Trains in Italy are cheap, prompt and frequent (Very important point to note - remember to time-stamp your ticket at the machines on the station otherwise a very 'jobsworth' ticket inspector will give you a hard time - and possibly a fine - on the train). (Thanks to Brian Ellis).
It may seem extravagant but if you a spent good money on a decent cruise you may the following useful. Prior to visiting Italy on board Splendour of the Seas (RCI) I took some time on internet to explore private hire arrangements. What did I get? A pleasant suprise and excellent value for money. At Livorno, Cittavetchia and Naples, a clean car ( Mercedes / VW) an english speaking local driver who knew everything you need to know plus more. Want a decent restaurant that locals use, need the best viewpoints for snaps, want to beat the crowds and queues and still be back on the boat before sailing? Get on the internet, make your arrangements with a local approved taxi, agree your price and relax. If you are a family unit or a couple you will save money over organised coach trips and get right to the heart of where ot matters. Having done it for cruises, I now do it for City breaks and other visits and have not been let down yet. (Thanks To John Rodway)
This was one of my first ports of call on my first cruise in May 2001. It is the head of the Gulf of Cagliari in the south of the island. It is the second largest island in the Med, (Sicily is larger) and belongs to Italy. The island is 160 miles long and 68 miles in breadth. If you want restaurants to visit then try "Sa Cardiga, Su Schironi, Maddalena Spriggla" a high class fish restaurant 20 kms from port. With regard to transport taxis are available as are motor buses and trolley buses in the city tickets availble at the newspaper kiosks. Main shopping areas are Via Manno and the Via Roma. If you want beaches then try Poetto beach 4 miles south east of Cagliari one of the best beaches gently sloping with soft white sand. Official currency is the Lira. This was one of my best ports on this cruise and would love to go back there again. Enjoy crusing. (Tracey Britton)
Rome on your own is very easy. At Civitaveccia there is a courtesy bus, offered by the port authority, which takes you from your berthing point to the dock gates (this can be quite a way if your ship berths at the dock extremities). On alighting at the dock entrance walk to the right, with the sea shore on your right, and follow that road for about 8-10 minutes; you will come across the station on the left-hand side.
Purchase your ticket (last year it cost 6 euros - £4.50) and remember to stamp it the at the platform machine. Your ticket entitles you to return train fare and unlimited transport in Rome by bus, tram and underground - an absolute bargain. Trains run between Civi and Rome about every hour or so (from memory).
It takes about 45-50 minutes to the first stop in Rome - St Peter's, from where it is only a 5 minute walk into the Vatican City and the Bassilica (breathtaking). Or you can carry on to Rome Central from where you can access many other sites such as the Colisseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon etc.
At each bus stop there is a list on a board that indicates the bus number to take for the various attractions - all pretty easy; but beware, buses are nearly always packed so if you object to having your nose in someone else's armpit you might want to walk or take a taxi. But seriously, buses anre frequent and convenient and the journeys between attractions are only a few minutes long so you shouldn't suffer too excessively.(Thanks to Brian Ellis).Well what can one say the most impressive city I have seen rooted in history. My only concern was the cost of having your photo taken with the Gladiators although not a lot, the kids had their picture taken and that cost 10 euros, would have been nice to know before hand as we could have taken the same photo, but needles to say the kids enjoyed it. A very long trip and if you are on first sitting for dinner you are best to get back to cabin and have a shower and then dine at the Horizon Grill, fantastic menu and waiter service brillant. Rome I would do again but perhaps on a weekend trip.(Thanks to Tracy Britton)
Have done Florence on our own. Organised tours are usually costly compared with DIY. What you do get on organised tours is of course door-to-door transport and a knowledgeable guide. What we saw of guided tours resembled cattle herding - there were literally dozens of groups being dragged around Florence with guides shouting over all the other cacophony at the sites.We found it best to get a guide book (your local library or WH Smith have most of the popular tourist site books), read up on what you want to see then get the train.
Florence is just fabulous (but very busy with tourists - they just spoil it for the rest of us!!) so spend as much time as you can there taking in all the art and architecture (the Duomo is breathtaking). We took a taxi to Livorno station from the dock (£10 - 15) and then train in to Florence really easy, approximately 90 minutes (remember to stamp your ticket!!).(Thanks to Brian Ellis).
To get to Florence from Livorno try here ( with thanks to Sarah Thompson)
For those interested in Livorno and the surrounding district there is a very informative site edited by Sarah Thompson at Livorno Now .
Have done Pompeii on our own. Organised tours are usually costly compared with DIY. What you do get on organised tours is of course door-to-door transport and a knowledgeable guide. What we saw of guided tours resembled cattle herding - there were literally dozens of groups being dragged around Pompeii with guides shouting over all the other cacophony at the sites. We found it best to get a guide book (your local library or WH Smith have most of the popular tourist site books), read up on what you want to see then get the train.
For Pompeii get to Naples station (Naples is a hell-hole at times - 8 lanes of traffic - with everyone blowing their car horns), again a taxi will get you there most efficiently as it's a long walk away from the dock. At the station take the Pompeii Scaavi train(less than £10 pp) NOT the Pompeii train. This will drop you just a couple of hundred yards from the entrance to Pompeii ruins. Pompeii was much larger than we anticipated and even a full day may not be enough to see it all - so perhaps decide in advance what you want to see. (Thanks to Brian Ellis).
We visited Palermo in October 1999, on our first P & O cruise aboard Oriana. Palermo is the capitol of Sicily and is the most densely populated region of Italy. It is the largest and most important city on the Island, and a city with a rich heritage. Unfortunately, Palermo has suffered badly from neglect in recent decades and is more renowned, unjustly, for its decaying, grime-covered buildings and severe social problems. We went on the “Treasures of Palermo” tour, which was a half day excursion lasting approximately 4 hours. This tour concentrates on the fine architecture of Palermo, with visits to the Cathedral, Royal Palace, Church of Saint John, and the highlight for us, Monreale Cathedral and Cloisters. Monreale is situated 5 miles South West of Palermo. This magnificent Norman Cathedral is outstanding, and was one of the architectural wonders of the middle ages. The Cathedral was begun in 1174 by King William II and completed only 11 years later. The interior more than makes up for the initial disappointment over the rather austere exterior, of particular note are the blue and gold mosaics, depicting scenes from the Old Testament and the marble of the Chapel of the Crucifix. Will all ladies please note that shoulders must be covered, or they will not be allowed to enter? Poverty is all around you when you leave this beautiful monument, with many people begging outside and there is a long walk down several steps as you head back to the tour bus. Palermo is highly polluted, and you will see a blanket of haze over the city as your ship leaves the harbour. One final warning, be very careful when crossing the roads as the traffic congestion is horrendous. On most of the paths cars are double-parked and you will be lucky if you see any cars that haven’t been damaged.(Roger Cooke)
Another site of Sicilian Interest Best Of Sicily
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