what we did. We used Rick Steves' Italy guide book for the details on Lucca and Pisa.

 

From the port, take a taxi to the Livorno Centrale train station. Taxi back to the ship when you return. You'll be able to enjoy a full day of touring at a fraction of the cost of taking a ship tour.

[genni]

Of all the provincial seats of Tuscany, Livorno is perhaps the least interesting (not that the livornese would agree) due to its history. There are some vague ancient Roman traces (Liburnum or Liburnus) in the Fortezza Vecchia...heavily bombed during WWII, extensive building went on, so the 'historic center' is no longer all that visible - but there is some left. There are some parts of the old forts left, the monument to the 'Quattro Mori' (1623-1626)...in that area somthing of old Livorno can be viewed...It belonged to Pisa for some time, then, as Pisa was taken by Florence (and Pisa's port was sanding in) Livorno became an important port for Florence (Porto Mediceo - under Cosimo I de Medici...)...At times the "Amerigo Vespucci", Italy's 'tall sail ship' is in port and can be visited.

If you have already seen Florence/Pisa/Lucca...perhaps rent a car and go to Volterra, or down the coast to San Vincenzo/the Etruscan site of Populonia (great tuffa sand beach in the gulf of Barratti...about an hour and something away...a bit before, one can stop off at Bolgeri and do some wine tasting, driver excluded).

[Paul&Kathy]

There is a large market in Livorno, both enclosed in a building and in the square outside. From the shuttle drop-off point turn left into the main street and take the 2nd or 3rd turning on the right and it leads through to a food market and the main market ("American Market" I think they called it) is just beyond that. We passed a pleasant couple of hours there on our last visit to Livorno. But the shops and market all close about 1pm and don't reopen until late afternoon.

 

From there we walked through the "new Venice" area - not quite like the real thing by a long way but having visited Pisa & Florence a couple of times each exploring Livorno made a pleasant easy day.

[MickyBridges]

Both Avis and Hertz had booths at the dock right as you got off the ship in Livorno two weeks ago. We had pre-booked a car and had an extremely plesant day driving to Lucca and Pisa on the way back. Saved a boat load of money too versus RCL's excursions and we just dropped the car off back at the ship. What a beautiful place Lucca is .... they were holding a music festival in one of the Plaza's and we missed Alicia Keys by 24 hours. :confused: . Lucca was relatively uncrowded relative to some other tourist hotspots and it carries my strongest recommendation.