Today we stop in Livorno, Italy which is the port to go to Florence, approx 1 1/2 hrs bus drive away.
Celebrity Cruises on this voyage had offered transportation only excursions to ports so travellers can explore the city on their own. This will be our first time trying this instead of using a shore excursion firm.
The Florence excursion will allow us five hours on our own once we are dropped off and when time is up we go back to the meeting place to get our bus.
I had made reservations to have lunch at a great restaurant in Florence where we had a delicious Florentine steak the year before. It is Il Latine.
Since we had taken a guided tour last year we knew the downtown area and walked to the covered bridge, several churches and the main street with all the designer shops.
Florence is so beautiful and if we come again we will try and see the museums. Last year we saw the statue of David.
Celebrity Cruises on this voyage had offered transportation only excursions to ports so travellers can explore the city on their own. This will be our first time trying this instead of using a shore excursion firm.
The Florence excursion will allow us five hours on our own once we are dropped off and when time is up we go back to the meeting place to get our bus.
I had made reservations to have lunch at a great restaurant in Florence where we had a delicious Florentine steak the year before. It is Il Latine.
Since we had taken a guided tour last year we knew the downtown area and walked to the covered bridge, several churches and the main street with all the designer shops.
We started walking to the center of town with the plan to go to the Ponte Veccia (covered bridge).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Vecchio
What a surprise to find we were close to the city center that we toured last year.
We saw the giant David replica and the Duomo on our way to the downtown and bridge.
We saw the giant David replica and the Duomo on our way to the downtown and bridge.
WE took photos at the covered bridge, looked at the gold shops and found we still had time before lunch so we walked to the restaurant to find it would not open till 12:30- we got there at noon- so we walked around taking photos and then went back.
When we arrived at the restaurant we were seated right away. We ordered the Florentine steak, melon and prosciutto and roasted potatoes.
The food was great!! The waiter treated us to biscottini and vinsanto (sweet wine for dunking). later he treated us to a sweet sparkling glass of wine. the bill was the same as last year- 80 Euros!!
We walked back over the covered bridge to see the outside of the Pitti Palace and then back into the town center and to the meeting place to wait for our group.
There were uniformed officers patrolling the downtown area. I really liked the two policewomen so I asked if I could take their photo.
There were uniformed officers patrolling the downtown area. I really liked the two policewomen so I asked if I could take their photo.
We took the bus back to the ship and chilled out till dinner.
Florence is so beautiful and if we come again we will try and see the museums. Last year we saw the statue of David.
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