Need a Helping Hand in Livorno?Not everyone is confident enough to explore a new foreign city on their own. It can take time to work out how to get around, how the local buses work, where to eat and shop, and sometimes even just to get your bearings. And when time is short, this can be frustrating and annoying, especially if your Italian is not up to scratch!

If you are keen to explore Livorno but would like some assistance, I could help you out. 

My name is Sarah, I'm English and have lived in Livorno for many years so I know the city and the surrounding area very well. I speak fluent Italian and, in addition to running the Livorno Now website, I am a licensed tour leader. 

From Piazza XX Settembre to the Port of Livorno

5 August 2009 American Market relocated to the Port of LivornoLivorno's American Market - Il Mercatino Americano - has just reopened in a brand new location inside the port, after nearly sixty years in Piazza XX Settembre. The market became popular after the opening of the US army base Camp Darby in nearby Tombolo (on the way to Pisa) and in the 70s was well-known throughout Italy as the place for army surplus gear and American jeans and food products.

Samarcanda, new premises in Via MarradiSpecialists in antique oriental furniture, Samarcanda have just moved to new, larger premises just a few doors from their previous shop in Via Marradi. Now at 193A, the new shop has ample space in which to display a wide range of Samarcanda's beautiful pieces of furniture.

For those of us who are worried about all the ecologically unsound plastic packaging which comes with many of the products we buy these days, there is good news: it is now possible to buy washing liquids 'on tap' in Livorno, at a shop called Mille Bolle Point in Via Goldoni 4 (off Via Maggi).

This welcome addition to Livorno's city centre will mean we can now take our own recycled containers and fill them up with our chosen detergents, and also hopefully saving a few cents at the same time.