I Heart Livorno

Livorno

When I told any Italian I was going to Livorno, most made a face and said there are better seas.  Regardless I was going for work and it was still seaside so how bad could it be? I arrived just in time to put my bags in the hotel, grab my bike and hightail it to where the sun was meeting the ocean for the night! The orange sky, salty breeze, and cute path along the sea I instantly fell in love with Livorno!

I sat on the rock edge and listened to the birds as a ship glistened when it blocked the view of the sun kissing the water good night! Even after the clouds tucked the sun beyond the horizon there was still daylight left and a beautiful pedestrian path to bike. 

Biking around teenagers embracing, lovers perched on a seaside wall, or elderly couples holding hands along the path I instantly felt happy. The people here seem to take time to just enjoy life’s little pleasures.  Taking  my cue to be part of the ambience, I pedaled lazily with a grin across my face. 

I stopped when at a gazebo, the same one in photograph that caught my eye at the reception desk of the hotel. The sun was gone, but its brilliant orange light provide a beautiful silhouette.  Next to the gazebo were elegant stairs with checkered flooring. It was kinda odd and out of place these steps and glamorous tiled floor, they did not belong.  In my head they should have led up to a massive chateau with a ballroom full of flowing gowns and tuxedos of couples dancing. But there was only the stairs and checkered tiles with orange reflection of the city lamps imitating the sun's glow.  But I am grateful they were there up against the water without the mansion, filling my head of dreamy visions, music, and dancing that would not have happened if there was an actual villa.  I weaved my bike back and forth and made figure 8 to the waltz in my head.  I may not have been dancing, but my bike was!

The next day was a long drive for a sales call with Stefano, but the company was good! We spent all day together and never running of topics to talk about! Stefano was a great host and friend, he understood how important it was for me to enjoy the little bit of daylight after work, so the whole Livorno office had dinner after I could chase another sunset. My head was still swirling with dancing to string instruments from the day before so I went back to the misfit ballroom floor.  It was a cloudy haze over the horizon, so I only gazed at the sun starting its descent towards the water for a bit before being distracted by my shadow!  Every sunset provides an opportunity to play with our shadow in the orange light beaming behind us.  

Snapping and literally snatching pictures until my eye caught a fleck of red making its way up the staircase.   A young girl was stunning in a red ballgown with her prince…..prom date neatly dressed in a suit! Is this really happening?!?!?! Yes, my realistic matter of fact brain told the daydreamer deep within me that many people probably use this location for weddings and prom pictures.  But dreamer in me pushed reality aside and transformed this young couple as the pair in The Singing Butler painting coming to life! In the painting it is raining but both my current reality and the picture have an orange tinted sky, twinkling water, a red dress, elegance in the air and most importantly makes me want to dance! Best of all the bystanders including myself could not help but smile and watch this couple on such a romantic evening! 

I stayed too long!  My friends of Livorno were waiting! Where did the time go! I pedaled fast to dinner where I enjoyed the fresh air, great company, and amazing food!

Lucca

The following day I decided to venture to a nearby city: Lucca the city of towers!  It feels like there are two cities: the modern one outside the walls surrounding the second one, which is the original Renaissance village. The best part is the older Lucca is completely enclosed by castle-like walls and a moat.  There is no castle, but plenty of towers, which I climbed two for the panoramic view of the entire city!

Guinigi Tower

                                 Climbing to the top!                                                 Posing in my favorite                                                                                                                            lifting position: The Snatch!

The view at the top of Guinigi Tower!

Why yes those are branches in these pictures!

There is a tree on top of this tower!

Torre delle Ore is the clock tower in the distance

I will climb this one next! 

Torre delle Ore 

Clock Tower

Always time to be silly!

Guinigi Tower in the distance!

But my favorite part of Lucca is the wall surrounding the city, which is 100 meters or wider in some areas.  There is a pedestrian path shaded by trees, parks and restaurants on top of the wall!  I could look over the monstrous wall to appreciate equally large hills from afar as well as the modern city of Lucca on the outside. Or I could peer down at the protected Renaissance city inside the walls! It was a beautiful leisurely bike ride around the entire city with a constant light breeze coming from the sea.  Under the blanket of trees with the birds singing and the traffic barely audible it would have been the perfect day to go to the local market grab some wine, cheese, and meat for a picnic. Up here on the wall even the tourists did not appear to be in a rush.  Lucca felt similar to Livorno where the people appreciated the wonderful art of simplicity. 

The Pedestrian path on top of the Wall

The modern city of Lucca outside of the walls

The Renaissance City inside the walls with a moat surrounding it

Outside of the Renaissance city looking at the wall!

After lazy bike ride around the perimeter and climbing towers I walked through the city visiting the piazza and other numerous sites.  One thing I loved in Lucca was the limited amount of cars allowed in the historical part of Lucca truly giving it a quaint, quiet, and cute atmosphere. It even allows you to find interesting shops like ice cream parlor similar to the American style self-serve soft ice cream and toppings like Sweet Frog. But this one has SWINGS!!!!!!!

Little Venice

After a relaxed day in Lucca, I headed back to Livorno to get ready for dinner. My Livorno colleague Serena took me out to dinner at a restaurant full of MEAT!!!!!! My appetizer was a variation of bright red raw meat followed by a cooked steak dinner!  I also enjoyed free entertainment from the table near us.  There were about 20 young men celebrating the 18th birthday of the drunkest lad of them all!  It was very similar to American’s version of celebrating the 21st birthday and rather amusing to watch them sing and be silly! 

After our amusement and dinner Serena walked me through the part of Livorno called “Little Venice.” In an older district of Livorno is a section called La Venezia or Venice, some locals calling it “Little Venice.”  This section of Livorno there are a few stretches of canals similar to Venice, but on a much smaller scale. Every year in August Livorno celebrates its pride as La Venezia with a festival called Effecto Venezia or Venice Effect that lasts for several days.  Unfortunately I will miss this event of crafts, food, wine, and a reason to be in Livorno by two weeks.  But I was lucky to have a tour guide show me the night lift in La Venezia!  Over the bridges and pathways of La Venezia we met up with a few friends of Serena’s.  Everyone was so friendly and willing to try to talk to the Americana. It was a fun night of enjoying the Italian social life!

Last day by the Sea

My last morning in Livorno I did one last bike ride along the seaside to soak in the salty air, relish in the serenity around me, and to capture a few more memories with my camera.  Perhaps it was the sea or the people or just the way of life I felt so relaxed during my short trip here in Livorno.  Perhaps if I saw other seaside towns I would agree that Livorno was just okay, but I have not. So for me Livorno was the perfect getaway!