The Tuscan port of Livorno was founded by the Venetians and populated by pirates, outcasts and miscreants. It is Italy’s most colourful port and the 100-year-old Bar Civili is its self-proclaimed “bar, meeting place, institution and temple to continuity”.

The walls are covered with paintings, which were exchanged for drinks by penniless artists, and old black-and-white photographs of the town, known as Leghorn to the English sailors who were regular visitors during the 18th and 19th centuries.

It is tucked away among blocks of old and crumbling apartments near the railway station and the drink of choice is “ponce”, a mispronunciation of the English word “punch”.

When the Royal Navy dumped a consignment of particularly rough rum at the docks in 1890 an enterprising local (some say it was Rodano Civili, founder of Bar Civili) added coffee and two teaspoons of sugar to make it more palatable and “ponce alla livornese” was born.

The drink is served hot, in squat glasses that must be held at the base to avoid scalding, and aficionados take it “con vela” – with a sailor. The sailor isn’t the salty sea captain holding up the bar. It’s a piece of lemon peel. The Livornese reckon it looks like the skin of a sailor just back from a tour of duty to the Antilles. To my mind the drink doesn’t taste much better, but the Livornese seem to have developed a taste for it.

Bar Civili is a microcosm of Livorno – pragmatic, open-minded and buzzing with brio. Apart from the weather-beaten old seafarers who routinely line the bar, on any given night you’ll see cool girls clutching Gucci handbags and drinking Persiana, a bright green liqueur named after the colour of Livorno’s window shutters; old guys in cloth caps and breeches playing cards and knocking back beer and soda, another local favourite; and the odd football fan looking for a stiff drink after another disappointing performance by the local team out at Stadio Armando Picchi.

Watch out, though, for the “ultras” – the team’s most hard-core supporters. You can usually spot them by their Che Guevara T-shirts. The Italian Communist party was founded in Livorno in 1921 and the residents still cherish their revolutionary roots. Football pennants from all over the world hang from the bar’s low wooden beams and if you present the manager with one from your home team he’ll give you a ponce on the house. Well, you must at least try one.

Name Bar Civili

Address Via Del Vigna, 5557100 Livorno

Telephone 0586 401 332

Web The bar’s website is no longer operational. Rumour has it the webmaster refused to be paid in ponce

Time Closed Sundays

Clientele Painters, old seadogs and the occasional Livorno FC ultra

The look Italian scruffy. That’s Sunday best for you and me

The drink Ponce alla livornese – rum mixed with coffee and sugar with a twist of lemon peel; Persiana, a bright green liqueur

Opening line “I’ve heard you serve ponces. Does that mean my friend here can get a beer?”; “Good evening, comrades. Long live the revolution!”

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