Livorno is the port for Tuscan towns like Pisa, Lucca and Florence. However we decided to avoid the tourist hordes and explore the port itself. It made for a more relaxed pace.  We stepped straight onto a waiting shuttle bus (much more efficient than Marseille) and were soon at the tourist office.  Strangely our ship seemed quite close as the crow flies, but the convoluted route through the large port added several kilometres.

We lined up to purchase tickets for a canal boat tour, and passed the time wandering along a colonnade of shops.  Livorno is a much easier place to walk around than Genoa, the traffic is (a bit) slower, and it has a more spacious feel with wider streets and piazzas.

Livorno

Livorno was the port of the Medicis, and they built two defensive fortresses here.  There is a network of canals, meaning the inevitable comparison with Venice. The small boat wended its way under bridges and past the forts, giving us a water level view of Livorno. It was quite interesting as we learned a little history. At one time there were 150 Medici galleons anchored here, which must have been quite a sight. These days it’s all small recreational boats, along with the police, and the Guardia di Finanza – Italy’s drugs and smuggling law enforcement agency.

Livorno from water level

Here were galleons

Smugglers beware

We had a look on foot at the “new” fort, dating from the 1500s. There is now just a park inside the crumbling walls.

Medici fort and tower

After that we walked to the Mascagni Terrace, a tiled chequerboard seaside promenade. Again we were right on the Med, but there are no beaches here at all, just a straight drop into the water.

Mascagni terrace

Surprisingly it didnt make me dizzy

Dark clouds were rolling in, and before too long we felt the first drops of rain.  Before long it was coming down quite hard and obviously more than a passing shower. With no stormwater drains, the streets were quickly under water. It was time to beat a retreat to the ship.

Time to go home