At least twice a year I go back to Livorno, the city of my childhood. The first thing I do is head to the messy, noisy and colourful central food market to eat a frate (an orange-scented doughnut dipped in sugar), and then to the harbour to see if the sea urchin stands are still there, serving the spiky sea creatures cut in half, to be consumed raw with a drop of lemon juice.
Just 20km south of Pisa, Livorno checks all the boxes of the typical European port city: it's chaotic and lively; it's multicultural; and it's strongly linked to the sea, both culturally and gastronomically. Plus, it's in the middle of Tuscany, which should automatically make it popular.
