Tag: Versilia

Exploring Ligurian Coast, Cinque Terre and the Alpi Apuane Here's where Tuscans and others come to play on long sandy beaches. These beaches towns are lively, bustling places in the summer, and some what quieter in the off-season. Viareggio • 20 km (13 mi) northwest of Pisa, 97 km (60mi) west of Florence Carnival of ViareggioTobias Smollet (1721-1771), an English novelist, wrote in the 1760s that Viareggio was "a kind of sea-port on the Mediterranean...The roads are indifferent and the accommodation is execrable". Much has changed in Viareggio since Smollet's time: there are lots of accommodations ranging from five-star splendor to one-star simplicity, for this is a beach town that gets very crowded in the summer. It's loud, brassy, and not the place to come to if you're looking for some peace and quiet. Useful links: • Search accommodations in Viareggio • Pisa, Pasta and Chianti wine Small Group tour from La Spezia Viareggio also has numerous buildings decorated in the Liberty style and a wide promenade parallel to the sea that resembles, in some ways, American boardwalks where tourist and locals alike come out to stroll. Lining the main drag are bars, cafés, and some very fine restautants. It's worth a stop or a detour if you like the beach and want to see how middle-class Italians spend their beach vacations. If you can't make it to Venice for Carnevale (Carnival), settle for Viareggio, which is nearly as much fan as Venice. The city is packed with revellers from all over Tuscany who come to join in the riot of coloured parades and festivities. Try to book lodging in advance, but beware : Lots of people want to be here to celebrate Carnival, and hotels acknowledge this fact by charging high-season prices. Useful links: • Search accommodations in Viareggio • Pisa,