Florence from Livorno (cruise day) day trip from Livorno
A day trip to Florence from Livorno for cruise passengers: a walking overview of the centre, mostly from outside, from Santa Maria Novella station past the church of Santa Maria Novella, San Lorenzo and Palazzo Medici Riccardi to the Cathedral, Giotto's bell tower and the Baptistery, then Piazza della Repubblica, Orsanmichele, Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio, gelato at La Carraia across the Arno, and to finish the view from Piazzale Michelangelo and the church of San Miniato al Monte. For a longer stay, the Florence page has full day-by-day plans. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Florence from Livorno (cruise day) in 1 day
Day 1
Firenze Santa Maria Novella station
Florence's main railway station, a 1930s modernist building, where the trains from Livorno arrive; the walk starts here and the trains back leave from here.
Santa Maria Novella (church and square)
Dominican church with a green-and-white marble facade by Alberti, facing a broad square near the station; Masaccio's Trinity is inside.
Basilica of San Lorenzo
Brunelleschi's church for the Medici, its rough brick facade never finished; walk round the back to see the dome of the Medici Chapels.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi
The Medici family's fifteenth-century palace by Michelozzo, with a courtyard and a chapel frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli.
Florence Cathedral and Giotto's Campanile
The cathedral of white, green and pink marble under Brunelleschi's great dome, with Giotto's slender bell tower beside it.
Florence Baptistery
Octagonal Romanesque baptistery facing the cathedral, famous for its gilded bronze doors, Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise among them.
Piazza della Repubblica
Nineteenth-century square on the site of the Roman forum, with a triumphal arch, a carousel and historic cafes.
Orsanmichele
Former grain hall turned church, its outer niches filled with guild saints by Donatello, Ghiberti and Verrocchio; the Porcellino boar is a block away.
Piazza della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi, Neptune Fountain)
Florence's civic heart, with Palazzo Vecchio, a copy of David and the Loggia dei Lanzi; walk on through the Uffizi courtyard to the Arno.
Ponte Vecchio
Medieval bridge over the Arno lined with jewellers' shops, the Vasari Corridor above, the only bridge in Florence spared in 1944.
Gelateria La Carraia
Popular gelateria by the Ponte alla Carraia on the Oltrarno side, a lunch-on-the-go stop, with Piazza Santo Spirito five minutes away.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Hilltop terrace across the Arno with the classic view over Florence's domes, towers and bridges, and a bronze copy of David.
San Miniato al Monte
Romanesque church with a green-and-white marble facade above Piazzale Michelangelo, reopening mid-afternoon, with one of the best views of Florence.
Watch: Florence from Livorno (cruise day)
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Livorno's cruise terminal, a port shuttle runs to Livorno Centrale station, and most cruise lines also sell coach transfers to Florence. Regional trains reach Firenze Santa Maria Novella in about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, some with a change at Pisa. The walk starts at the station; from Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato at the end, allow about 30-40 minutes on foot or by city bus to get back to it.
Staying in Livorno? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Florence from Livorno (cruise day)
April to June and September to October are the most pleasant months for a walking day. July and August are hot, with long queues, so carry water and look for shade; cruise ships bring the biggest crowds from spring to autumn. Winter is cooler and quieter, with shorter daylight.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Florence from Livorno (cruise day) on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Florence from Livorno (cruise day) on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Florence from Livorno (cruise day) on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Italy from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Florence from Livorno (cruise day)
- The ship's all-aboard time sets the whole day: work back from it, allowing the train to Livorno, the port shuttle and a generous margin. The ship will not wait for late independent travellers.
- Buy return train tickets at Livorno Centrale or online; paper regional tickets must be validated in the machines before boarding.
- This is an overview walk, mostly from outside: the Cathedral queue can be long, and the Uffizi and the Accademia need booked time slots that rarely fit a port day.
- Lunch is on the go: a gelato at La Carraia or a sandwich from a shop on the way. Churches ask for covered shoulders and knees, and the stone streets need comfortable shoes.
- San Miniato al Monte reopens mid-afternoon after its lunch closing, so it comes last; if the margin to all-aboard is short, stop at Piazzale Michelangelo or skip the hill and head back from La Carraia, about 10 minutes from the station.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Basilica of San Lorenzo: Zairon, CC BY 4.0
- Firenze Santa Maria Novella station: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Florence Baptistery: Bradley Weber, CC BY 2.0
- Florence Cathedral and Giotto's Campanile: Gary Campbell-Hall, CC BY 2.0
- Orsanmichele: user:Sailko, CC BY 3.0
- Palazzo Medici Riccardi: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Piazza della Repubblica: Of the individual pictures, Gryffindor, of the panorama, Roland Geider (Ogre), CC BY 3.0
- Piazza della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi, Neptune Fountain): Zolli, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Piazzale Michelangelo: Michael Wittwer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ponte Vecchio: Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0
- San Miniato al Monte: Benjamín Núñez González, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Maria Novella (church and square): Armin Kleiner, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
