The Viale di Antignano is part of the Livorno promenade and takes its name
from the district of the same name. Antignano, today a seaside resort at
the base of the hill of Montenero, was once a fief of the Aldobrandeschi counts
of Sovana (1172) and then a castle built by the Medici (1562) to defend the
coast. The district is located south of the Ardenza district, a few kilometers
from the hamlet of Quercianella.
Along the avenue of Antignano you can admire historic residences such as:
Villa Barsanti Menicanti (now a 4-star hotel), Villa Mascagni, the castle of
Antignano and the Boccale castle (nearby). In addition to the interest in the
architectural part, a walk along the avenue of Antignano will give breathtaking
views of the Livorno coast, with some of the most suggestive points of the
promenade, such as the Antignano staircase, a stone staircase that ends
directly in the clear waters below, or the rock of the Ballerina (location
chosen by the director Paolo Virzì for the last scene of the film “La
prima cosa bella”).