We went on a ship tour which included Florence and Pisa. Florence we travelled to first and on the way back called in Pisa for a short stop. Enough time to take some photos but not to go up tower, not much else there apart from some tacky shops! We wouldn't bother again, preferred to spend more time in Florence. We weren't worried about the tight schedule as it was an organised tour through the ship, one coach was a little late getting back but the ship waited, if on your own they wouldn't have.

Florence is around 60 miles from Livorno and will be about 1.5hours travelling each way whether by road or rail. It can be done but it does not leave you with much time there. Pisa is much closer, around 15 miles and there are frequent trains but the train station in Livorno is a bus ride away from where you get dropped off in the port shuttle bus. Across the road from the shuttle bus drop off point, there is a tobacconist, with a sign outside in English "Bus/train tickets to Pisa/Florence". Get your bus and train tickets there and they will tell you what bus to get for the station. You can check the train times on http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html From memory, the total return cost to Pisa bus and train was around 7€ each

Hello When you dock at Livorno this is a popular all day excursion offered by the majority of cruise lines. You will have time to see both. I did this trip a few years back, coach leaves the ship early and takes you to Pisa for about half an hour - time to see the tower and buy a souvenir at one of the many stalls there! then its off quick as a flash for the scenic ride to Florence. Here you'll be met by a guide who'll take you around Florence on foot. As I said it's a full day probably in the region of 6 hours, with a stop for lunch. Be careful of pick pockets in Florence and don't take any valuables with you (as I know from experience!) have a great cruise. David Powell travel journalist