Coastal Tour: Carrara-Pisa

From Carrara to Pisa

Data from OpenStreetMap - Posted under ODbL

We begin our journey at the northern end of Tuscany, near Carrara - La Spezia, a little further north, is already in the province of Liguria. Here you are still on the A12 if you came from Parma. From Carrara you will find the first ones Tuscany beaches, which are quite “built-in” near the bank. The towns of Avenza, Massa, Forte dei Marmi and... Pietrasanta almost seamlessly together. The last of these places is Viareggio, a little south of it the beach of Camaiore, Lido di Camaiore. There are many family-friendly in this area Hotels, the beaches are well-groomed, are looked after and consist almost without exception of sand.

Carrara has been, alongside Verona, the center of Italian marble production (the so-called “white marble”) for centuries. From here the sought-after raw material is shipped all over the world. There are around 50 different types of marble, which are obtained in around 150 different quarries. Currently, about 1.000.000 tons of marble are mined per year. The city of Carrara itself is definitely worth a visit - there are many public buildings there, but also simple things, such as curbs, made of marble, of course. Many marble sculptures in Carrara tell of the Our history the city and Italy. Carrara is also known for the Academia di Belle Arti di Carrara, the sculpture academy.

With a little over 60.000 inhabitants, Viareggio is about the same size as Carrara. The name comes from the castle Castrum de Via Regia, which was built on the site of today's city of Viareggio almost 1000 years ago. Along the coast near Viareggio there are already the first pine forests so typical of the coastal areas of Tuscany, which were originally planted to offer protection from the sea breeze. Viareggio was already a well-known seaside resort in the 19th century. The Italian composer Giacomo Puccini lived for many years at Lake Massaciuccoli near Viareggio in what is now Torre del Lago Puccini, which can be visited. In addition, there are several museums in Viareggio, including the Carnival Museum Museo del Carnevale, which underlines the important role of Carnival in Tuscany. Two theaters and the annual summer opera festival Festival Puccini in honor of Puccini round off the cultural offerings. It is worthwhile for art lovers to take a closer look at this place and its cultural offerings.

Image left: Art in Carrara, Agostini Picture Library. Middle image: Pisa, Cathedral, Fototeca ENIT. Right image: Torre del Lage Puccini, Fototeca ENIT

After Viareggio, a relatively wide flat area opens up, which was drained until a few generations ago and was then considered to be infected with malaria. Valuable arable land could be gained here with canals and well-planned planting. On the A12 you drive exactly between Pisa and its "suburb" Marina di Pisa. If you want to visit Pisa, so we offer you further information here. There is a very long stretch of beach between Marina di Pisa and Viareggio. With its restaurants near the sea, Marina di Pisa invites you to linger. With its spacious streets and youth villas, the atmosphere of the 19th century is still conveyed a little today, when the area was still the holiday destination of wealthy Italians. In the southern course, the beach sections Tirrenia and Calambrone border, which are also highly recommended.