Florence/Pisa....surrounding secrets?

[sockmonkeys]

Having enjoyed these two magnificent venues...any surrounding "must sees" from CC adventurers? Returning to Livorno this fall.

 

Cheers

[Hlitner]

My goodness....from Livorno you have access to a major part of Tuscany. The main limitation is your own spirit of adventure. Rent a car (Sifracar.com will deliver right to the pier) and drive yourself to places like San Gimignano, Volterra, Lucca, Colle val d'elsea, or perhaps along the S222 wine road that snakes through the Chianti wine district (between Florence and Sienna). And if you have time we could probably come up with another dozen ideas :). There is a reason that hoards of tourists choose to spend weeks (or even months) in this region of Italy.

 

All that being said, I do not think we would ever get tired of being in Florence. Despite several port day visits, and more then a week in a hotel, this city still has a strong attraction.

 

Hank

Edited May 29, 2016 by Hlitner

[cruisemom42]

If you don't want to rent a car, Lucca is easily reached by train.

[iancal]

We spent three days in Lucca. We prefer it to Pisa. Very easy to reach by train.

 

Renting a car is by far your best bet.

[Midwest_Traveler]

Another option, if you do spend the day in Florence, is to take the bus up to Fiesole. It's a small town on a hilltop overlooking Florence with amazing views. It also has Etruscan ruins and a small museum. Fiesole is a lovely place to spend the afternoon.

 

You can catch a public bus (#7) from directly in front of the Florence train station. The last stop is Fiesole and I think it was about 30 minutes away from the station.

 

Alternatively, if you do rent a car, I recommend Siena and San Gimignano. I studied abroad in Siena and it is a beautiful walled city with an incredible Duomo (including zebra marble and medieval manuscripts on display). San Gimignano is a Tuscan hill town with beautiful views and a store that has won the award for best gelato in the world many years.