Degustación de Tapas - Part 11

A Western Mediterranean cruise continues...

The fourth day of cruising began with yet another big breakfast and what seemed like our first full day of sunshine. Hurray!
Our ship pulled into the third port -- Livorno. From here, many can travel from the coast to several possible destinations; ours would be two of the most popular ones -- Florence and Pisa, Italy.

Scenes from Livorno and Florence: 

Top: Livorno port, early morning.
Bottom left: the train to Florence/ Right: Our goal - the Dome!

I hadn't really prepared too much for Florence. We both agreed to head from the train station to the Dome, the city's most famous landmark. I had also pre-booked tickets to the Museum Accademia, where we could view Michelangelo's infamous statue of "David" (sorry, no photos were allowed inside).

Dome interior, Livorno town square, the Dome outside:

After touring the Dome, on the way back to the train station, we stopped at Gelateria Very Good to eat some ice cream. We got scammed!! So, I've posted the address of the shop and the 14 other poor reviews they got (via Trip Advisor) below. If you check Rick Steve's Europe Graffiti Wall, you'll find many Gelato scams in Italy, so be careful.

Despite that setback, we enjoyed catching the slow train to Pisa....
I took photos inside the train, and of the Tuscany train route map (click for details). From Florence to Pisa takes about 2 hours (slow train) and Livorno is the next stop after Pisa.

Once at Pisa, we walked to the leaning tower with two tourists from Hong Kong, whom we met on the train. If you pay 5 Euros more, you can go inside the white church and basilica there. While the church was impressive, it's not really necessary to go inside.

If you wish to climb inside the tower (not recommended), it will also cost extra. Walking around the base and grounds of the tower, church and basilica, is completely free. As a tourist destination, Pisa is quite nice -- it's a quieter town and there are many nice cafes on the way to the tower. I would have liked to have spent more time here... ^_^

Cutenekko at Pisa! Scenes from the church interior, Pisa. 

We headed back to the ship around 4:30 and got dressed up for another dinner and more entertainment. I will show you next time.

Travel Tips for Florence and Pisa: 

1) Museums:

There are two big ones art lovers must see: Museum Accademia (featuring Michelangelo's famous works) and the Uffizi Gallery (housing historical works of many Italian artists). Pre-book tickets online to avoid long line ups. Again, I recommend the Weekend in Italy site. I think joining a tour is not necessary; just walk around yourself. Allow 2~3 hours minimum. The statue David is amazing. I spent 30 minutes just staring at it. Worth every penny.

2) Trains:

Sorry, no BRIG ticket for Florence. But local tickets are cheap. We paid 18 Euros for two adults, one way, from Livorno to Florence. Trains leave every hour from the station. Station staff spoke English, so there were no problems. If you don't want to wait in the line, you can buy train tickets from the newsstand too. 

3) Gelato Scam:

We got scammed in Florence. The shop name is "Gelateria Very Good". The address is: Via Panzani 55/R Firenze, Italy. Many reviewers on Trip Advisor also hated this shop. The location is close to the train station, on the way to the Dome. You can tell the shop by the fancy display case but no prices listed anywhere!! Avoid this shop at all costs. They charged us 10 Euros for one double cup, which was ridiculous. 

Please follow these tips. Do not buy any gelato if....

• there are no prices listed in the shop
• the server refuses to offer a small size (or only shows the largest size)
• a double is more than 5 Euros. A single should be around 3 Euros.

4) How to get from Livorno port to the train station (using local transport only):
It's easy, but will take about an hour (including wait times; buying tickets; etc):

1. Get on the white port bus which will go to the town square. Cost: 5 Euros (return -- keep your ticket! You'll need it for the return trip)
2. The port bus will drop you off near the town square. Walk to the square (3 mins). Buy a ticket for the city bus to the train station. You can purchase tickets at the green newsstand in the squre, close to the bus stop. Bus No.101A or B go to the station. (15 mins or so)

- Other options:

Many taxi touts will try to entice you with "40 Euros to Florence / Pisa Return". It's a bit misleading. They will offer you the trip for that price; however, you'll share a van with 8 other passengers! Traveling by train costs less and is quite fun. I wouldn't bother taking a taxi. 

5) Around Florence and Pisa: 

You can walk, easily. Don't waste your money taking a taxi or the bus. A great guide book for the Florence & Tuscany area is: Rick Steves' Florence & Tuscany 2013 It's more comprehensive than the Lonely Planet guides, as well as much cheaper. 

Walk from Pisa station to the famous leaning tower:

It takes 20 minutes. It's quite easy. From the station: go straight. When you cross a bridge over a river, walk a little further, then go left. The white tower should be in your eyesight. We stopped and asked two nice police officers for directions just before crossing the river. They both spoke English well and gave perfect directions. I recommend looking out for the police officers when you get to the river/bridge; or, ask station staff for directions. Simple English is widely spoken. Spanish is more easily understood as it is similar to Italian. My partner spoke in Spanish while in Italy. It was very effective. ^_^