You’re travelling to beautiful Tuscany and there’s plenty to see and do for an immersive experience, and since you’ve docked in Livorno – or Leghorn – why not take part to some of the fun tours that can be done during the day in and around the city? Livorno has a rich history and has a lot of interesting and beautiful sights to offer. Let’s take a look at some of the options for those looking to do a one-day tour around Livorno.

Boat Tours Around Livorno

Discover Livorno by gliding over its canals with these fantastic, exciting boat tours that will teach you and show you all there is to know about the history and sights of the city.
During a 50 minute tour you’ll see the network of canals of the Quartiere Venezia, with its picturesque, unique 18th century architecture, moving underneath the walls of the Old Fortress and of the New Fortress. The tour will take you under Piazza delle Repubbliche, the largest suspended square in Europe with its 220-meter width.
A 1 h 45 minutes tour will take you from the 16th century Old Fortress to the harbor, but there’s also a 35 minutes tour on a venetian punt boat through the Venezia Nuova district.
Themed boat tours are available if you want to have a different experience: “The traditions of the Palio Marinaro”, a tour that showcases the history of the city’s rowing competition; “Pirates, Corsairs and Smugglers” a tour that will teach you about pirates of the Mediterranean; “The City of Nations” a tour that showcases the cultures and foreign communities that contributed to the creation of the cosmopolitan city of Livorno. Boat tours with cocktails and appetizers can also be booked, or you can ask about a boat tour with a wine tasting experience package.
The boats can seat 50 people and in case of bad weather conditions the tour can be replaced by a visit of the city by foot.

Secrets of Livorno

This tour will take you through the history of the many fortresses in and around Livorno. You’ll have a taste of the rich tradition of Tuscan noble families, conflicts and wars as you visit towers, citadels, and strongholds that made history.
Livorno, known for being a cosmopolitan city, a free port and a stronghold citadel is one of few cities in Italy that still has remains in good conditions of the architectural elements of its medieval features: with moats filled with seawater, towers (one dates back to the year 1000), two Renaissance fortresses and six bastions from the 1600-1700s, they can all be visited with a tour by foot through the evolution of the city’s fortifications. The tour will take about 3 hours, but can be shortened or extended based on your needs and interests.
What you’ll see during this tour has been a cornerstone for medieval defenses and the architecture was an inspiration for all of Europe. Measurements for the architectural elements of towers and strongholds were made with the advent of firearms and gunpowder in mind and it reflects in how these structures are organized. The art of war is tangible in the locations you’ll visit during this tour and it will evoke memories of spies, soldiers and ancient wars…

Visit Bolgheri

Nestled between Tuscany’s picturesque rolling hills, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, you’ll find the town of Bolgheri and that of Castagneto Carducci. Surrounded by rich history you’ll be immersed in the atmosphere of these borghi, medieval villages of Lombard origins. An excellent culinary tradition will accompany you as you visit the sights and landscapes of the area, and you’ll have the chance to try local, traditional dishes and produce of the region.
A visit to Bolgheri won’t be just about seeing beautiful places, but it represents a part of Italian history, and will make for a unique, memorable visit. In Bolgheri you’ll find the Viale dei Cipressi and the Castle of the della Gherardesca family. The town overlooks an expanse of vineyards and olive groves, which produce some of Tuscany’s unique and prized wines and olive oils. You can stop by some of the local wineries and oil mills to try out these local productions, such as the world-famous Bolgheri Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Bolgheri Superiore DOC wines. Nearby, you’ll find Castagneto Carducci, with another della Gherardesca Castle, dating back to the year 1000. You can learn more about the noble family while you stroll through the streets of the town and enjoy the breeze over the valleys. A tour of the area normally lasts about 2 h 30 minutes (but can be shortened or extended to fit your needs and preference) and you can look into local wineries to book a tasting/dining experience as well, to get the most out of your visit to the area.