Shore excursion Florence

[beryl patricia]

Hi we are undecided which Florence tour to take. Ventura do a Florence on your own and a Florence guided with some free time. Has any one been on either of these it will be our first time in Florence we are not too sure how long we will be there and it is also a Sunday.

 

Thanks for any info

[lynne17]

Hello beryl patricia

 

We were on Ventura August 2009 and visited Florence on a Sunday. We took a half day tour which I seem to recall was called 'Florence on your own' (or something like it!!) The journey from Livorno took about an hour, which was less than the advertised journey time (less traffic on the roads on Sunday?) and we had a guide who gave us an informative commentary of the places/area through which we travelled.

 

Upon arriving in Florence, we were taken to a vantage point with fantastic views of the city. Camera and camcorder are a must. There was a small cafe for refreshments and The Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio were stunning. From there, we were taken into the heart of the city where we did our own thing for 2 hours or so.

 

From what I can recall, many of the shops were closed, but there were outdoor markets selling leather goods etc. All the (expensive) gold shops etc were open on the Ponte Vecchio. It was lovely being able to amble around a relatively compact centre, free from the hustle and bustle of what I assume other days must be like.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our half day, and hope you do too :).

 

Regards, Lynne

[Cleveleysgirl]

Hi Beryl Patrica

We are on the same cruise as you on the 18th and have opted for the Florence on your own. This trip seems to be for a full day compared with the other escorted tour which seems to be more time spent on the coach, some guided time in Florence and less time to look around on your own. It depends on what you like to do. We like to do our own thing and like walking/exploring on our own.

[Lovemychoos]

We've done 'Florence on your own' a few times now, as we're not into 'escorted' tours etc it's great for us.

 

Your bus will have a guide, who will walk you to the main square, and make sure you know where to meet later. You will then have the rest of the day free to do as you please, and then meet in the square for the short walk back to where the coaches park (they aren't allowed into the centre of Florence).

 

Just make sure you know what time the meet is, and make sure that if you've had some time changes on the ship, that you are on the 'right' time,lol

 

Enjoy - Florence is one of our favourite cities.

 

Lou

[Host Sharon]

If you can do Florence & Pisa together I'd recommend it, especially as it is your first time there.