Livorno, Port city in Tuscany, Italy
Livorno is a harbor town on the Tuscan coast along the Ligurian Sea, crossed by a system of canals. The old center connects with the modern port area, where ferries dock and cargo containers are loaded.
The Medici family transformed a small fishing village into a major seaport during the late 1500s. Merchants from across Europe settled here after laws were announced that guaranteed religious tolerance.
The name derives from a medieval village called Liburna, whose inhabitants were fishermen and traders. Today locals use the waterfront promenade for evening walks, while the market halls fill with fresh fish and local produce each morning.
Most places in the center sit close together and can be explored on foot, while the waterfront promenade offers a continuous walking path. Peak traffic times run more quietly in the morning and evening than in larger Italian cities.
Underground aqueducts from the 1600s run beneath the streets, once bringing drinking water into town. Some of these tunnels can be visited on special guided tours, with walls still showing the original brick structures.
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