All About Livorno

Q: We are taking a cruise from Livorno to Cape Town in October. We have booked a flight to Pisa the day before the cruise leaves and need to know the best way to get to Livorno and a reasonably priced hotel hear the harbour. Also, what will the weather be like? - Shirley Haicalis

A: Pisa is only about 20kms from Livorno, so transport between the two centres is not a big issue. You could take a taxi from the airport directly to Livorno, which would cost you around 60 Euros (R570) for the car. However, it would cost less than 10 Euros per person (R96) to take a bus or train, both of which run regularly from the airport throughout the day. The airport is only 1,5kms from Pisa town centre, you may as well take the opportunity to see the town and the famous Leaning Tower. You can take a bus, train or taxi from the airport to the town centre, with the taxi being the most expensive at 5-8 Euros (R48-R75) per car. After sightseeing, you can take the train from Pisa Central Station to Livorno. Trains run regularly and the fare is very reasonable (from 1.8 Euros). The Eurostar or InterCity trains are more expensive, but a ticket will still cost you less than 10 Euros (R96). The journey takes 15-20 minutes. Bearing in mind the close proximity of Pisa to Livorno and the good transport links, you could stay in either town for the night. If you want to stay close to the port, you could try the three-star Boston Hotel Livorno. It is located on the splendid piazza Mazzini square, facing the harbour. Expect to pay around 102 Euros (R960) for a double room (www.booking.com) The four-star Hotel Gran Duca lies in the Piazza dei Quattro Mori, only 600m from the cruise ship terminal. You will pay 112 Euros (R1095) for a double room in October (www.hotelgranduca-livorno.com). The weather in October is still warm, with maximum temperatures of 19-24 Celsius, and there are 8-9 hours of daylight. (10/4/11)