Livorno

On the north-western coast of Tuscany, overlooking the Ligurian Sea, Livorno, with its 160,000 inhabitants, is, after Florence, the second city of the region, as well as one of the most important Italian ports.

A brief history of Livorno

Pulsating center of life, crossroads of cultures, melting pot of races And forge of ideasLivorno developed at the expense of nearby Pisa, one of the four great maritime republics.

At the time of the disastrous Pisan defeat at the Meloria rock (1284), Livorno was in fact only a fishing village which, in the fourteenth century, would later be fortified by the Pisans themselves to support their port.

With the process of silting up that the Porto Pisano basin underwent, and with the favour of the Medici policy, in the sixteenth century Livorno became the main sea outlet of the Grand Duchy. Bernardo Buontalenti he designed a new fortified city around the original nucleus of the town. Between 1591 and 1593, the so-called "Read Livornine” made it a true free port that attracted a large number of people, from political refugees to the religiously oppressed - such as the Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula -, to common criminals, except for murderers and those who “coined counterfeit money”.

What to see in Livorno

Today Livorno it's a open city And cosmopolitan which derives its deepest soul from its own formation. Extremely interesting is the Medici port, conceived by Cosimo I de Medici and considered, for its solidity and safety, one of the most beautiful works of its kind. Absolutely worth seeing. Old Fortress and the New Fortress, the latter partly dismantled to make room for the suggestive New Venice district, designed for the transport of goods.

Currently New Venice, the area more fascinating And bohemian of Livorno, represents a strong tourist attraction, with its picturesque canals in lagoon style, the pleasure boats and the characteristic small restaurants on the banks where you can enjoy the typical Livorno cuisineBut the most famous place is by the sea: the Mascagni Terrace.

Spectacular open space, starting point of the walk that leads to theNaval Academy, his flooring it's a 8,700 sq m chessboard, made up of over 34 thousand black and white tiles, while the balustrade is made up of 4 thousand small columns.

Livorno specialties to experience and taste

Livorno is a city to live in, to be enjoyed. A sachet of scagliozzi to theAncient Frying Shop, a walk along the colorful and noisy stalls in Piazza Cavallotti, The local market of the city, one quick visit to the historian Food Market: among the galleries with splendid metal truss ceilings, shops display legumes and spices in old jute sacks.

The 4 Moors

And for those who love curiosities, here it is, Giuseppe Micheli Square, the statue of the Four Moors to testify the victory Of Ferdinand I de' Medici about Saracen pirates: it is said that to be able to see all and four noses of the Moors placed at the feet of Ferdinand I bring good luck. It will be true? It's up to you to try.