Livorno is a fascinating and historic city, but you'll have to dig a little to discover its delights. The English used to call it 'Leghorn', apparently finding the Italian pronunciation much too tricky, and this was a popular stopping point for expatriates during the early Modern period. Declared a free port by the Medici rulers in 1618, it thus became a magnet for refugees from all over Europe and the Mediterranean. English Catholics, Jews, Spanish Muslims and Greeks all came to live and trade here, and by the 19th century artists such as Shelley were joining the expat community. Later, Livorno became a centre of the Italian Left, with the Communist Party of Italy being founded here in 1921.
This major port was badly bombed by the Allies during the Second World War, and the rather unattractive redevelopment puts many off. But dig back into the old town and you find the Venice district - a network of canals and hump-back bridges, surrounded by the town walls. There are Liberty Villas here, the old market, and the Mascagnano and Civio Giovanni museums are well worth a look. See too the original Porto Mediceo (Medici Port) with its fishing boats, and the Piazza Grande. The cultural plurality of Livorno is very un-Tuscan, more like a mini Naples of Genoa in fact, and the town has some very good restaurants reflecting this. The seafood here is very good, as befits such a major port.
To the left you'll find a selection of hotels, to get you in the mood
- see also our full listings of Livorno hotels.
