Enjoy a safe, easy, and truly affordable shuttle service to and from Florence from your cruise ship pier area in Livorno! Cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, enchanting, and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine. The cinematic 15th and 16th-century churches, palaces, and museums; the booming Italian fashion industry born and bred here, and the proud culinary tradition and fine wine beg you to indulge yourself in the sweet life!
Guests will take the free pier shuttle from the terminal. Upon meeting the staff close to your Livorno cruise port, you will board your air-conditioned luxury coach for the short 75-minute drive to Florence. While on board you will enjoy free wifi, assistance in English, Italian, and Spanish, and receive a free map for your own personal use. With over four hours of free time in the city available to you, there are plenty of options to satisfy your senses in this deliciously historic city. Your driver will tell you when and exactly where you will meet for the return trip back to Livorno.
The city center, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built on the site of an Etruscan settlement, rose to economic and cultural pre-eminence under the Medici in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its 600 years of extraordinary artistic activity can be seen above all in the 13th-century cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore), the Church of Santa Croce, the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, and the work of great masters such as Giotto, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, and Michelangelo.
If you have been caught by the fashion bug, homegrown designers Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo opened haute-couture boutiques in Florence in the 1920s, and shopping in the Tuscan capital has been stylish ever since. "A-lister" fashion houses line Via de' Tornabuoni, and a myriad of specialist boutiques selling all types of beautiful clothes run alongside family-owned botteghe (workshops) in a glorious tangle of medieval backstreets. Tantalizing taste buds for centuries, the city, surrounded by wine-rich hills, is a gourmet paradise where exceptional eating and drinking are mandatory. Raw cuisine, fish bistros, craft cocktails, and the dazzling creativity of modern young Tuscan chefs add a contemporary edge.
For those who enjoy becoming one with the vibe, there are numerous independent walking excursions with professional, English-speaking guides to lead you on your Tuscan journey - the guides are available for hire and the price is not included in your excursion price. For those that want to move in complete comfort and watch the city from a privileged point of view, double-decker open buses with multilingual commentary will surely not disappoint. You can purchase your Florence City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus 1 Day Excursion here.
Your departure time from Florence is 03:45 PM, please make sure to arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time at Piazzale Montelongo. Once on board your comfortable transportation, you will be returned to Livorno where you can take the shuttle back to your Livorno cruise terminal or continue to explore at your own expense.
Please note: A separate voucher will be emailed to you. You must print the voucher and give it to the local operator in order to do the excursion; do not give them your Shore Excursioneer e-ticket.
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