Livorno, maritime city, seaport, multicultural crossroads since Etruscan times.
Livorno is a multi-ethnic city, rich in charm, culture, art, history and excellent food: like all maritime and port cities, it hides many wonders and little big secrets to experience, discover and rediscover.
Quartiere Venezia
La Venezia will enchant you with its unique and fascinating 16th century residences, which you can discover on a boat tour or on foot through the canals. If you go into the evening, you can delight in the delicious restaurants and after-dinner venues scattered among the small bridges and squares. Livorno’s most characteristic district is called Quartiere Venezia because of its resemblance to the lagoon city, with its dense network of canals, water foundations, bridges and narrow streets. Surrounded by the two Fortresses and elegant buildings, revealing its strong ties with the merchant class, this quarter is of considerable historical and artistic interest. It is possible to visit the entire centre by navigating through these evocative waterways, the so-called ‘Fossi Livornesi’, enjoying an unusual and surprising perspective and discovering numerous hidden corners of the city. You will pass elegant palaces and colourful districts, churches and ancient fortresses. Let yourself be guided by the saltiness and the screeching of the seagulls, following the charm of the old cellars that open at the water’s edge, witnesses to an ancient seafaring tradition.
Mercato delle Vettovaglie
In the heart of Venice, the Mercato delle Vettovaglie is admired in all its uniqueness and beauty. It is one of Livorno’s most interesting buildings from the second half of the 19th century, in which the influence of the great iron and glass architecture of the 19th century can also be felt. It is very fascinating to get up early, wander among the stalls, stop and talk to the friendly, smiling people and get advice. The people of Livorno ‘di scoglio’ are characters with a biting but harmless sense of humour, proud, friendly and always smiling people.
Terrazza Mascagni
One cannot miss a stroll along the seafront, especially at sunset, to admire the historic Naval Academy, the dozens of Neoclassical-style villas and the equally famous Terrazza Mascagni, once the scene of open-air concerts and shows, one of the stars of which was Livorno-born Pietro Mascagni himself. The Terrazza Mascagni is configured as a large square bordered by a sinuous balustrade formed by 4,100 elegant concrete columns overlooking the sea; the pavement is a chessboard of 8,700 square metres formed by 34,800 black and white tiles.
Villa Mimbelli - Museo Giovanni Fattori
One cannot fail to be fascinated by the beautiful 19th-century Villa Mimbelli, perfectly restored in its stuccoes and decorations. Some furnishings from the period have managed to survive to this day. The spectacular staircase leading to the upper floor brings to mind an era full of splendour and cultural ferment. The Fattori Museum is a small but well-stocked art collection dedicated mainly to Giovanni Fattori and the Macchiaioli, a famous painting movement that originated in Livorno.
Santuario di Montenero
If you wish to leave the city, you can drive to the hills of Montenero, where we highly recommend a visit to the famous Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montenero, located on a hill overlooking the sea and the port of Livorno. The Sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie, whose origins date back to 15 May 1345, is one of the best known places in Tuscany.