Pietrasanta

Versilia has several towns well worth a visit, and Pietrasanta is one of them. Just a few kilometers from Camaiore and Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta is a medieval town that lies halfway between the coast at Marina di Pietrasanta and the Apuan Alps.

The town's origins go back to the 13th century: it was founded by Guiscardo Pietrasanta, podestà of the Republic of Lucca, at the foot of the already existing Rocca di Sala, a stronghold where he had stationed his soldiers. The town was fortified at the behest of Castruccio Castracani, lord of Lucca from 1316 to 1328, who restored the Rocca di Sala and had a ring of walls built.

A trace of the old walls can still be seen today in the Rocchetta Arrighina, named by Castruccio after his son Arrigo. Because of its strategic position, Pietrasanta then became a bone of contention between Pisa, Genoa and Florence, until it passed for good to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany in 1513.

In 1737, when the Medici family died out, the town passed to the House of Lorraine, and under that dynasty, in 1841, Leopold II of Lorraine named Pietrasanta a “Noble City.”

Pietrasanta is the birthplace of the poet Giosuè Carducci, who proudly described it as a “lovely little town, with a one-of-a-kind square, a cathedral fit for a great city, and the Apuan Alps as a backdrop. And what country all around! What mountains, what greenery, what shade, what rivers, what cool brooks babbling beneath the chestnuts and olive trees amid the green.”

It has long been a cultural landmark, and not only for Italy. It's no coincidence that so many art and craft workshops, studios and galleries of Italian and foreign painters and sculptors are clustered in the heart of town and its immediate surroundings.

You can't miss Fernando Botero's Warrior at the entrance to town, the marble statues lining the streets of the center, and the paintings and sculptures that keep visitors company along the lanes and alleys.

Visitors are pleasantly struck by the strong artistic character of this small town, so compact and yet unexpectedly packed with the most varied cultural offerings. On top of that, a steady stream of new cultural and artistic events (temporary exhibitions in the square, folk festivals, open-air markets) makes the town a different place every time, somewhere you'll never be bored.

Pietrasanta has an eclectic soul: it knows how to change its look without ever changing its nature. The beauty of the old center, with its large square and colorful lanes, certainly doesn't overshadow the charm of the surroundings: the Marina di Pietrasanta area, with its districts of Fiumetto, Tonfano, Montrone and Focette, offers all kinds of places to stay and things to do.

For nature lovers, there are horseback rides, walks and bike rides in the green pine woods. For those who'd rather relax in the sun, there are wide sandy beaches and historic 1930s-style beach clubs, with wooden cabanas and every modern comfort, where you can spend the whole day by the sea without giving up any convenience.

After sunset, Marina di Pietrasanta keeps surprising visitors with its wide range of trendy clubs and bars, which liven up the area's summer nightlife, considered among the busiest and liveliest in all of Versilia.

The hills that rise behind Pietrasanta, on the other hand, are the place for quieter outings: dotted with vast woods, Strettoia, Vallecchia, Capriglia, Capezzano Monte and Valdicastello Carducci satisfy visitors looking for the peace of the countryside. Capriglia and Capezzano in particular offer enchanting views and, although they have no hotels, they give you the chance to eat in traditional Tuscan restaurants, surrounded by one-of-a-kind scenery.

Pietrasanta is alive with a tradition that survives to this day in its local festivals and folk events. The most famous of these is Pietrasanta's Carnival: on three Sundays during the Carnival season, brightly colored papier-mâché floats, masks and bands parade through town, while the squares are filled with food festivals and concerts.

Also worth noting is the Fiera di San Biagio, held on February 3 and 4, which draws large crowds from Versilia and curious visitors, as well as devout pilgrims eager to see the relic of Saint Blaise displayed in the Church of San Martino. On this occasion, the town center fills up with stalls selling crafts, antiques, clothing and food.

Other enjoyable events are the Festa del Vino, a wine festival held in September in the village of Strettoia, and the San Martino fair, “Sapori d'autunno” (Flavors of Fall), held in the heart of the old town from November 11.

And not to be missed during the Christmas season is the Fiera di Santo Stefano on December 26, when you can visit the oldest Nativity scene in Versilia, made of 17th- and 18th-century wooden statues.