Your guide to Versilia · TuscanyBetween sea & marble
Things to do in Versilia, where the Apuan Alps meet the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Dimora Arabella lies in the countryside of Pietrasanta, just 2 km from the beach. From here, the best things to do in Versilia and Tuscany are a short drive away: art towns, elegant seaside resorts, opera by the lake and mountains of white marble.
Things to do in Versilia: the most beautiful places
Versilia is a narrow strip of Tuscany squeezed between the mountains and the sea, and the things to do here change with every hour of the day. In the morning you can walk barefoot on the sand, in the afternoon wander through a town of sculptors and in the evening listen to opera by a lake. Here are our favourite places, all within an easy drive of your apartment. For events and opening times, see the official tourism website Visit Tuscany.
Pietrasanta
They call it the Little Athens of Versilia, and one evening stroll is enough to understand why. Piazza del Duomo opens like an open-air gallery: the white marble Cathedral of San Martino, the red-brick bell tower, the Rocca di Sala watching from the hill. For centuries sculptors from all over the world have come here to work marble and bronze, and their studios and foundries still line the side streets.
- See the Cathedral of San Martino and the church of Sant’Agostino
- Discover the frescoes painted by Fernando Botero in the small Church of the Misericordia
- Walk up to the Rocca di Sala at sunset for the view over the sea
- Browse the art galleries, then dinner in Piazza del Duomo
Forte dei Marmi
Tree-lined avenues, elegant boutiques and beach clubs with neat rows of parasols: Forte dei Marmi is Versilia at its most refined. Walk to the end of the pier and turn around — behind the beach, the marble peaks of the Apuan Alps rise straight above the town, one of the most beautiful views on the Tuscan coast.
- Walk the pier at golden hour
- See the 18th-century Fortino in the main square
- Visit the lively Wednesday morning market
- Cycle along the seafront towards Marina di Pietrasanta
Lido di Camaiore
A wide, palm-lined promenade runs for kilometres along the sand, perfect for a morning run, a bike ride or an ice cream at sunset. Lido di Camaiore is relaxed and family-friendly, with generous beaches, lively bars in the evening and a pier from which to watch the sun sink into the Tyrrhenian Sea.
- Rent a bike and ride the seafront promenade
- Spend a lazy day at one of the beach clubs
- Watch the sunset from the pier
- Enjoy an aperitivo on the seafront in the evening
Viareggio
Viareggio is the queen of the Versilia coast: its Passeggiata a mare is lined with Art Nouveau cafés, shops and elegant buildings, facing the long sandy beach. The town is famous across Italy for its Carnival, celebrated with giant papier-mâché floats — and for its fresh fish, served in the trattorias around the harbour.
- Stroll the Liberty-style Passeggiata a mare
- Visit the Cittadella del Carnevale, home of the giant floats
- Walk through the pine woods of the Pineta di Levante
- Taste fresh seafood near the harbour
Torre del Lago Puccini
On the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli, Giacomo Puccini wrote some of his greatest operas. His villa is now a museum, and every summer the open-air theatre by the water hosts the Puccini Festival: listening to Tosca or La Bohème as the sun sets over the lake is an evening you will not forget.
- Visit the Villa Museo Puccini on the lakeshore
- Book an opera night at the Puccini Festival (summer)
- Take a boat trip on Lake Massaciuccoli
- Explore the nature reserve and its birdlife
Things to do beyond Versilia: day trips
Mountains of marble, a Renaissance city and the most famous square in Italy: three perfect days out, less than an hour away.
The Apuan Alps & the marble quarries
Behind the coast, the Apuan Alps rise suddenly from the sea: green valleys, medieval villages and the famous white marble quarries of Carrara, where Michelangelo chose his stone. Stop in Colonnata to taste its celebrated lardo.
Lucca, the walled city
Rent a bike and ride along the tree-lined Renaissance walls, then get lost among towers, churches and the oval Piazza dell’Anfiteatro. Lucca is the birthplace of Puccini and one of the most charming towns in Tuscany.
The walls of Lucca on Visit Tuscany →
Pisa & the Piazza dei Miracoli
The Cathedral, the Baptistery and the Leaning Tower stand together on a sea of green lawn. Pisa airport is only about 34 km from Dimora Arabella, so it is also the easiest way to arrive.
Opera della Primaziale Pisana (tickets) →
How to reach the best things to do in Versilia
A car is the easiest way to reach all the things to do in Versilia, and three parking spaces are available at Dimora Arabella. In summer, many guests prefer a bicycle: flat cycle paths run along the whole coast, from Viareggio to Forte dei Marmi.
Distances are approximate and measured by road from Dimora Arabella; travel times can be longer on summer weekends.
Open in Google Maps- Beach of Marina di Pietrasanta
- about 2 km
- Pietrasanta old town
- about 3 km
- Lido di Camaiore
- about 6 km
- Forte dei Marmi
- about 7 km
- Viareggio railway station
- about 8 km
- Torre del Lago Puccini
- about 18 km
- Carrara marble quarries
- about 30 km
- Pisa airport
- about 34 km
- Lucca
- about 35 km
After the things to do in Versilia, come back to calm
After a day by the sea or among the art towns, the pool and the gardens of Dimora Arabella are waiting for you.
Things to do in Versilia: travel tips
Quick answers for planning the things to do in Versilia, between the sea, the art towns and the mountains.
Plan your stayHow far is Dimora Arabella from the beach?
About 2 km from the sandy beaches of Marina di Pietrasanta, with beach clubs, sun beds and parasols — a five-minute drive or a short bike ride.
Do I need a car in Versilia?
A car is the easiest way to reach all the things to do in Versilia, and Dimora Arabella has 3 free parking spaces. In summer many guests also use bicycles: flat cycle paths run along the coast from Viareggio to Forte dei Marmi.
What are the best day trips from Pietrasanta?
Lucca and its Renaissance walls, Pisa and the Piazza dei Miracoli, and the marble quarries of the Apuan Alps are all less than an hour away. Find more ideas on Visit Tuscany.
When is the Puccini Festival?
The Puccini Festival takes place every summer in the open-air theatre on Lake Massaciuccoli at Torre del Lago, usually from July to September. Check the programme on the official website.
When is the Viareggio Carnival?
The Carnival of Viareggio, with its giant papier-mâché floats, is held in the weeks before Lent, usually in February. Dates and tickets are on the official website.
