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    Awaiting Your Return From Shore | 
    
     Livorno serves as a convenient gateway to the Tuscany region.  
    Visitors come to see the great art centers of Florence, Lucca, and Pisa. Lucca, the provincial capital, is one of the most handsome 
    Romanesque cities in Europe. It is especially known for its medieval 
    ramparts, allowing one to walk around the whole circuit.
 If you have never been to Florence, 
    you must go. Prioritize your visit (or choose your tour) to do those things 
    you most wish to do: shop, see Michelangelo's statue of David at the 
    Accademia, see the Birth of Venus and Caravaggio's Bacchus in 
    the Uffizi Gallery, or just walk, window shop, and have a gelato. Keep in 
    mind that there are frequently long lines to enter museums and monuments 
    (particularly the Accademia), but there are also occasions when there are no 
    lines and few visitors. Some museums are closed during lunch (and 
    unannounced strikes).
 
        ShoppingLeather articles, shoes, silk scarves and ties, along with chic fashions 
        for men and women, can be found in numerous elegant stores. In Florence, 
        shopping streets worth exploring include the Via Tornabuoni, Via de' 
        Calzaiuoli and Via Strozzi. The Ponte Vecchio is noted for its 
        silversmiths and jewelry shops. In Livorno, a number of good shops can 
        be found along the Via Grande, the city's main street.
 
        Cuisine. Tuscan cooking is hearty and 
        delicious. Enjoy a Florentine steak or tender veal, following a 
        mouth-watering plate of pasta. A glass of Chianti Classico will go 
        nicely with your meal. In Livorno, dine in the main hotels or local 
        trattorias. In Florence, side streets leading off the main squares offer 
        endless dining opportunities. 
        Other SightsInternet Connection. There is an internet cafe in downtown 
        Livorno between Via Galilei and Via Garibaldi.
 Golf. The Cosmopolitan 
        Country Club is one of the most competitive courses in Tuscany. Voted 
        best new golf course in Italy in 1993, it is a "must play" for the 
        golfing enthusiast.
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    Awaiting Your Return 
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