LIVORNO: THE IDEALTOWN OF THE ITALIAN RENIASSANCE
To most outsiders, Livorno is famous for two things: football striker Cristiano Lucarelli and Leghorn chicken. However, Livorno also has a lot of other things to offer a visitor. This port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy is the capital of the province of Livorno and the third-largest port on the western coast of Italy, with a population of over 170,000. Livorno was described as an “ideal town” during the Renaissance, and even today, you can see its history in its canals, fortified town walls, and quaint streets, principally in the Venice district.
The “Leggi Livornine”, laws that came into force between 1590 and 1603, helped trade, provided freedom of religion, and amnesty for certain offences. Thanks to them, Livorno became home to plenty of foreigners, including Hebrews, Armenians, Greeks, the Dutch, and the English. The cosmopolitan nature of the city went a long way toward making it one of the most important ports of the Mediterranean.
Today, Livorno’s Venice district preserves most of its original town planning and architectural features such as bridges, narrow lanes, aristocrats’ residences and a network of canals that linked the port to storehouses. Livorno reached its peak in the 18th and 19th centuries, as neo-classical buildings thronged the city, museums and cultural institutions came up, and rich traders built Liberty villas with sea views. However, during the Napoleonic Wars, trade with England was banned and Livorno’s economy slumped. In 1868, after Livorno officially became part of Italy, its importance as a trading centre decreased.
Thanks to tourism, however, Livorno is once again on the international map, and visitors are invariably impressed with Livorno’s accommodation facilities, places of interest, and hospitality. The Museo Mascagnano, for instance, houses memorabilia, documents and operas by legendary composer Pietro Mascagni. Then there is the Sanctuary of Montenero, dedicated to Our Lady of the Graces, the patron saint of Tuscany. It is famed for its adjacent gallery, decorated with iconic representations telling stories of miraculous rescues at sea.
Also of great interest is the Monumento dei Quattro Mori (Monument of the Four Turks), dedicated to Grand Duke Ferdinando II de Medici. The Piazza della Republica contains a few important monuments, and is also a bridge (the largest in Europe), under which is an old canal. Also do not miss the old fortress, made with red bricks and built to defend the city from pirates at the time of the Medici. It has three bastions named Capitana, Ampolletta and Canaviglia.
So contact us today as you begin planning your Livorno trip. We have the best hotels and deals (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Livorno.htm) and can guarantee you a memorable stay in Italy’s ideal Renaissance city!
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TUSCANY BED & BREAKFASTS: CATCH THE LOCAL FLAVOUR
Tuscany is paradise on earth for most Tuscans, and for several thousand tourists as well. Naturally, for a region that thrives on tourism, accommodation facilities are as varied as they are comfortable, keeping in mind the individual requirements of a traveller. And bed and breakfasts are among the most popular forms of accommodation in Tuscany, because these are largely farm-based accommodation units that give you a genuine taste of rural Tuscan life. As you probably know, Tuscany is famed for its vineyards and olive orchards, and agritourism is immensely popular among visitors. Our list of Tuscany bed & breakfasts is perfect for you to experience all the charms of Tuscany at its best.
The Tuscany bed & breakfasts that we have selected offer the best in modern comforts while retaining all their old world charm. We also provide you a direct link to the accommodation of your choice, so you can deal with the host directly. Many of our bed & breakfasts in Tuscany also host wine tasting sessions, and guests are welcome to participate, because you need not be a sommelier to appreciate good wine.
The essence of any bed & breakfast is homeliness and a family atmosphere. While we certainly guarantee those in any Tuscan bed & breakfast of our choice, you will also be treated like royalty and stay in surroundings that are best described as plush. At the Castello della Paneretta, for instance, you have five finely furnished bedrooms in the relais adjacent to the castle. The bed & breakfast is located in the Montesanto area, and is renowned for vineyards. The garden in front of the property is outstanding for its magnificent lawn bordered by green fences alternating with rose bushes and elegant statues. The ground-floor rooms host tasting sessions of the prestigious wines produced by the estate, and special dinners based on typical Tuscan dishes, carefully prepared by the family chefs.
That is merely one example of the kind of accommodation that we offer you if you choose a Tuscany bed & breakfast from our list. You will experience the delights of some excellent and typically Tuscan cooking, sample some of the world’s best wines, and live amidst some of the most beautiful landscapes to be found in Italy. What more could you ask for on a vacation to this beautiful country? For a complete list of Tuscany bed & breakfasts, please visit us without delay!
