• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Versilia coast: long sandy beaches and famous holiday resorts

Versilia, wealth and entertaining, is very well-known to many for its socialites. But this piece of land in the province of Lucca, which stretches from the Apuan Alps and the Park of San Rossore, is famous for its incredible beaches. Between Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio, the Versilia coasts are in fact made of long sandy beaches and unique coastal dunes. The most famous holiday resorts? The exclusive Forte dei Marmi, the charming Viareggio, Marina di Pietrasanta and Lido di Camaiore.

Symbol of refined high society, Forte dei Marmi is built around the remains of a fortress and is distinguished for its villas surrounded by woods and famous clubs such as the legendary nightclub "La Capannina" which has marked the history of Italian society during the Sixties. The remarkable and vibrant cultural life of the city is expressed in literary meetings and now in the famous International Festival of satire (which is even dedicated a museum, host in the old fortress). Its famous weekly Market is definitely one of the "must-to-see" in Italy.

Pietrasanta is located inland and is the artistic capital of Versilia. From the 16th  century , in fact, the art of shaping the marble started and developed form here, with Michelangelo. Among the artists who are in the area today, the sculptor Fernando Botero, who has adorned it with his works. Overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, Marina di Pietrasanta, is a quiet and elegant seaside resort, ideal for families.

Camaiore, from the quaint old town with Romanesque architecture (including the beautiful Collegiate in 1278 ) is nestled in a valley at the very beginning of the Alps. It is famous for the craft of wrought iron, to which you can assist in some factory. Its seaside village is the Lido di Camaiore.

Finally Viareggio, the southernmost town in Versilia and since the 19th  century the best known internationally. For centuries, the only outlet to Lucca,it is the city of the Carnival (among the most important Carnival celebrations in Italy) but at the same time it is a very elegant and refined resort. Embellished with coffee places and trendy nightclubs, the city center shows many of its architectural beauty in art nouveau style. Viareggio is also home to one of the most prestigious Italian literary awards, the Viareggio.

Versilia is in fact a mix of reasons for fun and education.The coast owes its splendor to the presence of lush vegetation and cool pine forests that form the backdrop to sandy beaches. In the Versiliana Park, in Marina di Pietrasanta , you can find the 19th  century villa of the Ginori Lisci family. Among the first buildings on the coast, now publicly owned, the villa has exhibitions and cultural events, keeping alive the tradition that has always made Versilia being the favorite place for vacation for the Italian intellectuals.