Take a Trip to the French City of Bastia.

When reading about the various Florence Cruises, keep in mind that the Arno River near Florence is too narrow to allow even small ships to dock at the city. That’s why all Florence cruises actually start at the large commercial harbor in Livorno. The car or bus transfer to Livorno is usually secured by the cruise companies and lasts no more than two hours. One of the best cruises you can take from there is a cruise to the French city of Bastia.

Livorno

Livorno is located about 65 km west of Florence and has one of the busiest commercial harbors around. Once arriving at the city, you should consider visiting the historical district of New Venice, preserving the neo-classical architecture from the 18th century. Other places of interest are Mascagnano Museum dedicated to the composer Pietro Mascagni, and the famous Sanctuary of Montenero, which is by no doubt the most impressive sight in Livorno.

Bastia

Bastia is located almost 100 km southwest from Livorno, but the sea route is about 20 km longer. Once arriving in Bastia, make sure to try the local wines as they are some of the finest wines in whole France. Unfortunately the city doesn’t have beaches suitable for swimming and sunbathing, but the sights compensate for this, as Bastia is home to a great museum (the Corsican Museum of Ethnography), an impressive 15th century castle and the largest church in whole Corsica (Saint John the Baptist Church).