Description
Pisa and Florence with Uffizi or David – Private Shore Excursion from Livorno
After having met your driver at the cruiser terminal in Livorno (welcome sign with your name), sit back and enjoy your drive through the Tuscan countryside towards Florence .
Driving up the beautiful Viale Galileo and Viale dei Colli, we reach the marvellous terrace called Piazzale Michelangelo(named after the artist who sculpted the original David statue). Here you get the most impressive view of the city.
Nearby you can also see the white and green marble façade of the S. Miniato al Monte church – one of the purest examples of the Florentine Romanesque style.
After leaving the church, we follow an uphill road, bordered by the ancient city walls, until we reach Forte Belvedere, built around 1590 by the Grand-duke Ferdinand to protect the Medici villas.
Driving down from the Fort, passing the old gate to the city, the Porta Romana, we come Pitti Palace, which hosts many galleries and museums (Gallery of Modern Art, Costume Gallery, Palatine Gallery, Royal Apartments, Coach Museum, Silver and Porcelain museums, etc) and a magnificent park called the Boboli Gardens.
Next we head for the city center, to the Piazza della Repubblica, surrounded by the historical literary cafés, where long ago important intellectuals gathered together.
Following the Via De’Calzaiuoli, which connects Piazza del Duomo (S. Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell tower) toPiazza Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi , etc.) you will be able to admire the best masterpieces of Renaissance art, breathing in the magical atmosphere that only Florence can offer.
Our driver, completely at your disposition, will be more than happy to take you to Piazza Santa Croce to visit the Santa Croce church, where many famous Italians are buried, and then take a must-deserved rest, or to the elegant Ponte Vecchio, meaning “old bridge”, dates back to 1345, when it was built to replace a bridge that was swept away by a horrible flood; today, the bridge is visited by many tourists, and is home to gold and jewelery vendors.
For the shopping lovers or the hungry soul, there are also many shops and “trattoria” to dive into, so everyone in the group can satisfy their desires whether it be a smart leather jacket, or a scrumptious plate of pasta!
Few cities of comparable size can boast such a profusion and variety of high quality goods with Italian design. The most important street for shopping is Via De’ Tornabuoni with designer boutiques like Prada, Gucci, Armani, Ferragamo, Valentino, Vuitton, Damiani, Cartier, Trussardi, Eleuteri, Buccellati, Coveri, Versace, Tiffany, YSL, Zegna, Desmo, Chopard, Tod’s, Cavalli etc.
We can also see what the local craftsmen have to offer in the small local workshops in the Santa Croce or Santo Spirito neighborhoods, or practice your bargaining skills at the San Lorenzo outdoor market.
In the afternoon, you will leave Florence and enjoy the 50 minute drive to the university town of Pisa where you will have a brief stop by the Field of Miracles for photographs and to marvel at the exterior of the Campanile, better known as theLeaning Tower.
This famous Bell Tower leans over 16 feet out of perpendicular! Efforts to stabilize the building are made constantly together with a continued monitoring process of the structure. Time ermitting, you will also see Lungarno and Cavalieri Square.
After your tour of Pisa, relax on the half hour transfer back to your ship in Livorno.
Private shore excursion tour to visit Pisa and Florence; in Florence private tour of Uffizi Gallery or David at the Academia with private expert guide; private car and professional driver at disposal for your shore excursion tour from Livorno port; stop in Pisa to admire the Leaning Tower; skip the line at Uffizi Gallery or Academia Gallery with our pre booked tickets.
In Livorno port at disembark from your cruise ship meet our selected professional English speaking driver for your private shore excursion tour in Tuscany. At your arrival in Florence, the Tuscany art town considered the birthplace of Renaissance rich in art and architecture, meet your private guide for a 3 hour tour including Uffizi Gallery or Academia with David (to specify at the reservation), skip the line at the museums with our prebooked tickets. Your private walking tour in Florence will include the main highlights like: the Brunelleschi’s Duomo, the Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery with its famous bronze gates representing scenes from the Old and New Testament called “The Gates of Paradise”. A stop in Piazza della Signoria with Palazzo Vecchio and a walk to Ponte Vecchio, the famous Medieval bridge over the Arno River lined on both sides with shop windows of jewelery shops.
You have free time for your shopping spree in the boutiques of the centre of Florence and for lunch on your own.
In the mid-afternoon met your driver who will accompany you to the port of Livorno to re-embark on your cruise ship. A last breath taking view of the Renaissance town with a stop at Piazzale Michelangelo on the hills over Florence. On the way back to Livorno a stop in Pisa where you have time to visit Piazza dei Miracoli with the Leaning Tower, Duomo and Baptistery.
For groups larger than 8 a city tax check point will be added for the bus entrance to Florence for (215.00 euro), Pisa (130.00 euro), Siena (100.00 euro), San Gimignano (60.00 euro), Lucca (35.00 euro), Livorno Pier (60.00 euro), La Spezia Pier (100.00 euro) Consequently, it is much cheaper to book one or more minibus with 8 seats with a real english speaking driver on board.
