With its seafaring soul, slightly retro feel and authentic cosmopolitan atmosphere, Livorno – an hour and a half from The Mall Firenze – is a city that will astonish you at every step.

We begin with breakfast at Pasticceria Cristiani, a real institution dating back to 1936.

From here we enter the heart of the city via the extraordinary Piazza della Repubblica, built over a stretch of the Fosso Reale, now a canal. Not far away, the Venezia Nuova district reveals the city’s more unexpected face, with canals, footbridges and boats speaking of a deep connection with the sea.

After a brief rest in the green setting of Fortezza Nuova, today a public park, we continue to Mercato delle Vettovaglie, one of the largest indoor markets in Europe. For lunch we can stay here and try one of the specialities at Alle Vettovaglie or go for a quintessential local classic, a “5 e 5”: a panino filled with a chickpea fritter, just outside the market at Da Gagarin.

In the afternoon, a visit to Fortezza Vecchia and a close-up look at the nearby Monument of the Four Moors, the symbol of the city, which dominates the port, among boats and fishermen.

For a sweet treat, there’s gelato at Gelateria Popolare 2, open since 1936.

If you’re travelling with children (or you’re just curious), Livorno Aquarium is definitely not to be missed.

At sunset, a stroll along the Terrazza Mascagni is obligatory: the sea in front, the sky changing colour and the unmistakable black-and-white check of the paving.

In the evening we return to Venezia Nuova and its many bars and restaurants. Dinner here is all about the star of Livorno cuisine, cacciucco, and ends with a traditional ponce caldo.

If you happen to come in the second half of July, check out the packed programme of Effetto Venezia: exhibitions, theatre, performance art and concerts.