I Thought It Was Familiar: Learning To Value The Familiar In Livorno

Livorno, Italy.  It is a fairly large port city on the Western coast of Tuscany.  Today, ships of every shape and size can be seen on any given day.  But Livorno has been a major Mediterranean port for centuries, and it also served as the main port of Florence for three of those centuries. 

The ship I work on goes to Livorno rather regularly, seeing as how the city is the gateway for Lucca, Florence, and Pisa.  Livorno also boasts many good Wi-Fi spots.  Trust me on this: all crew members crave good Wi-Fi, so it’s not uncommon for us to have a day where we go out and find a good source of Wi-Fi. 

I have usually treated Livorno either as a gateway city or a Wi-Fi city, never giving it due credit.  Today was different.  This was to be my last time in Italy for a long time.  Perhaps permanently.  After being in Livorno a dozen or so times, I still hadn’t explored much of the city.  I wanted to make the most of my last time in Italy, to see what makes Livorno “Livorno.”  I was not expecting the day to grant me such a level of serendipity.   

Piazza Grande, Livorno

The main downtown road, Via Grande, cuts through the city straight from the port.  Once I reached the Piazza Grande, I sat down for a nice Italian pizza (it was a good size for only 6.80 Euros) and a creamy, smooth cappuccino that really hit the spot with its flavor.  I mean, hey; my last time in Italy needed these things.  Anyway, there are many good restaurants on this road, but I do recommend Ristorante Napoletana in the Piazza Grande.  If you’re looking to save some money but want a lot of variety (especially for pizza), then this is the place to be. 

After lunch, I decided to go south, the only direction in Livorno I had never went.

In five minutes or so I found myself at a canal.  

The sunny day punctuated the gleam of the water and the colors of the buildings.  I had seen another canal before, near the Piazza Del Repubblica.  I wish I had followed that one, to see where it would lead, and how far.  This canal, however…something about it was wonderfully similar to the canals of St. Petersburg.  How strange to think that in Italy.  Ahh, how the mind works....

So I passed down the street, admiring the interesting sights on every block.  

I don't know what these two names are, but I did enjoy the picture.

The canal, winding its way under the street.

I absolutely love umbrella pines.  If I can, someday I'll plant one in my (future) yard!

As I neared the end of the street, the hills of Tuscany could be seen lazily touching the sky in the heat of the afternoon.  

Oh how I wished to get to the base of those hills.  Oh how I wished to drive the highways through Tuscany to Pisa, then Florence, like I’ve done several times before. 

But there was another part of me that was solid in the belief of common sense and my present circumstances; of course I couldn’t just rent a car and leave.  And I had had some things to take of onboard the ship in the morning, so I could not have left early anyway.  My purpose was clear by now.  Here I was, about to walk back toward the ocean, toward a part of Livorno I had never walked.

After passing down this road along the ocean, I saw a large building pop into view, albeit it discreetly.

  

At first I was confused, for I thought I was seeing a big, open area from afar.  I walked across the street, eager to find out what was here.  Once I past the building, I was taken aback in a lovely way.   

Up until this point, trees and such along the road were in the way of what was really there; a gigantic promenade-terrace, expanding to what seemed like the horizon.  

What a brilliant display; what a layout of expansive but humble beauty.  It was so much more than I was expecting, and serendipitous indeed.

This place is called Terraza Mascagni, after the famous composer Pietro Mascagni, born in Livorno.  Before then, from 1892-1918 this area had been the Eden, a great, permanent fairground.  I do believe this ferris wheel is still here to remember those days.

It had become a public space in 1928 after a few years of reconstruction.  By then it named after Constanzo Ciano, the Fascist party leader.  During WWII the area was bombed, as was the aquarium.  The area was rebuilt into its present look and renamed “Terraza Mascagni” in 1945, after the war.

Not only was I so surprised by this gorgeous place, but I was also feeling calm.  I felt at peace here, walking along the checkered pavement that seemed to bend playfully in my vision, and that stretched out to the the water’s edge.  No matter where I looked, I was both enamored and calmed by scenery either drenched in sunlight or shadow. 

Eventually it dawned on me; I needed to make my way back to the ship, down the road to the port.  Reluctantly I made my way past the aquarium before stealing a few more glances back upon the terrace. 

I turned toward the intersection, heavy with that feeling of saying farewell.  

And quickly enough I noticed a gelateria across the street.  I thought, “well…this is my last day in Italy.”  My Italian day was not finished, apparently. 

The gelateria is called Caprilli Gelateria Naturale.  

The whole menu is in Italian, and it is a small but pretty space where one can either sit or order to go.  In short: all signs point to authenticity.  The young lady was nice enough to explain to me some of the more interesting flavors (no, seriously; it was all in Italian!).  I ended up getting mango, dark chocolate, and a house flavor, made with pistachio (I think) and something that reminded me slightly of rosemary, or pine. 

This was probably some of the best gelato I’ve had…period.  The flavors were perfect, and the gelato itself was almost elastic.  Here’s the best part; three scoops for 2.80 euros.  Only 2.80.  That’s a damn good deal.  Caprilli Gelateria is definitely a place to seek out along the waterfront of Livorno. 

As I walked the road back to the ship, I was thinking about how much I’d taken Livorno for granted.  I’ve always let my mind define it as something other than a city to explore extensively.  And I felt a little guilty about that after seeing Terraza Mascagni and the canals.  After all, these places lifted my spirits high.  I wish they had done it sooner.  Still, overall, I felt I was giving Italy the fondest of farewells. 

Let this story show that even if you have been somewhere many times, there is always something new to see.  Even in our own hometowns we take things for granted.  That church or park you have always past, but never accosted.  Or that shopping plaza that is run-down and near unnoticeable, but could actually provide you with something special.  Or perhaps that non-descript local market where people come and go.  Big things can be hidden, waiting for us to perceive them even in the most familiar haunts. We just need to pick a certain direction, or location, and go.

I researched a bit into the history of the city, and I discovered things about Livorno that lifted my spirits as much as my day did.  I will summarize the history here, but go to this great site for more detail.  You’ll have to open multiple tabs for each section, but it is a perfect guide to Livorno’s history nonetheless. 

The port had long been established before Livorno was bought by the city-state of Florence in the 15^th century.  Once that happened, the Medici family came in, developed the town into a city, and before long Livorno became not only the main port of Florence, but also a main port for the whole Mediterranean. 

After the Medici dynasty came to an end in 1737, Livorno came under the hand of the Austrian Dukes of Lorraine.  Decades later, Napolean invaded Livorno three times in four years (1796-1800).  His purpose was twofold: first, he wanted to plunder the wealth of the British community in the city, and second, he wanted to ruin Livorno’s commerce in order that the port of Marseilles could take a competitive edge.  After Napolean’s dispersal, the Dukes of Lorraine were restored to power.  They built and extended the city even further.

Livorno has also been a cosmopolitan city since the time of the Medicis.  A decade before the 17^th century, laws were passed to encourage settlement and population growth in the city.  Jews fleeing persecution in Spain and Portugal settled in Livorno.  The Jewish population came to be the dominant foreign community in the city, but Greek, Dutch, British, French, and Armenian communities soon developed, too.  It is in this way that Livorno became a unique city in Italy for its liberalism, multiculturalism, and the way in which each foreign community functioned within the city. 

The port area of Livorno was heavily expanded starting in 1865.  Gradually it became an industrial port, and at the turn of the 20^th century the port started generating worldwide acclaim for its military and commercial shipbuilding.  Today Livorno still maintains its status as one of the major ports of the Mediterranean.  

Disclaimer: 

I do not intend to speak on behalf of Azamara Club Cruises.  As an employee of Azamara Club Cruises, I hereby state that all views and expressions of opinion I hold are solely my own, and do not reflect or represent the views, values, beliefs, opinions, or company policies of ether Azamara Club Cruises or Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
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