It took me four visits to truly fall in love with Livorno. I first ventured to this region on the west coast of Italy in 2010 – drawn in, as most travelers are, by the leaning tower of Pisa, which is a 35-minute coach ride away. I was impressed by Pisa and the tower, of course, but Livorno itself didn’t immediately captivate me. I’d mistakenly viewed it simply as a port: somewhere to travel through to get to more exciting destinations. After a few trips spent exploring the Tuscan countryside and hearing great things about Livorno from the locals, though, I realized it was time to give the quaint port town an opportunity to charm me. And charm me, it did – I discovered some incredible local gems and a new favourite destination. Here are a few of my must-dos:

Terrazza Mascagni features a black-and-white, chessboard-style pavement that curves along the shoreline for 500m, offering ample rambling space for taking in the views. It’s iconic, but the area doesn’t feel like a tourist trap, as locals flock here for seaside strolls.

Mercato Centrale, on the Scali Aurelio Saffi, is a daily stop for locals nipping in to buy anything from dinner to clothing. Somehow, I left without spending all of my savings.