Livorno is a main port town inTuscany. It was traditionally calledLeghorn in English, nowadays the name is used to refer to a breed of chickens which were exported to North America from the Livorno port.
Livorno is on the Tyrrhenian sea inItaly. It is the third-largest port on the western coast. Upper Class travellers heading to Rome in the days of theGrand 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.
There are regular trains to and from Florence (1:20 hr journey), Pisa (15 min), and Rome.
43.55416510.3361151Train station Livorno Centrale.The 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.(updated May 2019)
Direct ferry routes exist toBastia,Golfo Aranci,Olbia andPalermo. Once a week, generally during summer, there is also a ferry to Livorno froml'Île-Rousse operated by Corsica Ferries. It is best to book early to avoid overbooking.
Manycruise 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 Florenceor 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...
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.
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.
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.
"Ponce alla livornese" is optimal to finish a meal (warm drink with coffee and rum).
Livorno is a good starting point and base for a tour of Tuscany. You can reachPisa in half an hour,Lucca andFlorence 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 sampleChianti-side,Monteriggioni,San Gimignano,Siena andVolterra 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.
| Routes through Livorno |
| Genoa←Pisa← | W  E | →Castiglioncello→Civitavecchia |
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