|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Livorno, Italy |
|
Fast Facts: |
Gateway to Tuscany and
the cities of Pisa, Lucca, Florence and Siena |
|
Coordinates: |
43° 33' N 10° 19′ E |
|
Population: |
161,000 |
|
Official
language: |
Italian;
some English spoken |
|
Currency: |
Euro |
|
Time: |
UTC+1
(Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Rome) |
|
Best
time to visit: |
April - October |
|
Don't
miss: |
Livorno boasts some
sights and offers mediocre shopping possibilities, but nothing
beats the sights and sounds of the nearby Renaissance cities of
Florence, Lucca and Pisa |
|
ShipParade link: |
SeaDream
I - Western Mediterranean cruise
(October, 2007) |
|
Useful link: |
Port of
Livorno |
|
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Back to
top |
|
|
|
Livorno climate chart
|
|
Metric |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Avg.
high (C) |
11 |
12 |
14 |
18 |
22 |
26 |
29 |
28 |
26 |
21 |
15 |
11 |
|
Avg. low
(C) |
2 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
10 |
14 |
16 |
17 |
14 |
11 |
6 |
3 |
|
Avg.
precip. (mm) |
73.7 |
68.6 |
76.2 |
78.7 |
61.0 |
43.2 |
22.9 |
55.9 |
86.9 |
119.4 |
121.9 |
86.4 |
|
|
|
|
English/US |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Avg.
high (F) |
51 |
54 |
58 |
64 |
71 |
78 |
84 |
83 |
78 |
70 |
59 |
52 |
|
Avg. low
(F) |
35 |
37 |
40 |
45 |
50 |
57 |
61 |
62 |
57 |
51 |
43 |
37 |
|
Avg.
precip. (in) |
2.90 |
2.70 |
3.00 |
3.10 |
2.40 |
1.70 |
0.90 |
2.20 |
3.50 |
4.70 |
4.80 |
3.40 |
|
|
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|
Livorno photos |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
If you are lucky, your ship will
dock in the downtown area. If you're not lucky, you can end up
in the container port which is far, far away. Instead of the many overpriced
excursions, you might want to consider taking the train to any
of the Renaissance cities. Pisa is just 15 minutes away by
train. Take a taxi to the Livorno railway station; walking
takes forever. Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
|
World famous landmark of Pisa is
its leaning tower. We were quite unimpressed with the tower,
but all the more with the beautiful Duomo and Bapistry next
door. The whole "piazza" was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1987. Rightfully so! Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
 |
|
Construction of the Duomo began in
1063. After a fire in 1595, the church was redecorated. The
apse features a mosaic which survived the fire. It was made in
the 1300s. The stunning gold-decorated ceiling gives Pisa
Duomo a style all her own. Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
|
Florence is a definite highlight
of any Mediterranean cruise. Don't even think of cramming too
many cities into a single day; in order to truly appreciate
Florence you must spend several hours here. Unless you want to
visit the Uffizi Museum, your best bet is booking one of the
"Florence on your own" tours, which basically consist of a
coach transfer from your ship to the center of town. The city
is easy to explore on foot. Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
 |
|
In a city so full of history, your
eyes and brain will be working overtime. To the left: a
replice of Michelangelo's David that is parked in front of the
Town Hall. To the right. the exquisite Duomo and bell tower,
well worth a visit. Photos ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
|
The Ponte Vecchio was constructed
in 1345 and crosses the River Arno. It houses many gold shops
and gets quite crowded on any hour of the day. Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
 |
|
One of the joys of discovering
Florence on your own is that you can decide your own pace. So
instead of frantically following a tour guide, you can order
some scrumptious Italian ice cream (left) or browse the gold
shops on the Ponte Vecchio (right). Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
 |
 |
|
Be warned. Sitting down on a
terrace will cost you! We ordered a cappuccino on the most
prestigious terrace in town: the Rivoire faces the Town Hall.
With that in mind, we were more than willing to pay € 12 for
two coffees. And after coffee wander around some more until
you find that perfect little Italian trattoria where the owner
will bring you his favorite wine and food. For us, this is the
only way to fully appreciate Florence. Photo ©
2007 Bart de Boer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
