Mantova Named as Most Livable City in Italy

Mantova (Mantua in English) was named by Legambiente, Italy's non-profit Environmental League, as the most livable city in Italy. Criteria included green space, air quality, public transportation, and traffic. Mantova, between Bologna and Parma in the Northern Italian region of Lombardy, is a beautiful, historic city surrounded on three sides by lakes. Piazza del'Erbe, Mantova's central piazza, is one of my favorites in all of Italy - it's a lively place where both locals and visitors congregate. There are many cafes and several great restaurants in and around the piazza. Be sure to try pike in green sauce with polenta, Montova's speciality. Read more about Mantova in our Profile of Mantova.

The top 10 livable cities are all in northern Italy. The highest scoring cities in Tuscany were Livorno at 12th, Pisa at 14th, and Siena at 17th. Venice, Florence, and Rome came in 28th, 61st, and 68th.