Italy/Greece 2023 – Day 11: Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy (September 12, 2023)

Trip: Rome and Cruise through Italy and Greece (Norwegian Breakaway)
Dates: September 1 – 15, 2023
Who: Me (Jess), Emily (one of my best friends), Beverly (my mom), Jeff (my stepdad), Jen (my aunt), and Megan (my sister).

Our last day on the ship found us ported in Livorno. We had a big day ahead of us, yet, again! While Livorno is the actual port, the area of interest is Florence/Pisa/Tuscany. I wanted to hit up all three! Thankfully, I found a private tour through Bella Italia Tour that would accomplish that mission.

We were up by 8 and at the buffet for a quick breakfast by 9. Jen’s back was giving her trouble, again, so she decided it was best to skip out. The rest of us were off the ship by 9:40. Our driver and tour guide, Massimo, texted where to find him and it was no problem to reach him.

We quickly got on our way to our first stop – Pisa. Massimo was really great about pointing out things on the way, giving us history of the area, and sharing information regarding the current way of life. He suggested that we only spend about 30 minutes in Pisa and gave us advice on the best spots to take photos, etc.

Honestly, it was all way more beautiful than I was expecting. The Cathedral Square hosts amazing architecture. Obviously, the tower is the most famous. However, the Cathedral and Baptistry are stunning.

We took our photos, found our souvenirs, rescued Jeff from the “free” roses and bracelets, and got on our way. Again, Massimo did an excellent job of engaging us with information about the area. We made our way to Florence. Massimo took us to a square at that was overlooking the city. We took about 15 minutes to take photos, use the restroom, and get a drink.

We then headed down to the city, itself. Massimo gave a tutorial of our sightseeing options and giving advice of what to see before setting us free. We were going to have about 2 1/2 hours to explore before meeting him at the Duomo. Mom and Jeff decided to take one of his suggested routes, while Emily, Megan, and I decided to go a different way. We honestly just walked around, soaking in the atmosphere and letting the roads decide what we saw.

Our quick breakfast had long worn off by this point, so we found a place to eat lunch. It was a mainly outdoor restaurant that had great views of the city around us. We decided to split a pizza, a salad, and a charcuterie. It was delicious!

After lunch, we kept wandering with the end goal of making it to the Duomo.

We met back up with Mom and Jeff and, shortly after, Massimo picked us up. We left Florence to head to our next adventure – a winery in Tuscany! The drive alone was a dream come true. We arrived at our destination – a 500 year old private winery that has only had three owners. We were given a tour and history of the winery, along with a trip to the cellars.

After our tour, it was time for our private tasting. I *did* enjoy it, but I also starting feeling bad. The experience wasn’t as relaxing and fun as it was for the others.

We departed the winery (after making some wine purchases to be shipped back to us!). We rode back to the port and said our goodbyes to our WONDERFUL guide.

We were back on the ship by 6:15pm. I met up with Jen on Deck 8 for a few minutes to catch up on our days and then headed to my cabin to start packing (boo!). I kept at it until it was time to meet for dinner.

For the final dinner on the ship, we were back in The Manhattan Room. Tonight it was just Mom, Jeff, Jen, and myself. While we were sitting there, my mom and Jeff started getting messages from my teenage niece asking for snack money, lol. It didn’t matter that we were in the middle of the Mediterranean. She was hot and hungry after school, lol!!

Pictured above was my dinner…. Vegetable Pot Stickers (Good); Chimichurri Steak (Good); White Chocolate Mousse (Good); and Carrot Cake (NOT good).

I honestly was feeling pretty bad at this point and was just chugging water. I grabbed some more water at Bar 21 and headed back to the cabin to finish packing. The rest of my stuff was just thrown in the suitcase and put it in the hall for pickup.

Once my bags were ready for pickup, I made my final Nightly H2O run to Deck 15. On the way back, there was a medical emergency on the stairs right on my deck. We were next to the infirmary and they were running. Security kept anyone from getting too close, but it did not look good.

I made my way to the cabin and got ready for bed.

Not to be too gross, but also not to leave anyone hanging….. I wasn’t dealing with Covid, stomach issues, or anything contagious. Unfortunately, it was a kidney stone. Thankfully, it passed in the middle of the night, but that is NOT something I recommend when you’re on a cruise ship.

Italy/Greece 2023 Trip Report (September 1 – 15, 2023)
– The Beginning (Vivi Alla Giornata!)
– The Planning Process (Rome)
– The Planning Process (Greece Ports)
– The Planning Process (Italy Ports)
– Flight Confusion
– Day 0: Leave for Rome (September 1, 2023)
– Day 1: Rome Arrival and City Tour (September 2, 2023)
– Day 2: Board the Breakaway (September 3, 2023)
– Day 3: Sea Day (September 4, 2023)
– Day 4: Santorini, Greece (September 5, 2023)
– Day 5: Athens (Piraeus), Greece (September 6, 2023)
– Day 6: Mykonos, Greece (September 7, 2023)
– Day 7: Olympia (Katakolon), Greece (September 8, 2023)
– Day 8: Valletta, Malta (September 9, 2023)
– Day 9: Messina (Sicily), Italy (September 10, 2023)
– Day 10: Naples, Italy (September 11, 2023)
– Day 11: Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy (September 12, 2023)
– Day 12: Disembark and Vatican City (September 13, 2023)
– Day 13: Rome (September 14, 2023)
– Day 14: Leaving Rome (September 15, 2023) and Some Final Thoughts

Italy/Greece 2023 – Day 11: Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy (September 12, 2023)

Share this:

Leave a comment Cancel reply