The Apuan Alps

I Mountains a step away from the sea: only a few kilometers from the sea (and well-visible from the beach) rises the Apuan Alps mountain chain with peaks to nearly 2000 meters. These harsh mountains with their rough terrain and vertiginous rock walls supplied Michelangelo with his best marble.

A visit to the Apuans is not simply a visit to the extraordinary and awe-inspiring quarries, but also a chance to walk through the cool shade of chestnut woods and to discover the taste of times gone by in the small mountain towns.

Today, the Apuan Alps are part of a 55,000-hectare park in the provinces of Lucca and Massa-Carrara that offers protection to various species of flora and fauna. Since very recently, it is also now possible to go caving in the Antro del Corchia, the longest karstic complex in Italy, which has finally been equipped for visits by the public at large.