Florence and Pisa

[Headtke's Wife]

During our stop in Florence we are hoping to go to the leaning tower of Pisa and climb it. The tours we are finding are expensive and most don't allow time for climbing it. We are hoping to get there on our own. Has anyone done this and can you recommend how to get there,buy tickets, etc. thanks!

[euro cruiser]

Your heading says Florence and Pisa, are you trying to get to both in the same day? While it can be done on your own, you don't wind up with much time in either place.

 

To get to Pisa from Livorno is quite easy by train. From your ship on your own you really have only two options, the shuttle bus (fees differ based on cruise line) or a taxi. The shuttle bus drops you in town at Piazza Grande, which is still about a mile and a half from the train station at Piazza Dante. There is a local bus you can take from there to the train station but it is usually very crowded and that crowd transfers to the train station, meaning long lines for ticket purchase.

 

The better way, in my opinion, is to grab a taxi to the train station. They will charge you 20 Euro for the (approximately) two and a half mile trip, but it's worth it to get there ahead of everyone else. You can put up to six people in the cab for the same fare.

 

From Livorno Centrale to Pisa Centrale takes about 15 minutes and costs Euro 2,30. If you're not in a rush you can easily walk from the train station to the tower area, Piazza dei Miracoli, a distance of just about a mile in a pretty straight line. You could also take the local bus or a taxi.

 

It's a good idea to pre-reserve tickets for the tower if you want to climb it. It's certainly possible to get tickets when you walk up, but they only allow a limited number of people up every 20 minutes and you may have to wait until a later time period. The web site for reservations is here: http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Torre/index.jsp

[bonsai3s]

Your heading says Florence and Pisa, are you trying to get to both in the same day? While it can be done on your own, you don't wind up with much time in either place.

 

To get to Pisa from Livorno is quite easy by train. From your ship on your own you really have only two options, the shuttle bus (fees differ based on cruise line) or a taxi. The shuttle bus drops you in town at Piazza Grande, which is still about a mile and a half from the train station at Piazza Dante. There is a local bus you can take from there to the train station but it is usually very crowded and that crowd transfers to the train station, meaning long lines for ticket purchase.

 

The better way, in my opinion, is to grab a taxi to the train station. They will charge you 20 Euro for the (approximately) two and a half mile trip, but it's worth it to get there ahead of everyone else. You can put up to six people in the cab for the same fare.

 

From Livorno Centrale to Pisa Centrale takes about 15 minutes and costs Euro 2,30. If you're not in a rush you can easily walk from the train station to the tower area, Piazza dei Miracoli, a distance of just about a mile in a pretty straight line. You could also take the local bus or a taxi.

 

It's a good idea to pre-reserve tickets for the tower if you want to climb it. It's certainly possible to get tickets when you walk up, but they only allow a limited number of people up every 20 minutes and you may have to wait until a later time period. The web site for reservations is here: http://boxoffice.opapisa.it/Torre/index.jsp

 

 

That's excellent and accurate information from eurocruiser...thanks!

 

We originally planned on going to both Pisa and Florence. The evening before our arrival in Livorno, we received a note from the purser's desk saying that all local transportation will be on strike the next day.

 

We were disappointed to say the least When we docked in Livorno, we took our time and decided to take the shuttle to town and just walk around. ($8/person/roundtrip) In the shuttle, we overheard many passengers saying that the strike was cancelled!

 

Right on the spot, we decided to go to Pisa...via train. Around the corner of Piazza Grande is the Tourist Information Office...get your maps there. Across the street is the bus stop to the train station...it took less than 10 minutes and we were at the train station. Although crowded, it did not take long to purchase our tickets. (Make sure to validate it before boarding the train)

 

We looked on the screen to find the correct platform for Pisa and joined the hundreds of Italian workers and students on the train.

 

Here's the surprise...Pisa is ONLY 1 stop from Livorno!

 

It didn't take very long...just about everyone got off in Pisa. Outside the train station is an oversized map that clearly shows the Tower...less than a mile away. You can take the taxi or the bus...but walking was absolutely wonderful. You'll see cafes, restaurants, stores, churches, museums, and ever smiling locals.

 

My wife wanted to walk up the Tower but was discouraged after seeing the long line.

Perhaps if you're thinking of going to Pisa...go for it...its easy, quick, and simple. :)

[TLCOhio]

During our stop in Florence we are hoping to go to the leaning tower of Pisa and climb it. The tours we are finding are expensive and most don't allow time for climbing it. We are hoping to get there on our own. Has anyone done this and can you recommend how to get there' date=' buy tickets, etc. thanks![/quote']

 

You have gotten some very info from eurocruiser. And good points were raised by bonsai3s, especially about the "luck" in lines to go up and down the famed Tower. There are serious "trade-offs" consider as there is so much, so great in Florence. You can only see a small portion of the greatness there in one day. Split your time between BOTH Florence and Pisa is tough. Research both, but think about what you most want to see and do.

 

Let me give a couple other "angles" or aspects to consider. Doing it yourself is great, but TIME IS MONEY!!! Sometimes the use of a cab or tour (ship or private) can give you a good overview, speed your logistics, allow some resting of your feet and brain, etc. Given all that you are spending for your cruise and air flights, don't pinch pennies too much that you miss some of the greatness in these charming and historic cities.

 

Then what and how do you want to “ENJOY" and "EXPERIENCE" things in Italy, etc? Rush-rush and gulp it down like soda pop or beer . . . OR . . . sip and savor the moments like fine wine, doing people watching, sensing an enjoyment of life and the humanity, the architecture, history and charm? It's your choice. I just wanted to be honest and make sure you understand your options and trade-offs.

 

To get you excited about BOTH, here are some of my visuals from visiting both great places.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 71,463 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

On our first visit to Pisa, we were very impressed by its famed Leaning Tower. This tower is much taller than I expected. It is 185’ high. Big for that era and their construction tools/techniques! They just completed a major cleaning of the tower in the weeks before our June visit. Below shows its overall look/setting and then one focused on its lower ground-level. Work on the white marble campanile began in 1173, during a period of Pisa’s military success and financial prosperity. The tower began to sink as construction started on the second floor in 1178. This was due to having only a three-meter foundation, set in weak, unstable, sandy subsoil. Construction was halted for almost a century, due to the Republic of Pisa being almost continually engaged in battles with the city-states of Genoa, Lucca and Florence. The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was added in 1372. Also impressive here are the Pisa Baptistry (begun in the mid 12th century) and Duomo (main) church (construction started in 1064 as a model of Pisan Romanesque style of architecture). Pisa has a couple of major universities here. There is another church here that also has a leaning (and shorter) tower. We drove by that site, also. Two leaning towers in Pisa! How many knew that?:

 

 

 

 

 

Across the Arno River is Florence's famed Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge"). It is a Medieval bridge dating to its construction in 1345. It is noted for having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops. The present tenants are jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It has been described as Europe's oldest wholly-stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge.:

 

 

 

Here is one shot of the "skyline" of Florence. The Duomo and its Campanile are 276' high. The dome by Brunelleschi is 299' high and completed in 1463. This wider shot of Florence also shows Palazzo Vecchio or the Town Hall completed in 1322. In the foreground is the Arno River.

 

 

 

Florence’s Duomo or Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style and completed structurally in 1436 with the famed dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white. The cathedral complex includes the Baptistery and Campanile. The three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches and until the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.:

 

 

 

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the western world. Here is one of its famous painting of Botticelli's Venus. It depicts this goddess Venus emerging from the sea as a full grown woman. Booking ahead your tickets to this great museum can avoid wasted time waiting in line during the busy times.

 

[Headtke's Wife]

Thanks everyone! We are hoping to do just pisa during our stop on the cruise. We are actually spending more time on land in Venice, Florence and Rome aftern the cruise. I am going to read through your posts tonight! I really appreciate your insight!!!