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For those of you well traveled to Italy. Is it worth it to take a 10 hr cruise tour that includes Florence & Pisa? States 2 hrs travel time each way so 4 hrs wasted on a bus. Not sure how much time allowed to tour Florence. A Pisa tour alone is 4 hr trip. Big difference... This is our first trip to Europe on a 13 day cruise with many ports plus we will be staying in Venice & taking train to Rome after. Thanks!
10 hours is a long day and 4 hours is a long time in the bus. Florence has much more to see than can be seen in a few hours. So the result of the 10 hour tour would be mainly the ability to say that you have been to Florence.
(Assuming you are docking at Livorno) consider making Pisa a longer and more leisurely day. Plenty to see there.
If you climb the tower (and you should) be aware that you have to store your bags before, but not too much before, your scheduled time. Very confusing and very Italian.
Florence is very important in architecture and art and I would rather return for a visit of several days than have a short and rushed visit.
I do agree, very rushed running around trying to see what we could with the limited time involved. We are staying in Rome for 6 nights and did see where we could take the train to Florence for at least a full day tour. Sadly did not research enough as train from Venice goes thru Florence and could have stayed a couple of days before arriving in Rome. Will see if any changes can be made.
I wouldn't take a ten hour bus tour to Florence. You will be herded around the crowded city into crowded churches and museums. That is not the way to experience Tuscany. Leave Florence for another time or stop in Florence on your rail trip from Venice to Rome.
Are there other tour options that would take you into the Tuscan countryside? Wine tours? Is there a tour to the Cinque Terre? That is so beautiful.
I assume your ship will be docking at Livorno? Have you tried to find a private tour from Livorno to Florence where you're not herded around so much? The private tour operators are often in smaller buses, and they're more efficient and less expensive.
You can find them online.
Other than a beautiful church and The Tower, Pisa really isn't as important as seeing Florence. It's about 60 miles from Livorno to Florence which is maybe a 90 minute ride. You should still have time to see Florence with an independent tour.
If you later end up in Civitavecchia in order to tour Rome, I would suggest you find a guided tour. It's a city with so much history, art, food and culture that you want to see it the right way. My wife and I have been there many times, and we'd take a 45 minute train from Civitavecchia into Rome Termini.
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