Florence and Pisa (Livorno) cruise port

David by lunch, the Leaning Tower by three: Tuscany in a day.

Livorno is a big, working industrial port on the Tuscan coast, and nobody comes for Livorno: the ship is the gateway to Florence, about 1 hour 15 minutes away by train, and Pisa, 20 minutes down the same line. Ships dock deep inside the port, so you ride the port shuttle to town or a coach straight to the cities, and most calls run 10 to 12 hours to make the day work. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls here from every line, priced with taxes, fees and port expenses included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.

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Dockedindustrial port, shuttle to town; Florence 1h15 and Pisa 20 min by train

Eurocards everywhere; Italian, English at the sights

Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct60s to low 80s, the Tuscan light at its best

All inevery price includes taxes and fees

Start here

Three ways to do Florence and Pisa from Livorno

Florence on your own by train, Pisa and Lucca without the crowds, or a Tuscan countryside day: pick one and the buttons filter the list of sailings below.

Florence on your own

Train to Santa Maria Novella

Port shuttle to Piazza del Municipio (about €7 to €10 round trip, free on some lines), then city bus 1 or a €15 to €20 taxi to Livorno Centrale; regional trains to Florence every 30 to 60 minutes, about €10 to €11 and 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30
Walk from the station to the Duomo in 10 minutes, see David at the Accademia (about €20, timed) and the Uffizi (about €25, timed), cross the Ponte Vecchio and climb to Piazzale Michelangelo
Be on a train back by mid afternoon: door to door it is about 2 hours each way, so a 10 hour call gives you 5 to 6 hours in Florence

Best for: independent travelers, art lovers, repeat visitors

Pisa and Lucca

The Leaning Tower and a walled town

Pisa Centrale is 15 to 20 minutes and about €3 by train from Livorno; walk or bus 20 minutes to the Field of Miracles, where the Tower climb is about €20 with a strict timed slot and the Cathedral is free
Lucca is 25 minutes further: rent a bike and ride the top of the Renaissance walls, then lunch in the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro
Port coaches to Pisa run about $38 to $50 round trip and drop you at the Tower gate, the easiest no-stress option

Best for: families, short calls, anyone who has done Florence

Tuscany day

Chianti wine, hill towns or Cinque Terre

Ship excursions pair a Chianti estate lunch with San Gimignano or Volterra in 8 to 9 hours, about $150 to $250 per person
The Cinque Terre villages are 1 hour 30 by train via La Spezia; doable on a long call but tight, so take the ship’s version
Or stay put: Livorno’s Venezia Nuova canals, the Terrazza Mascagni seafront and a bowl of cacciucco fish stew at the Mercato Centrale, all a walk from the shuttle stop

Best for: foodies, couples, anyone tired of museums

Live from the cruise lines

Florence and Pisa (Livorno) cruises: SmartCruiser picks first

Every cruise that calls at Livorno for Florence and Pisa from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.

SmartCruiser picks

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Every cruise that calls at Livorno for Florence and Pisa

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Prices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.

Where you start

Home ports that sail to Florence and Pisa

Livorno sits between Genoa and Rome, so it is on nearly every Western Mediterranean loop; pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there.

Rome (Civitavecchia)Livorno is the day after Rome on 7 night Western Med loops from Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity and MSC Barcelona7 night Western Med sailings on Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC that call at Livorno or nearby La Spezia GenoaMSC and Costa Italian loops with Livorno as the first stop out MarseilleFrench loops on MSC and Costa that work down the coast to Livorno and Rome NaplesSouthern Italy departures that reach Livorno after a Rome day, often 10 hours in port Southampton14 night Mediterranean cruises from the UK on Princess, Cunard and P&O with a long Florence day

In port

Things to do from Livorno

Count on about 2 hours of transit each way to Florence and an hour to Pisa; here is what fits in the rest of the day.

Florence: the Duomo, David and the UffiziTrain from Livorno Centrale to Florence Santa Maria Novella in 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30, about €10 to €11 each way. Brunelleschi’s dome (free outside, timed for the climb), the Accademia for David (about €20 as of 2026) and the Uffizi (about €25) all need timed tickets booked before you sail. Five hours on foot covers the big three plus the Ponte Vecchio.

Pisa: the Leaning TowerPisa Centrale is 15 to 20 minutes and about €3 by train, then a 20 minute walk or the LAM Rossa bus to the Field of Miracles. The Tower climb is about €20 with a timed slot that sells out weeks ahead in summer; the Cathedral is free with a ticket and the Baptistery about €5. Two hours is plenty.

Ship coach to Florence on your ownIf you would rather not do the train: the lines sell a coach to Florence with 5 to 6 hours loose in the center, about $75 to $110 per person, with the ride about 90 minutes each way and a guaranteed departure. Good value for a first visit.

Lucca and the wallsA walled Renaissance town 25 minutes beyond Pisa by train. Rent a bike for about €5 an hour and ride the tree-lined ramparts, climb the Guinigi tower with the oaks on top, and eat in the oval Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. Pairs with Pisa for a relaxed day.

Chianti wine countryShip excursions drive an hour into the hills for a tasting and lunch at a Chianti Classico estate, often with a stop in San Gimignano or Greve; about $150 to $250 per person and 8 to 9 hours. Take the ship’s tour, the roads are slow and there is no train.

Cinque TerreThe five cliff villages are reachable by train via La Spezia in about 1 hour 30 from Livorno, but connections are tight and the return trains are packed in summer. Only on a 12 hour call, and the ship’s excursion with a boat ride is the safer way.

Livorno itselfWalk the Venezia Nuova canal district and the Fortezza Nuova, eat cacciucco (the town’s spicy fish stew, about €18) at a trattoria near the Mercato Centrale, and take the sea air on the Terrazza Mascagni promenade. A 10 minute walk from the Piazza del Municipio shuttle stop; free and quiet.

Pisa and Florence in one dayPossible on a 10 hour call if you are disciplined: train to Florence first, 4 hours in the center, then break the return journey at Pisa for 90 minutes at the Tower (your ticket allows the stop). Skip the Tower climb and keep an eye on the clock.

Pick your style

Which lines call at Livorno?

Nearly every line that sails the Western Mediterranean calls at Livorno for Florence and Pisa; these are the ones with the most sailings.

      Royal CaribbeanOasis and Quantum-class ships from Rome and Barcelona on 7 night Western Med loops (some use La Spezia instead), April to NovemberSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Princess CruisesSun Princess and fleetmates with long 10 to 12 hour Florence and Pisa days on Rome to Barcelona itinerariesSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Norwegian Cruise LineNorwegian Epic on Barcelona to Rome runs that call at Livorno midweekSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      MSC CruisesGrandiosa, Seaview, World Europa and Divina from Genoa, Rome and Barcelona, most of the yearSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Celebrity CruisesApex, Ascent and Xcel on 7 to 11 night Italy and Western Med sailings from Rome and BarcelonaSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      CarnivalCarnival’s European season ships on 10 to 12 night Mediterranean itineraries with a Livorno callSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Holland America and Oceania10 to 14 night Mediterranean cruises with long Florence days or overnightsSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Silversea and Ritz-Carlton Yacht CollectionLuxury ships with small-group Florence and Chianti excursions, spring to fallSmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      VikingOcean ships on Mediterranean itineraries with a full day for Florence and PisaLive prices
    

Timing

When to go

Tuscany is mild on the coast and hot inland: Florence bakes in July and August, spring and fall are the sweet spot, and winter is quiet with the museums nearly to yourself.

April to JuneHighs from the mid 60s to the low 80s, poppies in the Chianti hills and long days. The Accademia and Uffizi slots go fast around Easter and in late May; book before you sail.

July to AugustUpper 80s to mid 90s in Florence with lines at every museum. Start early, do the Accademia at opening, and give the afternoon to the shaded Boboli Gardens or a Chianti cellar.

September to OctoberLow 80s easing to the upper 60s, the grape harvest in the hills and softer light on the Arno. Crowds thin after mid September; our favorite season for Florence.

November to MarchHighs in the 50s, the rainiest weeks in November, and the shortest museum lines of the year. MSC and Costa keep calling; bring a coat and enjoy David in peace.

Good to know

Florence and Pisa (Livorno) questions we answer every day

Where do cruise ships dock in Livorno, and how far is Florence?

Ships dock inside Livorno’s working port; there is no tendering, but the berths are a mile or more from town through container yards, so you cannot walk out. Every line runs a shuttle to Piazza del Municipio in the center (about €7 to €10 round trip, included on some lines, usually starting 30 to 45 minutes after arrival). Florence is about 50 miles inland, 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 by regional train from Livorno Centrale or about 90 minutes by coach; Pisa is 15 to 20 minutes by train. Roundtrip ships from Livorno use the Alto Fondale terminal closer to town.

How do I get from the shuttle stop to the train station, and what do the trains cost?

Livorno Centrale is about 1.5 miles from Piazza del Municipio: take city bus 1 (about €1.70 from a newsstand, 15 minutes), a taxi (about €15 to €20) or walk 25 minutes up Via Grande and Via De Larderel. Regional trains to Florence Santa Maria Novella run every 30 to 60 minutes at about €10 to €11 each way as of 2026 and to Pisa Centrale every 15 to 30 minutes at about €3. Buy on the Trenitalia app to skip the window, and check the last train that gets you back 90 minutes before all-aboard.

What money do I use, and will my phone work?

Italy uses the euro and cards work almost everywhere, including the Trenitalia app and the museums; carry some cash for the bus ticket and the market. Italian is the language and English is easy in Florence and Pisa. Tuscany is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of New York. Most US carriers sell a daily international pass of about $10 to $12, or buy an eSIM before you sail.

Is Florence safe for cruise passengers?

Florence and Pisa are safe, busy tourist cities; the cruise lines and the U.S. State Department flag only the usual pickpockets around the Duomo, the Santa Maria Novella station and the Ponte Vecchio. Keep your bag in front, leave the passport in the cabin safe with a photo on your phone, use the white licensed taxis, and if you are doing the train, carry the ship’s port agent number from the daily program in case you miss the last one back.

What is the best excursion, and should I book it through the ship?

Florence is the prize, and whether to go independently comes down to port hours. With 10 hours or more and your own timed tickets for the Accademia and Uffizi, the train is cheap and reliable and you get 5 to 6 hours in the city. With 8 or 9 hours, or on a first visit, take the ship’s Florence tour or Florence On Your Own coach: the guaranteed return is worth it when the Arno valley traffic backs up. Pisa alone is an easy independent half day; Chianti, Cinque Terre and the hill towns are ship-excursion territory.

Do I need a passport for a Mediterranean cruise?

Yes. Every Mediterranean cruise needs a passport valid for at least three months beyond your return (we recommend six), and there is no closed-loop exception as there is for round trips from US ports. The EU’s new entry-exit system records your arrival at the first Schengen port, and the ETIAS travel authorization is being phased in; check the EU’s official site before you fly. Our specialists keep a current checklist for every sailing.

Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?

Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, government taxes, fees and port expenses, so the number you see is the number you pay for the cruise. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and onboard gratuities are extra, and SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on the picks at the top that you cannot get booking direct.

Talk to a Florence and Tuscany cruise specialist

Tell us your dates and how many hours you want in Florence and we will find the Italy sailing with the longest Livorno day and the most SmartCruiser value, then book it for you. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.

1-800-444-1560