Livorno

Livorno is a 159,020 inhabitants city by the Ligurian Sea, in Tuscany, being the 3rd largest in the region and a very important harbour in Italy. It's also the capital city of the province of Livorno and its most inhabited city, being also a free port and an industrial point (related to chemical and metallurgical ones). Livorno was an important military center and that's why it was hardly bombarded during WW2, destroying almost all its old town.

How do I arrive to Livorno?

  Livorno is an important city that connects Tuscany with other Italian regions and with the world, so there are many ways to arrive here. 

• Boat: there are boats that connect Livorno with other Mediterranean destinations. There are between 2 and 7 weekly ferries to Bastia (Corsica), Golfo Aranci and Olbia (Sardinia), Palermo (Sicily) and weekly to Barcelona (Spain) and Tangier (Morocco). There are also weekly boats to Capraia (aprox. 2 hours 45 minutes) at Arcipelago Toscano National Park.
• Train: there are frequent trains to Pisa (aprox. 15 minutes), Florence (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes), Grosseto (aprox. 1 hour 45 minutes) or Rome (aprox. 4 hours). There are also trains to Castiglioncello (aprox. 20 minutes), San Vicenzo (aprox. 50 minutes) every hour.
• Bus: there are many buses from Livorno to nearby cities like Pisa (aprox. 1 hour).
• Car: if you rented a car from Livorno you can reach Pisa (aprox. 30 minutes), Lucca (aprox. 45 minutes), Piombino (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes), Volterra (aprox. 1 hour 15 minutes), Massa Maritima (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes) and Grosseto (aprox. 1 hour 50 minutes).

History

  Livorno was a small fishing village but turnt into a city in 1606. It was first part of the territories controlled by Pisa but when its decline began, Livorno changed hands several times (first Genoese, then French), finally under the domination of Florence since 1421. It was an important place under the protection of the Medici in the Renaissance and Ferdinand I de 'Medici declared the city a free port in 1590 (lasting till 1860). The city grew importantly in the 18th century, during the government of Leopold II of Tuscany, opening the city to foreign merchants and merchants. The city had an important population of Jews, who flourished here. In the interwar period, the Italian Communist Party was founded in Livorno in 1921. During WW2 the city was bombarded and some of the destroyed points were the Synagogue of Livorno or the duomo. Livorno is widely considered as a left-wing city and, for example, here was founded the Italian Communist Party in 1921. It's traditional name in English is Leghorn.

 

What can I visit in Livorno?

Livorno is the typical harbour city that isn't usually love at first sight but it's a nice place to be. It's specially interesting its district Little Venice, with Venice style canals from the 17th century.

These are Livorno's main attractions:

• Livorno New Fortress (8-20 from Apr to Sep; 9-19 from Oct to Mar): red-brick fort built by the Medicis between 1590 and 1604. Despite being abandoned and over grown it still provides great views of the canals of Little Venice.
• St. Caterina Church (9-12:30 and 15-18:30 Mon-Sat, 9-12:30 Sun): 18th century Domenican church commissioned by the Medicis (although it façade should be covered in marble, they ran out of money). The main altar features a painting of L'incoronazione della Vergine by Giorgio Vasari.
• Livorno City Museum (10-19 Tue-Sun; 10€/ 6€/ free  adults/ reduced/ kids under 6): exhibition that tells the historical and cultural evolution of Livorno through works of art, photographs, memorabilia and archaeological finds. There's a combined ticket for Livorno City Museum and Civic Museum Giovanni Fattori (12€/ 7€/ free  adults/ reduced).
• St. Ferdinando Church: 18th century church extensively damaged during WW2. It was named after the King of Castile and it has stucco and marble decoration, as well as statues by Giovanni Baratta. 
• Livorno Old Fortress: medieval fort built by the city of Pisa in the location of an older keep built by Countess Matilda of Tuscany in the 11th century.
• Livorno Cathedral: 16th century duomo built by the Medicis and hardly damaged by bombs during WW2. Some of its highlights are Cristo coronato di spine by Fra Angelico and its English Renaissance style, attributed to Inigo Jones.
• Livorno Aquarium (10-19 from Apr to Sep; 10-18 Sat-Sun from Oct to Apr; 10€/ 5€  adults/  kids): aquarium with 33 tanks (with, among others, green sea turtles, zebra sharks, seahorses and moon jellyfish) and a touching pool (kids' favourite one) and also showcases of insects, anphibians and reptiles.
• Terrazza Mascagni: seafront terrace built in the 1920s with awesome views. It's one of the must-see in Livorno.
• Civic Museum Giovanni Fattori (10-13 and 16-19 Tue-Sun; 6€/ 4€/ free  adults/ reduced/ kids under 6): museum located in a gorgeous 19th century villa that contains works of art from Medieval Age. But the collection is focused in 19th century Italian Impressionist Macchiaioli school, led by Giovanni Fattori, and with works by Fattori, Giovanni Boldini, Enrico Pollastrini, Adolfo Tommasi or Amedeo Modigliani.
• Livorno's Natural History Museum (9-19 Tue-sat, 15-19 Sun; 10€/ 5€  adults/ kids): museum about the Mediterranean Natural History with a 20 m-long whale skeleton, that is the highlight of the exposition. Other displays focus on invertebrates, minerals or geology.
• The city has some shrines that hardly ever are opened but they are quite interesting: Greci Uniti Greek Orthodox Church (a former Greek Orthodox church from 1607), St. Gregorio Armeno Armenian Catholic Church (former 17th century church whose elegant Baroque façade is the only part that resisted WW2), the Dutch German Church and Livorno Synagogue (huge 20th synagogue that substitued the previous one from the 17th century). It's also visible the former complex of water transmition, purification and storage plants Cisternoni of Livorno.
• Monumento dei Quattro Mori: monument from the 17th century that was built to conmemorate Ferdinando I de' Medici victories against the Ottoman Empire. This troubling image reminds the important that slave trade used to have in Livorno.
  
• On the outskirts of Livorno it can be found Madonna di Montenero Sanctuary (6:30-12:30 and 14:30-19 from Jun to Sep; 6:30-12:30 and 14:30-18 from Oct to May). Its origin dates back to 1345, when Virgin Mary appeared to a shepherd and a chapel was built there. Then pilgrims arrived and the chapel was extended in stages till its present form in 1774. It has a fascinating collection of 20,000 historic ex-votos thanking the Virgin for miracles.
  
  

  

  Piazza della Repubblica

  
  

  

  Livorno New Fortress

 

Spiagge Biance Beaches

Going south from Livorno there are plenty of things to do in the so called Etruscan Coast (Costa degli Etruschi). One of the first interesting towns (30 km from Livorno) is Castiglioncello (3,901 inhabitants). It used to be the inspiration of the Macchiaioli (group of second half of 19th century artists, similar to the French Impressionists, such as Giovanni Fattori, Silvestro Lega or Telemaco Signorini). This seaside resort is now famous because of its beach, Castiglioncello Beach (its most beautiful part is the northern one). Here can also be visited Pasquini Castle, a nice 19th century castle with cute gardens, and the small Castiglioncello Archaeological Museum (17:30-20:30 Tue-Sun from Jul to Aug; 10-13 first Sun of the month from Sep to Jun; free). Castiglioncello is a frazione of Rossignano Marittimo, municipality with some of the best beaches in the Etruscan Coast, Spiagge Biance Beaches. Continuing 30 km south, although not by the sea, there's Bolgheri (131 inhabitants), village known because here it was produced one of the first Tuscan wines that were known worldwide, Sassicaia, and home of Bolgheri DOC. The entrance is done by the Viale Dei Cipressi, a 5 km photogenic straight road, and here the visitor can explore the small St. Giacomo e Cristoforo Church, partially in Romanesque style, and Bolgheri Castle, a picturesque Tuscan style castelo. But the main reason to come here is to eat on one of its wine cellars and trying its wines. 

Suvereto

Going back to the seaside, driving 20 km, it can be found San Vincenzo (6,910 inhabitants). Another popular seaside resort with cool beaches, like Parco di Rimigliano Beach or Dog Beach, but that has other things to offer. The tourist may visit another archaeological museum, San Silvestro Archeomining Park (guided tours; 20€/ 15€/ free  adults/ reduced/ kids under 6), that explores more than 3000 years of mining history in the area, visiting the ruins of a former mining town from the 14th century, Rocca di San Silvestro, via mining trains. The last stop of this trip, going 20 km east from San Vincenzo, there's the small but wonderful town of Suvereto (3118 inhabitants). Suvereto keeps its medieval scene and is one of the nicest destinations on the Etruscan Coast so it's totally recommended to get lost on its streets and explore it and explore on places like in the town gates or St. Giusto Church, in Romanesque style. But the main part of the old town is the castle Rocca Aldobrandesca, a 15th century castle that was abandoned in the 17th century. From here the visitor can get awesome views of the surrounding countryside. A bit outside the town there's the eccentric winery Petra Wine (guided tours on request), a sustainable winery designed by Mario Botta.

Where can I eat in Livorno?

Cacciucco

 Livorno has a typical dish called cacciucco (typical fish stew). The city has a huge offer of unexpensive food in places like Antica Torteria Al Mercato Da Gagarin (Via del Cardinale 24), the Tuscan restaurant Alle Vettovaglie (Mercato Centrale), the osteria La Barrocciaia (Piazza Felice Cavallotti 13), the Tuscan restaurant Cantina Nardi (Via Leonardo Cambini 6-8) and American food at Surfer Joe's Diner (Viale Italia). The city has a wide culinary offers for higher prices like the restaurant L'Ancora (Scalli delle Ancora 10), osteria Cantina Senese (Borgo dei Cappuccini 95) or Osteria del Mare (Borgo dei Cappuccini 5). Livorno has some nice places where buying sweets and ice-creams such as Antica Friggitoria (Piazza Cavalotti 9) or Gelateria Populare 2 (Via Carlo Meyer 11).

There are also very recommended places to have a drink out such as the cafe Sottobosco (Piazza San Paolo all'Orto 3), cafe Salza (Borgo Stretto 46), cafe Duomo (Via Cairoli 6) or bar Bazeel (Lungarno Pacinotti 1) or bar La Bodeguita (Scali Finocchietti 28).

 In your trip south from Livorno you can eat at Caffè Ginori (Via Aurelia 947) in Casteglioncello, bar Zanzibar (Piazza Del Porto 2) in San Vincenzo; the ice-cream shop Il Gallo Golosone (Via Roma 4), Enoteca dei Difficili (Via San Leonardo 2), restaurant Dal Cacini (Via del Crocifisso 3) or osteria l'Ciocio (Piazza dei Giudici 1) in Suvereto. As for Bolgheri, there are many excellent choices in which trying Tuscan wine and food such as Enoteca Tognoni (Via Lauretta 5), Enoteca di Centro Di Innocenti Michele (Strada Giulia 3) or La Taverna del Pittore (Largo Nonna Lucia 4).

Posted in: Europe,Italy,Tuscany