Day trips from the Port of Livorno, Italy
Choose your travel adventure. Upon disembarking at the port of Livorno, Italy, do you:
a) Board a crowded bus enduring an hour-long trip to Florence?
b) Plunge immediately into the beautiful scenery which includes Mediterranean views, wineries and picturesque villages?
After three decades of cruise travel including multiple Med cruises, we recommend option b. Yes, Florence is lovely, but packed with tourists. As for Pisa, the leaning tower is the only thing there of note, and not worth the hassle of getting there.
On our recent trip to this region, we focused on the area around the charming city of Lucca, a 30-minute drive from Livorno. Dale, a big-time Opera Queen, demanded to see this city, the birthplace of composer Puccini. We rented a car to save time and give us the flexibility we wanted.
MMOB TIP: If you rent a car, watch for unexpected rental agency closing times. This is often between noon and 3:00 p.m. but can vary. Also, locals will tell you to never leave valuables in your car unattended, even in a public parking garage.
Cinque Terre
The iconic Cinque Terre (literally ‘five lands’) long ago earned a place on our bucket list. The Cinque Terre consists of five neighboring but distinct tiny villages clinging to the cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea. Each town possesses its own unique character, topography, and even dialect.
Perched on the hills, these villages offer a warren of twisting old streets. Following one of these cobblestoned paths can lead you anywhere from Nonna’s house to a dead end or an unexpected and magnificent sea view. The vistas, rustic architecture and ancient streets give these towns a magical ambience. We felt as if we were on the set of an early Sophia Loren movie, with Mark cast as Sophia herself!
This area has earned a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation . Active types can walk the foot paths (sometimes requiring significant hiking skill) between some of the closely clustered villages. We opted for a day pass on the train servicing each of the villages for 18 Euros per person. That left more time for the important things like the reasonably priced, but complex and flavorful local wine, cheese made within distance of a few miles, sweet bakery confections, and leisurely conversations with our companions Gilles and Gord.
MMOB TIP : If you’re driving, the town of La Spezia is your ideal jumping off place and has an underground parking garage at the train station. The 8 Euro cost for much of the day was well worth it.
Viareggio
One of the main reasons for our visit to this regions was the annual Carnevale in Viareggio. Mark attended this event several years ago with Italian friends and he raved about the experience. After participating with him for the first time this year, I have to agree that Viareggio’s Carnevale is amazing! We felt very much a part of the festivities, with the ability to move right into the parade and mingle with the participants.
While Carnevale is not for those who hate crowds, we loved the energy of the gathering and the campy satire of the floats. Italian politicians and the Church received much of the ridicule, but Donald Trump was a major target as well.
For those inclined toward male beauty, we can attest there is no shortage of handsome Italian eye candy! Since they share a common gene pool, we assume the area women offer similar visual pleasures to those attuned to female charms, but we have to admit we didn’t notice. A ciascuno il suo (to each his own).
Viareggio’s beach is broad and popular. Just to the south you’ll find Torre del Lago with it’s popular gay beach.
Viareggio, with its lovely Mediterranean beach, is famous for its summertime LGBT scene. At Torre del Lago in the southern section of town, you’ll find gay and drag bars, a gay beach and gay-friendly lodging. With many European LGBT visitors, this area feels a bit like an Italian Provincetown.
MMOB TIP: Getting there: Viareggio is only about 20 minutes by train from Pisa. From Livorno, it is about 45 minutes by car, and between 40 minutes to an hour by train through Lucca.
Lucca
Modern Lucca nests itself around a lovely walled city. In the old town, nearly every corner provides a remarkable photo op, and we enjoyed a wide range of shopping options. With stunning old buildings from the Roman, medieval, gothic to renaissance periods, the old city is a history buff’s paradise, known as “the city of 100 churches.” Lucca gives you a change to simply relax and to enjoy Italy. Absorb the historic sites, appreciate the food, the markets, the people without worrying about checking items off some “must-see” list. We’d go back in a heartbeat.
Dale venerates the statue of his operatic hero, composer Giacomo Puccini, born in Lucca.
During Carnevale in Italy, a treat with local variations becomes available, “Frittelle di Carnevale,” or carnival fritters. These soft, fragrant morsels are an explosion of flavor. We relished in a bag (truthfully, a small suitcase full!) that were filled with either creamy, rich chocolate, sweetened and aromatic rice, or a subtle lemon-flavored cream.
MMOB TIP: The Lucca train station is conveniently located within an easy walk of the old walled city. Consider a hotel near the station and you’ll be in the best area to enjoy this gem of a city in a stress-free way.
Treat yourself to a cruise with this beautiful area of Northern Italy as a destination. Imagine yourself relaxing in a Gelateria. Enjoy your choice of a fresh pasta cooked al dente with a savory made-to-order sauce. Try an assortment of the remarkable local cheeses. Even the simplest restaurants here offer surprisingly good house wine which tastes even better in the Italian sun.
