Charming coastal landscape of Versilia

Versilia is the elegant coastal strip in northwestern Tuscany, nestled between the Apuan Alps and the sea. It includes the seaside resorts of Forte dei Marmi, Marina di Pietrasanta, Lido di Camaiore, and Viareggio, with their wide, fine sandy beaches – and inland, the artists' town of Pietrasanta. Here you can find out which towns belong to the region, what distinguishes them, and when the market is held.

What belongs to Versilia?

In the strict, historical sense, Versilia comprises only four municipalities: Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi, Seravezza, and Stazzema. For tourist purposes, Camaiore with Lido di Camaiore, Massarosa, and Viareggio are also considered part of it. The northern neighbors Massa and Carrara , with their seaside resorts Marina di Massa and Marina di Carrara, are not part of Versilia, even though they are often mentioned together.

The places of Versilia

Forte dei Marmi

Forte dei Marmi ist der mondänste Badeort der Toskana: Villen im Pinienwald, Boutiquen, gepflegte Strandbäder. Seit dem späten 19. Jahrhundert kamen Künstler und Schriftsteller, darunter Aldous Huxley und Thomas Mann. Vom Ende der Seebrücke (Pontile) sieht man den Ort vor der Kulisse der Apuanischen Alpen – besonders schön im Abendlicht.

Pietrasanta and Marina di Pietrasanta

The old town of Pietrasanta is a center of sculpture: artists from all over the world work in marble workshops and bronze foundries, and large sculptures often stand in the Piazza del Duomo. On the seafront lies Marina di Pietrasanta with the La Versiliana park, in whose villa Gabriele D'Annunzio once lived and where a cultural festival takes place in the summer.

Lido di Camaiore

The seaside resort of Camaiore has a long promenade, a wide sandy beach, and a pier. It is somewhat more family-friendly and often cheaper than Forte dei Marmi.

Viareggio and Torre del Lago

Viareggio is the largest city in Versilia and famous for its carnival with its giant papier-mâché floats (since 1873). Along the lakeside promenade stand Art Nouveau buildings such as the Gran Caffè Margherita, where Giacomo Puccini was a regular after moving to Viareggio in 1921. Puccini's former villa in the Torre del Lago district on Lake Massaciuccoli is now a museum; the Puccini Festival takes place there in the summer. You can find walking tours of Viareggio at GetYourGuide.

Michelangelo and the marble of Versilia

Commissioned by Pope Leo X, Michelangelo was tasked from 1518 onwards with sourcing marble from the mountains near Seravezza for the façade of San Lorenzo in Florence and, to that end, building a road from Monte Altissimo to the sea. The façade was never completed, but the "Via di Michelangelo" remains. The Palazzo Mediceo in Seravezza has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013 as part of the Medici Villas complex.

Beaches, markets and accommodation

The beaches of Versilia are wide, with fine sand and a gentle slope – ideal for families. Almost everywhere you'll find beach clubs (bagni) with sun loungers and parasols; free stretches of beach are less common, such as the natural beach of Lecciona between Viareggio and Torre del Lago. You can find accommodation in Viareggio via Booking.com ; for more ideas, see our family holiday in Tuscany.

Location	Market day	Important notes
Forte dei Marmi	Wednesday	mornings, and additionally on Sundays
Pietrasanta	Thursday	morning
Viareggio	Thursday	morning, Piazza Cavour
Torre del Lago	Friday	morning

Our coastal tour Carrara – Pisa describes the entire route from Carrara to Pisa ; all markets are listed under Markets in Tuscany , all beaches under Tuscany: Sea and Beach.

Frequently asked questions about Versilia