Sadly, most visitors to Livorno are on their way somewhere else. Many cruise liners use this pretty Tuscan port as their quickest route to the well known sights of Pisa, Florence and Siena, and as such the town itself it is almost always neglected by guide books and recommendations.
Most tours arrange coaches from the quayside towards the main Tuscan cities; however taking a train from the newly restored station in the town is a pleasant way to see the surrounding area.
Sometimes known by the unpleasant English moniker Leghorn, Livorno has always been a bustling cultural melting pot. The Medici port was known as a free port, meaning traders of all races could live and trade and freely in the city without persecution. This brought a great amount of foreign trade, and a large Jewish community was established. Nowadays, you can see the evidence in the varied restaurants and shops, the art museum, the famous Jewish synagogue and Italy's first museum of Hebrew Arts. There is a famous sculpture of four Turkish slaves; 'il monumento dei quattro mori', situated down by the fortress. Ideally if you stand at a certain point, the four faces are visible to you… and as you stand beside it many locals will come and tell you this!
If you have eaten in Italy you may be aware that the more touristy the place, the larger the prices, and more often than not, the smaller the portions. However, I have found Livorno to be an exception to the rule. The Livornesi come out to eat later than the average Italian, and in the bustling pizzeria we found ourselves in, our worries about eating 'late' at 10.30 pm were confounded when tables were still being seated at midnight.
As many visitors are back on board their ships by early evening, Livorno at night is a place for the Livornesi, and the few lucky to be staying ashore. The Venetian quarter is best for little bars, enoteche (wine bars where they serve very good wine by the glass along with little nibbles like crostini and bruschette), and restaurants. There are also the ubiquitous Irish and British pubs, directly opposite the marina, where the unadventurous can be found one step off the boat.
Overall, Livorno is a place to take it easy. It's the perfect antidote to the rushing of Milan or Florence. There's no need to see or do everything. We came for the day and on a whim decided to stay the weekend. My advice is to forget the tours and long bus journeys, and choose to relax with a glass of wine, a wander through the parks or down by the sea. Take in the atmosphere, and boys if you really must, the Livornesi also have their own Serie A football team, AS Livorno.
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