The quintessential image of Tuscany is likely of its mediaeval hill towns, but the port city of Livorno has just as much claim to the region. Many a cruise ship docks here for a look at its splendid Renaissance fortifications and a taste of its much-lauded seafood.

Among Livorno’s top attractions are not one, but two Medici fortresses, the Fortezza Vecchia and the Fortezza Nuova. The latter was part of the city’s 17th century expansion into Nuova Venezia, or New Venice so called for its latticework of canals. Today a boat tour circles the fort and passes under the Piazza della Repubblica. Popular strolls in the city include the main street Via Grande, marked by its magnificent monuments, and the waterfront Terrazza Mascagni.

Being a coastal town, Livorno lies at Tuscany’s farthest western reaches. It is, however, directly connected to Florence via train. A ride without transfers lasts 90 minutes, with some routes requiring a transfer at Pisa, and therefore taking closer to two hours.

Like much of the region’s towns, Livorno was occupied by the Romans, but there is evidence of the coastal village being inhabited as early as the Neolithic period. It expanded somewhat after the Medici dynasty took hold in Florence, and as the 16th and 17th centuries proceeded, Livorno became one of the most enlightened cities in Europe.