Livorno Private Tour - Option 2

Highights of Florence - Discovery

Starting from Livorno

Tour Summary-
Type: Culture, Free Time, Historic Monuments
Length: 8 - 9 hours (traffic pending)
Walking: Difficult - uneven surfaces
Mobility: Folding wheelchairs OK, some sites may be inaccessible (advance notice required)
Guide: Based on group size- see comments with price
Languages: English
Prices: Scroll Down or Click here for Prices

This tour is perfect for those who want to explore, shop and experience Florence without tight time tables or too much hand holding. Your driver guide or tour leader points out top sites but you decide how to spend your time.

Your English speaking driver guide will meet you at your cruise ship in Livorno. As an introduction to Florence, the Renaissance city, a stop at the Piazzale Michelangelo is your starting point. From this look out point there are beautiful panoramic views of the city.  When you arrive in Florence you have approximately 4.5 hours to explore the city center and museums independently on foot. 

If you’d like to visit one or two of the famous museums of Florence, you’ll have that opportunity with this tour.  You could visit the Uffizi Gallery (the oldest and most important in Florence) that offers the greatest collection of Italian art in the world.  Some of the great artists whose works are on display here include: Giotto, da Vinci, Raphael, Rubens, Titian, Michelangelo and Botticelli. 
 
Two other highly recommended museum options are the Accademia or the Bargello.  The Accademia is most famous for two things: Michelangelo’s David (one of the great symbols of the Renaissance) and his unfinished Prisoners.  The Bargello sculpture museum is located in a former prison.  It houses a vast collection of Renaissance statues among which are works by Ghilberti, Donatello and Michelangelo.  There is also an extraordinary collection of minor works; arms, ceramics, earthenware, bronzes as well as Medici family treasures.
 
If you decide to visit the city sites other than the museums, you have many options:  You may choose to visit the Cathedral complex in the heart of Florence which includes the gothic Duomo (the dome designed by Brunellesci is a real marvel), Giotto's bell tower and the Baptistery, with its bronze doors commonly referred to as the Gates of Paradise. 

Next consider heading over to the Piazza della Signoria to see a copy of Michelangelo’s David in the outdoor setting for which it was originally designed.  You'll also see the 14th-century Loggia, which houses several famous sculptures and the grand Palazzo Vecchio (Florence’s most famous and imposing palazzo, once home to the reigning Medici family). 

Why not stroll down to the famous Ponte Vecchio, built in 1220?   This bridge crossing the Arno River is lined with shops that traditionally sell gold and silver.  There is a passageway above the shops that connected the Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace. 

You might also choose to visit the 14th-century Santa Croce Church, which holds the tombs of great Florentines including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, the composer Rossini, as well as a memorial to Dante.  Also, if you are interested in shopping for leather on your trip, Florence is the ideal city for it.  There are many quality leather shops near Santa Croce.

Your driver guide returns you to the ship later this afternoon.

Tour Breakdown-
1- Depart pier and drive to Florence- 1.5 - 2 hours (traffic pending)
2- Stop at Piazzale Michelangelo- 30 Minutes
3- Visit Florence Independently- 4.5 Hours
4- Return to pier in Livorno- 1.5 - 2 hours  (traffic pending)

See More Options in this Port

Private Sightseeing Tours and Shore Excursions from Livorno to Florence.