Pietrasanta

Pietrasanta is the artists' town of Versilia: a small, well-preserved old town about 32 km north of Pisa, at the foot of the Apuan Alps and just a few kilometers from the sea. Sculptors from all over the world have their works made here in marble and bronze – the Piazza del Duomo is therefore often an open-air gallery. The municipality (around 23.000 inhabitants, province of Lucca ) also includes the seaside resort of Marina di Pietrasanta.

History of the Marble City

The area was already settled in Roman times. The city's founding year is considered to be 1255: In that year, Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, Podestà of Lucca, had a settlement built below the existing Rocca di Sala fortress, which bears his name. During the Middle Ages, control of the city changed hands several times between Genoa, Lucca, and Florence ; in 1513, Pope Leo X definitively awarded Pietrasanta to Florence in an arbitration ruling.

Nach einer langen Phase des Niedergangs – die Küstenebene war sumpfig und von Malaria geprägt – förderte Großherzog Leopold II. im 19. Jahrhundert den Wiederaufbau und die Marmorbrüche. Daraus entstand die bis heute lebendige Tradition der Steinmetz- und Bronzewerkstätten, die Künstler wie Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Fernando Botero oder Igor Mitoraj nach Pietrasanta zog.

Sights in Pietrasanta

Piazza del Duomo and Cathedral of San Martino

Herz der Altstadt ist die lang gezogene Piazza del Duomo. Der Dom San Martino stammt aus dem 13. und 14. Jahrhundert und hat eine Marmorfassade mit Fensterrose; daneben steht der unverputzte Backstein-Campanile. Im Inneren lohnen Kanzel, Altäre und Kunstwerke aus Marmor einen Blick.

Sant'Agostino and Museum of Bozzetti

The Church of Sant'Agostino on the Piazza now serves as an exhibition space. In the adjacent monastery, the Museo dei Bozzetti displays more than 700 designs and models (bozzetti) by sculptors from all over the world who worked in Pietrasanta – a good starting point for understanding the art city.

Botero frescoes in the Chiesa della Misericordia

In the small Chiesa della Misericordia (also called Sant'Antonio Abate) on Via Mazzini, Fernando Botero, who lived in Pietrasanta for many years and was an honorary citizen of the city, painted two large frescoes: the "Porta del Paradiso" and the "Porta dell'Inferno". He immortalized himself in the Paradise fresco.

Workshops, galleries and Rocca di Sala

Galleries line the narrow streets around Via Garibaldi and Via Mazzini; numerous marble workshops and bronze foundries still operate on the city's outskirts. Above the old town stands the Rocca di Sala fortress, offering panoramic views across the rooftops to the sea.

Market, shopping and beach

Weekly market in Pietrasanta

The weekly market takes place on Thursday mornings at Piazza Statuto and Piazza Crispi on the edge of the old town. Clothing, household goods, and food are offered. Additionally, there is a regular antiques market at Piazza Statuto on weekends. Markets in the surrounding area: Forte dei Marmi on Wednesdays (and Sundays during the season), Viareggio on Thursdays – all dates can be found under Markets in Tuscany by day of the week.

Marina di Pietrasanta and La Versiliana

The seaside district of Marina di Pietrasanta adjoins Forte dei Marmi and boasts a wide sandy beach with numerous lidos. Here you'll also find the La Versiliana park surrounding the villa of the same name, built in 1886, where Gabriele D'Annunzio resided in 1906. Since 1980, the pine-covered park has belonged to the municipality, and in the summer it hosts the Versiliana Festival, featuring concerts, theater performances, and panel discussions. More about the coast: Versilia Coastal Landscape and Tuscan Beaches.

Food and drink in Pietrasanta

The cuisine of Versilia combines fish and seafood with dishes from the hinterland. Around the Piazza del Duomo, you'll find numerous restaurants, wine bars, and enotecas – reservations are recommended for evenings during the summer. These pair perfectly with Tuscan wines . Here are a few addresses (as of 2026; please check opening times in advance):

• Bisteccheria de Il Vaticano: Steakhouse in a historic vaulted cellar in the old town – Bistecca, Filet and Tartare, not for vegetarians.
• Pizza 55: Pizzeria in Via Giuseppe Garibaldi in the old town.
• Locanda di Bruno: Restaurant with meat and fish cuisine in the Vallecchia district, slightly above the town.

Arrival and excursions

You can reach Pietrasanta by car via the A12 (Versilia exit); a limited traffic zone (ZTL) is in effect in the old town, so please park in the designated parking areas along the roadside. Pietrasanta train station is located on the Pisa–La Spezia line, right next to the old town. Worthwhile excursions include Forte dei Marmi , Carrara with its marble quarries, the Apuan Alps , and Lucca.

Frequently asked questions about Pietrasanta