Mediterranean Cruise, Livorno

5 Nights Western Mediterranean Cruise onboard Liberty of the Seas, April 2013. Visit to Livorno April 2013 Many cruise ships stop here for at least a full day to allow guests to tour Florence and/or Pisa. Guests not taking cruise ship arranged tours can take a shuttle (supplied by the port) to the the downtown area. It offers a decent shopping experience, but not compared to Florence. A further 10-20 minute walk (or another bus ride) gets you to a train station. There you can take frequent departures for either Pisa or Florence. Many experts advise seeing Florence or Pisa on a one-day port visit by cruise ship We had decided to relax a little after a few hectic days. After breakfast we took a shuttle bus to Livorno. Walked around and looked at the city. Since it was Sunday was shopping kukket and Livorno is not immediately a tourist-friendly city. However, it was interesting to visit the fish market where fishermen had just come in with their catch of fish and squid. The New Venice district retains much of its original town planning and architectural features such as the bridges, narrow lanes, the noblemen's houses and a dense network of canals that once served to link its warehouses to the port. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Livorno had numerous neo-classical buildings, public parks housing important museums and cultural institutions, the market, and "Liberty" villas with sea views Dedicated to Saint Catherine, but also know as the church of the Domenicani after the Domenican friars who founded it, this uncompleted church stands in Piazza dei Domenicani in the Venezia district of Livorno. The old red-brick fortress, Fortezza Nuova, was built during the Medici years, and defended the city from attack by pirates. Its three bastions are named Capitana, Ampolletta and Canaviglia. The original fortress was built before the Renaissance. A later one was constructed at the end of the 16th century. You can see a great prospective of the neighborhood from the beautiful square " Piazza della Repubblica ", the second square/bridge biggest of Europe. The big Dome of the " Chiesa dei Dominicani " ( Dominican Church ) marks the center of Venice Neighborhood . Follow the dome to get inside from Piazza della Repubblica and enjoy walking close to the channels , in the beautiful and elegant " Via Borra " and inside all the little street of this beautiful neighborhood.