Tuscany Review
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        • Viareggio
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        • Prata
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      • Spiagge Bianche
      • Le Rocchette
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    • Religious Sites of Tuscany >
      • Abbey of Sant'Antimo
      • La Verna
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      • Certosa di Pontignano
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      • Elba
      • Giglio
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    • Parks & Nature Reserves of Tuscany >
      • Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park
      • Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona & Campigna National Park
      • Migliarino San Rossore Nature Park
      • Parco di Pratolino
      • Calafuria Nature Reserve
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      • Ponte della Maddalena
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VIAREGGIO

Viareggio


Situated in northern Tuscany on the Ligurian Sea, the seaside town of Viareggio is one of the most popular resorts in the country. 

​The city is characterised by its Art-Nouveau/Liberty architecture, prevalent in many of its grand, seafront hotels. Ten kilometres of sandy beaches greet visitors with most activity focused around the three kilometre stretch of promenade: Passeggiata Margherita. 

Viareggio famously comes to life at carnival time with its legendary parades taking place every Sunday for four consecutive weeks.
The carnival is such an important part of life in Viareggio that an area of the city called the "Cittadella del Carnevale" had to be built to house the vast array of equipment used to make the famous papier-mâché models and the floats that they parade around on. The carnival links are further strengthened with the city's Museum of the Carnival, situated in the Cittadella.

​Compared to the major cities in Tuscany, Viareggio was fairly late in its foundation. It's currently under the auspices of the Province of Lucca, but the city of Lucca, some 25 kilometres away, was once a republic in its own right that needed access to the sea and a port. They chose the site of Viareggio for it in the 16th century and this period is marked by the city's oldest building, the Torre Matilde which was built in 1541. 

In later years, as tourism came to prominence in the 1920's, Viareggio gained fame as one of the most elegant resorts in Italy, underscored by the design of Galileo Chini, the father of the art-nouveau (known as Liberty in Italian) movement in Italy. The greatest representation of Chini's work in Viareggio is the Gran Caffè Margherita which proudly stands along the Passeggiata Margherita, the palm-tree-lined promenade fringed with hundreds of shops, restaurants and bars. 

Another famous name is attached to Viareggio from the same historical period: that of Italian composer Giacomo Puccini. The legendary composer of Turandot moved to Viareggio in 1919 and was a regular visitor to the Gran Caffè Margherita. Opera fans can gain a greater insight into his life there at the nearby Torre del Lago where an annual festival takes place and the Villa Puccini Museum exists; an area colloquially-known as the Belvedere di Giacomo Puccini. 

Viareggio is the main location for the coastal area known as Versilia. North of Viareggio there are further beach resorts such as Lido di Camaiore and Forte dei Marmi, as well as the historic town of Pietrasanta which lies a few kilometres inland. The major resorts of Versilia are all accessible by public transport, either by bus or train. Viareggio's train station is located centrally within the city, just a short walk from the promenade. 

Air travel to Viareggio is extremely convenient; Pisa Airport is just 25 kilometres away and reachable in half an hour by car or just 17 minutes by train from Pisa city centre. 

​Category: Seaside Towns in Tuscany

Administrative area: Lucca Province

Population: 62,056

Highlights: Gran Caffè Margherita, Sandy Beaches

Close by: Lido di Camaiore, Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta, Lucca

Recommended accommodation: Palace Hotel


Belvedere  di  Giacomo  Puccini

Picture
Belvedere di Giacomo Puccini

Versilia

Picture
Lido di Camaiore

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Tuscany Review is part of the Italy Review network of websites, aimed at making life easier for English-speaking people travelling throughout Italy.
For advice on other locations in Italy please visit my websites below:
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      • Hill Towns of Tuscany >
        • San Gimignano
        • Pienza
        • Volterra
        • Montepulciano
        • Cortona
        • Montalcino
        • Monterchi
        • Monteriggioni
        • Massa Marittima
        • San Miniato
        • Fiesole
        • Roccatederighi
      • Seaside Towns in Tuscany >
        • Viareggio
        • Castiglione della Pescaia
        • Forte dei Marmi
        • Porto Santo Stefano
        • Porto Ercole
        • Orbetello
        • Rosignano Marittimo
        • San Vincenzo
        • Follonica
      • Orange Flag Towns of Tuscany >
        • Pitigliano
        • Chiusi
        • Santa Fiora Amiata
        • Casciana Terme
        • Lari
        • Sarteano
        • Certaldo
        • Castiglion Fiorentino
        • Trequanda
        • Radicofani
        • Peccioli
        • Casale Marittimo
        • Barberino Val d'Elsa
        • Cutigliano
        • Casole d'Elsa
      • Tuscany's Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia >
        • Giglio Castello
        • Sovana
        • San Casciano dei Bagni
        • Castiglione di Garfagnana
        • Coreglia Antelminelli
        • Lucignano
        • Poppi
        • Castelfranco Piandisco
        • Suvereto
        • Buonconvento
        • Montescudaio
        • Scarperia
        • Anghiari
        • Montemerano
        • Barga
        • Loro Ciuffenna
      • Historic Towns of Tuscany >
        • Vinci
        • Pietrasanta
        • Colle di Val d'Elsa
        • Pontremoli
        • Asciano
        • Sorano
        • Bagni di Lucca
        • Reggello
        • Chianciano Terme
        • Sansepolcro
        • Pomarance
        • Borgo San Lorenzo
        • Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
        • San Quirico d'Orcia
      • Pretty Villages of Tuscany >
        • Lajatico
        • Borgo a Mozzano
        • Ponzanello
        • Panzano in Chianti
        • Castiglione d'Orcia
        • Mammiano
        • Montemassi
        • Prata
      • Vineyard Towns of Tuscany >
        • Greve in Chianti
        • Bolgheri
        • Radda in Chianti
        • Carmignano
    • Beach Resorts of Tuscany >
      • Castiglioncello
      • Lido di Camaiore
      • Marina di Cecina
      • Marina di Pietrasanta
      • Marina di Pisa
      • Talamone
      • Marina di Bibbona
      • Baratti
      • Punta Ala
      • Marina di Massa
      • Tirrenia
      • Quercianella
      • Marina di Carrara
    • Beaches of Tuscany >
      • Cala delle Caldane Beach
      • Cala delle Cannelle Beach
      • Cala Spalmatoio
      • Cala del Leone
      • Arenella Beach
      • Campese Beach
      • Spiagge Bianche
      • Le Rocchette
      • Ansedonia
    • Religious Sites of Tuscany >
      • Abbey of Sant'Antimo
      • La Verna
      • Abbey of San Galgano
      • Vallombrosa Abbey
      • Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
      • San Vivaldo
      • Certosa di Pontignano
    • The Tuscan Archipelago (Arcipelago Toscano) >
      • Elba
      • Giglio
      • Capraia
      • Pianosa
      • Giannutri
      • Montecristo
      • Gorgona
    • Parks & Nature Reserves of Tuscany >
      • Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park
      • Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona & Campigna National Park
      • Migliarino San Rossore Nature Park
      • Parco di Pratolino
      • Calafuria Nature Reserve
    • Landmarks of Tuscany >
      • Ponte della Maddalena
      • Lake Bilancino
      • Lake Santa Luce
      • Monte Amiata
    • Natural Spas of Tuscany >
      • Saturnia
      • Bagno Vignoni
      • Bagni San Filippo
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tuscany >
      • Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany >
        • Medici Villa La Ferdinanda - Artimino
        • Medici Villa Poggio a Caiano
    • Ski Resorts of Tuscany >
      • Abetone
  • Travel
    • Tuscany Airports >
      • Pisa Airport
      • Florence Airport
    • Sea Ports of Tuscany >
      • Piombino
      • Giglio Porto
  • Tuscany Hotels
  • Tuscany
    • Provinces of Tuscany >
      • Metropolitan City of Florence
      • Arezzo Province
      • Grosseto Province
      • Livorno Province
      • Lucca Province
      • Massa & Carrara Province
      • Pisa Province
      • Pistoia Province
      • Prato Province
      • Siena Province
    • Mountain & Valley Regions of Tuscany >
      • Val d'Orcia
      • Chianti
      • Maremma
      • Casentino
      • Garfagnana
      • Mugello
      • Alpi Apuane Regional Park
      • Val d'Elsa
      • Monte Argentario
      • Crete Senesi
      • Monti dell'Uccellina
      • Val di Cecina
      • Valdichiana
    • Versilia