Lucca or Cinque Terre or Sienna

[sugfrompa]

We will dock for one day in Livorno next June and have visited Florence previously. We like to set up private excursions. Can anyone recommend a wonderful day out of Livorno-where to visit? Thank you!

[euro cruiser]

How much time are you willing to spend in the car, vs. at your destination (s)?

 

Siena is between 2 - 2.5 hours driving time from Livorno, so it's a commitment.

 

You could arrange a wine tour through the Chianti region, which would also be a lot of time in the car, broken up by a few stops. Maybe with enough wine the long car ride wouldn't matter so much?

 

Lucca is quick and easy, 45 minutes or so each way. It's a lovely, flat town that's easy to walk around.

 

Cinque Terre requires about two hours each way but from Livorno a car really is the only way to get there and back reasonably.

[sunsetbeachgal]

We also like private excursions...but...on our Med. Cruise last July Princess offered a full day excursion to Cinque Terra. It was very good and would have been difficult to duplicate as it involved a bus trip to and from Livorno, two private boats between towns and a train from the final town back to catch the bus home. There was a wine tasting at thine final town. I seem to remember we had an hour plus free time at each town of the three towns we visited, with more at the last one.

 

We had done Cinque Terra independently years ago, and enjoyed our return trip. Seeing it in the summer with people swimming and diving into the crystal clear blue water was great!

 

I have visited both Siena and Lucca multiple times, and between the two would choose Lucca as it is much closer. If you haven't visited Pisa before it could easily be combined with Lucca for a great day.

Edited January 8, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[kuldalai]

Lucca is the way to go . Get there by frequent trains from Livorno .

20 minute walk or taxi from Lucca station into the old city where all the action and charm is within the intact city walls .

[euro cruiser]

20 minute walk or taxi from Lucca station into the old city where all the action and charm is within the intact city walls .

Perhaps you're confusing Lucca with another town, because the train station is just outside the city wall, no more than a couple of minutes walk.

[sugfrompa]

Thank you veryone for your help. I think we are now deciding between Cinque Terre and a tour in the Chianti region, based on your comments.

Edited January 9, 2014 by sugfrompa

[euro cruiser]

Interesting choices and quite different from one another.

[sugfrompa]

2 of the 6 of us do not want to spend hours out of the day in a vehicle which is the reason for the difference in the choices. I would like personally to visit Cinque Terre, but some of the others prefer something without a lot of travel time to and from.

[euro cruiser]

Well, both choices will involve a fairly significant amount of time in the car, but the wine might make that more palatable for your friends.

 

Livorno isn't "close" to much unfortunately, other than Pisa and Lucca.

Edited January 9, 2014 by euro cruiser

[Cornishpastyman1]

2 of the 6 of us do not want to spend hours out of the day in a vehicle which is the reason for the difference in the choices. I would like personally to visit Cinque Terre, but some of the others prefer something without a lot of travel time to and from.

This shows our visit to CT in October

 

I enjoyed it despite the weather and can see why so many rave about it. If you go I hope the sun shines on you. All the best, Tony

[Hlitner]

If just going to Lucca we recommend simply taking the train (the Lucca train station is a short walk from the city walls). Lucca also works well when combined with a short visit to Pisa. If you want to go to Cinque Terre we do recommend renting a car (for pick up at the pier) and then driving directly to Riomaggiore where there is a paid parking lot/garage right in the village. There is also free parking along the road that winds down into the village...but if it's a busy day you can find yourself parked a long way up the hill from the town. Personally, we just prefer to use the lot/garage and pay the fee.

 

If your

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

If just going to Lucca we recommend simply taking the train (the Lucca train station is a short walk from the city walls). Lucca also works well when combined with a short visit to Pisa. If you want to go to Cinque Terre we do recommend renting a car (for pick up at the pier) and then driving directly to Riomaggiore where there is a paid parking lot/garage right in the village. There is also free parking along the road that winds down into the village...but if it's a busy day you can find yourself parked a long way up the hill from the town. Personally, we just prefer to use the lot/garage and pay the fee.

 

If your cruise line offers a reasonably priced transfer to Cinque Terre that is also a decent option as would be a private car/driver if you can find enough other folks (use the Roll Call to split the cost.

 

Hank

[midwestchick]

This shows our visit to CT in October

 

I enjoyed it despite the weather and can see why so many rave about it. If you go I hope the sun shines on you. All the best, Tony

 

Loved the video. Thanks for sharing. I'm happy now that we're doing an overnight in Livorno...lots of time to see things.

To the OP...the Tuscan countryside is gorgeous. I hope you're able to enjoy your day there.

[sonvoltken6]

Good info. I had made up my mind that we were going to do Siena and San Gimignano. But my old boss told me how much he loved CT, and now to see the video makes me rethink. And then my wife asks about going back to Florence to see the Ufizzi. Oh my head hurts!

[Cornishpastyman1]

Loved the video. Thanks for sharing. I'm happy now that we're doing an overnight in Livorno...lots of time to see things.

To the OP...the Tuscan countryside is gorgeous. I hope you're able to enjoy your day there.

Thanks. Here's something nearer (from Livorno) than Florence and CT - Pisa and Lucca

We did this by sharing a taxi at the dock with 3 other couples. It was about €40 pp and we had an hour at Pisa and 3 hours at Lucca. With hindsight 2 and 2 would have been better, but it was still a lovely day. All the best, Tony

[Hlitner]

Good info. I had made up my mind that we were going to do Siena and San Gimignano. But my old boss told me how much he loved CT, and now to see the video makes me rethink. And then my wife asks about going back to Florence to see the Ufizzi. Oh my head hurts!

 

You have made my case that the best way to see Italy is on a land trip. We do love our Med cruises but accept the limitations. We have also spent several very lengthy driving trips in Italy (and elsewhere in Europe) and those trips have been fantastic and provide a perspective that cannot be found on a cruise. It is one thing to run around places like Florence on a too short port day, but its a different experience when you spend a few days in the city and enjoy long dinners in wonderful local restaurants. It is the same at the villages of Cinque Terre where spending at least one night in a village is a very neat experience. So the answer to your "head ache" is to go back to Italy for at least 2 weeks :)

 

Hank

[midwestchick]

Thanks. Here's something nearer (from Livorno) than Florence and CT - Pisa and Lucca

We did this by sharing a taxi at the dock with 3 other couples. It was about €40 pp and we had an hour at Pisa and 3 hours at Lucca. With hindsight 2 and 2 would have been better, but it was still a lovely day. All the best, Tony

 

 

Loved the videos, Tony...thank you.

We did Pisa two years ago...once was enough with the crowds and we did Florence last year and had been there years and years ago.

We are doing Lucca one day while we're in Livorno and then one day the countryside. The day we are in Portovenere, we are doing Cinque Terre.

[sonvoltken6]

You have made my case that the best way to see Italy is on a land trip. We do love our Med cruises but accept the limitations. We have also spent several very lengthy driving trips in Italy (and elsewhere in Europe) and those trips have been fantastic and provide a perspective that cannot be found on a cruise. It is one thing to run around places like Florence on a too short port day, but its a different experience when you spend a few days in the city and enjoy long dinners in wonderful local restaurants. It is the same at the villages of Cinque Terre where spending at least one night in a village is a very neat experience. So the answer to your "head ache" is to go back to Italy for at least 2 weeks :)

 

Hank

 

Yes, your point is well taken. My original goal after our first Med cruise was to do a land trip, staying in the 3 biggies and doing side trips to CT, Orvietto, Siena, etc. That will have to wait as my wife wants to keep cruising.

[Cornishpastyman1]

Loved the videos, Tony...thank you.

We did Pisa two years ago...once was enough with the crowds and we did Florence last year and had been there years and years ago.

We are doing Lucca one day while we're in Livorno and then one day the countryside. The day we are in Portovenere, we are doing Cinque Terre.

Excellent. Make sure you go for swim there like Lord Byron :) We must have passed his grotto but I missed it :mad:

Edited January 14, 2014 by Cornishpastyman1