Livorno

Livorno is on the Tyrrhenian sea in Italy. It is the third-largest port on the western coast. Upper Class travellers heading to Rome in the days of the Grand Tour would often go by sea to "Leghorn" from Marseilles or Genoa. This explains in large part the presence of a substantial English cemetery in the town.

By plane

Pisa airport (PSA) Galileo Galilei.

By train

There are regular trains to and from Florence (1:20 hr journey), Pisa (15 min), and Rome.

Train station Livorno CentraleThe Main train station. Despite its name, the station is far from the center. Take bus "LAM BLU" to go to town center and then to the port in about 20 minutes.

By bus

From Pisa, Piombino, Florence and other cities.

By boat

Direct ferry routes exist to
Barcelona,
Bastia,
Golfo Aranci,
Olbia,
Palermo and
Porto Vechio. It is best to book early to avoid over booking.
Many cruise ships stop here for at least a full day to allow guests to tour Florence and/or Pisa. Guests not taking cruise ship arranged tours can take a shuttle (supplied by the port) to the downtown area. It offers a decent shopping experience, but not compared to Florence. A further 10-20 minute walk (or another bus ride) gets you to a train station. There you can take frequent departures for either Pisa or Florence. Many experts advise seeing Florence or Pisa on a one-day port visit by cruise ship. Though some tours claim to cover both, you'll get no more than a rushed look at a few icons...and if you're too early or late for any, it may well be closed.
If hoping for maximum time in Florence...

• Take an early cab (perhaps shared with another couple) from your ship to and from the Livorno train station.
• At the station, ask for a train that goes to the Firenze Santa Maria Novella. Locals will happily help.

By car

By bus

Bus number 1 is a shuttle from train station to the port and vice-versa. A ticket for 75 minutes of travel is €1.5. For self-reliant cruise passengers, this is part of the most economical way to reach trains to Pisa and Florence.

By bike

Livorno and the surrounding area is very flat, which means that cycling is almost as popular as it is in the Netherlands. When walking, beware of the tendency of the locals to cycle on sidewalks and to cycle the wrong way down a one-way street.

• Bikes can be rented from Green Bikes at Scali del Corso, 7 in the Venice Quarter.

By car

Once you have arrived in the centre nearly everything can be visited on foot or bike. Driving around is not recommended, not least because the local police are very vigilant and will rapidly give you a ticket if you are parked in the wrong place. There are several large Parking places to leave your vehicle during your stay and many hotels also offer parking.

• Quattro Mori
• Museo Civico Giovanni Fattori
• Old English Cemetery (Oldest in Italy, open on reservation). For info call Misericordia: 0586/897324 or write an email to Association Livorno delle Nazioni.
• Acquario Comunale "D. Cestoni" (closed: work in progress)

• Tuscan islands

• Other museums:
• Funicolare di Montenero one of the few cable railways still in service (another one is in Montecatini Terme near Pistoia.

• Venice QuarterThis is a small area of canals between the city and the sea, hence its name. Very pleasant to wander around.

• New FortressBuilt by the Medici family to provide additional protection for the city to that provided by an older fortress closer to the sea. Good views of the canals from on top of the fortress but little to see in the fortress itself as much was destroyed in WW2.

Spas

• San Giovanni's spaThe San Giovanni Spa, overlooking the Gulf of Portoferraio, stands on an area of 5 hectares of marshland which yields a silt with high therapeutic potential, making this spa establishment the only Thalassotherapy centre in the Western Mediterranean.

• Venturina's spaThe thermal waters Venturina were known by the Etruscans and Romans, hence the name "Aquae Populoniae. Flow in 45 ° Celsius throughout the year, with constant flow, and are classified as calcium-magnesium-sulfate-bicarbonate-alkalines.

• Cacciucco - fish stew
• Riso nero - Black rice risotto darkened with squid ink)

Budget

Mid-range

• Trattoria Sottomarino, Via dei Terrazzini 48/50 - ph. +39 0586 887025 - Close to Piazza della Repubblica and Fortezza Nuova (Venezia District). Fish cuisine, don't miss the gorgeous cacciucco - Closed on MO and TU.
• Cantina Senese , Borgo Cappuccini 95 - ph. +39 0586 211604 - famous for cacciucco and black rice.

• Osteria La Volpe e l'uva

  phone: +39 0586 885033
  address: Viale Caprera 11
  Innovative cooking blended with some traditional Livornese and Tuscan dishes.

Splurge

"Ponce alla livornese" is optimal to finish a meal (warm drink with coffee and rum).

Budget

Mid-range

• Hotel Hermitage, Via dei Melograni 13 57020, Marina di Bibbona, Tel. +39 0586 600218 Fax +39 0586 600760. . 4-star modern and comfortable Hotel Hermitage in Marina di Bibbona near the splendid Etruscan coast

• Hotel Europa

  address: Via Dell'Angiolo 23
  Basic but friendly 3-star hotel convenient for the main sights.

Splurge

Livorno is a good starting point and base for a tour of Tuscany. You can reach Pisa in half an hour, Lucca and Florence in somewhat over an hour. (See note under "Get in"/"By boat" above). In a well-organized day you can tour from a hotel in Livorno you might sample Chianti-side, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Siena and Volterra and be back for dinner.
Caution: one should bear in mind that the return trip by expected time for a cruise ship departure could be quite problematic, and another cab ride may be needed.