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Travel                      Italy             Versilia

Marina Di Pietrasanta  ( Coast of Tuscany )
Marina Di Pietrasanta is where the Florentines and Milanese spend their summers by the sea.
It is well known to the Italians but only a small percentage of foreign tourists, who are easily absorbed into the local scene, without overtaking it.
The area is of no interest to the large tour operators as 'cheap' accommodation simply does not exist. There are no skyscrapers, no high-rise hotels, just small Pensiones, villas and family run Trattorias set back from the beach in the tree lined roads.
The beach is at its widest in Marina Di Pietrasanta- 200 yards between beach club cabins and the Mediterranean sea. The vast sweep of fine sand insures that even at its busiest time, it is not overcrowded.
Some of the beach clubs have swimming pools and the beach bars are very sociable places, the perfect venue for meeting people and where children and teenagers can quickly make friends.

Pietrasanta
Just 3 km from the coast, mountain and sea blend together beautifully at Pietrasanta, a small medieval town straddling the lush foothills of the Apuan Alps.
The town has Roman origins and part of the Roman wall still stands.
Pietrasanta grew to importance during the 15th century, mainly due to its connection with marble.
Michelangelo was the first sculptor to recognise the beauty of the local stone.
Today's artists and sculptors are drawn to Pietrasanta from all over the world.
Their studios mingle with small elegant shops amongst wooden shutters and ochre washed buildings in the  deep alleyways that from the Piazza del Duome.
Thursday is local market day, a very colourful, fragrant, open air affair which adds more than a little chaos to the daily bustle of the Town, not really a tourist market but well worth a visit.
The landscape surrounding Pietrasanta is smothered in Olive groves and vineyards.
Narrow roads wind through terraced hillsides up to the tiny villages of Valdicastello, Cappezzano, Caprilgia and Farnocchia, communeties untouched by tourism.
Collectivley these villages are known as Versila Alta and the area offers the visitors unforgettable mountain walks.

Forte Dei Marmi
Forte Dei Marmi ( literally meaning ' the Marble Fort') town centre is just over 1 mile from Marina Di Pietrasanta and shares the same stretch of magnificent golden beach and spectacular backdrop of the Apuan Alps.
Whilst Marina Di Pietrasanta is elegant and low key, Forte Dei Marmi is acknowledged by Italians as one of the most chic and prestigious beach resorts in Italy. It was one of the first bathing beaches, established around the the turn of the century, frequented by Royalty and latterly by film stars and 'beautiful people' vying for prominence. The town is centred around the market the marble fortress built 1788. In the surrounding squares and streets are sophisticated pavement cafes, world famous restaurants and designer shops offering all the luxury and atmosphere of an internationally famous, stylish and lively resort.

Versilia on the Tuscan coast has some of the widest and most immaculate sandy beaches in Italy which are unique in that they are set against a stunning back drop of the marble clad Apuan Alps. Italians have enjoyed spending their summer in these elegant resorts since the turn of the century.
Beach lovers can spend long sun filled days lazing on an Italian beach, or if a day of sight seeing and shopping appeals more, the Cities of Lucca, Pisa and Florence are accessible from the Coast.
Music lovers will be interested to know that ‘Torre del Lago’ (where the maestro Giacomo Puccini lived and wrote his operas) is only 15 minutes drive from Bridgewater’s villas in Versilia. Today an open-air theatre stand by the lake where you can enjoy Puccini’s operas beneath the stars.
Walking in the alps is also popular in this area of Italy and the food is some of the best that Italy has to offer…simple, fresh, rustic cuisine to satisfy the most discerning of pallets.

GET TO COASTAL TUSCANY:
The most convenient airports for Coastal Tuscany are Pisa (30 minutes), Florence (1 hour). However the area is also accessible from Genoa, Bologna and Rome.

SPECIAL EVENTS:
The Puccini opera season takes place annually at Torre del Lago. The programme varies and details are available on request.

EXCURSIONS:
Excursions available include: A full day excursion to Florence, a cookery day and visit of a wine, honey and oil producing estate, A trip to Siena, A day trip to the island of Elba or the ‘Cinque Terre’, a guided tour of the marble quarries of Carrara.

You will be able to book a villa through Bridgewater
www.bridgewatertravel.co.uk 
Bridgewater offers total flexibility so that our guests are not tied to Saturday – Saturday rentals meaning you can take advantage of the low cost flights mid week flights now widely available.
Versilia is an area of the Tuscan coast which has been the home-base of Bellaglen Villas (our sister company) since 1973, so not many people know the properties or the region better than we do!

Market Day in Pietrasanta

Market day in Pietrasanta is on a Thursday
Market day in Marina Di Pietrasanta is on a Saturday. Big and lively, good for clothes and food
Market day in Forte Dei Marmi is on Wednesday (bigger) and on Sunday.
Famous for good priced Designer Wear and Cashmere Knitwear.

Cycling to the Beach

 
Versiliana Beach ( Marina di Piertasanta ) with the Marble Mountains in the background.

Hotels on the Versilian Coast:

Forte dei Marmi
www.hotelbyron.net 5*
Hotel Augustus5*
www.villaromaimperiale.com 4*
www.logoshotel.it 4*
California Park Hotel 4*
www.hotelalcione.com4*

Marina di Pietrasanta
Hotel Lombardi 4*

Lido di Camaiore
www.villaariston.it/index.htm 4*L

Viareggio
www.plazaederussie.com 4*S
www.principedipiemonte.com 4*S
Hotel Astor 4*L
www.Grand Hotel Royal4*

More information about the Versilian Riviera  www.italytravelsguide.com