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Versilia in Tuscany
  Versilia and environs covers a surface of 165 square chitometers, including the province of Lucca. It occupies the northwestern part of Tuscany, between the ridge of the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with a coastal strip of about 20 hiIometers in length. The south is bordered by the Lahe of Massaciuccoli and the thichet of Migliarino, white the north is bordered by the mouth of the Cinquale. The territory of Versilia is divided into the administrative Communes of Pietrasanta, Forte di Marmi, Seravezza and Stazzema. Camaiore, Massarosa and Viareggio are the outskirs.
It is a strip of coastline 10 chilometers wide at its minimum and 18 at its maximum. Despite this, the natural environments are quite varied. In fact, from Versilia's highest peah, Ia Pania della Croce, 1859 metres above sea level, to Forte dei Marmi, it is only 15 chilometers in a beeline.
The climate is naturally affected by the geographical configuration of this territory.
At sea level, during the hot seasons, the mountains moderate the humidity, while the winter is more temperate due to the beneficial influence of the sea.
 Versilia and environs is crossed by the A12 Highway Livorno-Sestri Levante-Genova, and that tract has exits at tollbooths Viareggio-Camaiore and Versilia-Forte dei Marmi.
The A12 connects to the Highway A11 Firenze-Mare from Lucca, by way of an overpass which exists at Massarosa. The other possible roads are the State Highway l along the Aurelia and the State Highway 439 Sarzanese Val d'Era. Versilia can also be reached by rail on the Roma - Pisa - Genova - Torino line and from Lucca on the Firenze - Pistoia - Montecatini - Lucca - Viareggio line. Almost all the trains stop at Viareggio; the other stations are Torre del Lago Puccini, Camaiore - Capezzano, which is less than 2 hilometers from Lido di Camaiore and Pietrasanta and around 3 hilometers from Marina di Pietrasanta.
In Ifght of the great tourist potential of the area, the bus and coach services are very efficient, connecting all the localities in Versilia, apart from guaranteeing a transport serrrice which goes to other   Ligurian and Tuscan cities such as Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato, Carrara, Luni, Sarzana, and La Spezia.
A coach service connects all the other main tourist localities with the Pisa airport, which is by far the easiest way to reach Versilia's localities, being only 25 hilometers from Viareggio. Naturally, one can also reach Versilia by sea.
The port of Viareggio, at the mouth of the Burlamacca canal, is the best equipped marina in the region. It has approximately two kilometers of docks and piers and a thousand berths for moorage. There is ample space for hauling and careening, and the port is equipped to offer every comfort and tourist service. Outside of Uersilia's territory in the strictest sense, but close by and accessible are the smaller tourist harbours of Foce del Cinquale and Marina di Carrara. |
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| Pietrasanta
  Historic town with notable monuments mainly contained in the magnficent Piazza del Duomo and also important centre for the artistic working of marble. Marina di Pietrasanta is located on the sea-front and is a renown seaside resort with elegant villas, hotels and sport facilities set amid the greenery. Famous night clubs and discotheques available. A renown summer festival at the open air theatre Versiliana is held in the summer featuring a wide variety of entertainment. Nearby, in the 'village of Valdicastello it is possible to visit the native home of the poet Carducci. |
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|  Forte dei Marmi
 Since many years a seaside resort appreciated by artists, writers and prominent people from the industrial and financial world for luxurious secluded villas set amid delighful gardens and parks. A wide of high standard hotels and bathing establishments is aivable. Superb shopping in the exclusive designer boutiques and lovely walks on the promenade. |
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| Seravezza
 Important marble centre situafed 6 Km away from the coast in a populated plain surrounded by an impressive range of mountains rich with marble, from which emerges Mount Altissimo. Characteristic in the area are hand made objects like statuary, and others. Worth visifing are the Medici Palace and the Romanesque church of San Martino (Pieve della Cappella) situated on a hill overlooking Seravezza, a few kilometres away from the village of Azzano. |
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|  Stazzema
 This district contains the most beautiful peaks of the Apuan Alps and it is an ideal base for a wide variety of excursions for mountaineers, rock climbers and speleologists; for mountain walkers a good number of easy footpaths leading to huts are also available. To be visited in the town is the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta (l3th cent.), remarkable example of Romanespue architecture, whereas an interesting Museum of the Resistance Movement is found in Sant' Anna.
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| Viareggio
This renown bathing resort, known as the "Pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea" stretches on a wide territory embracing two pine wood forests and fhe beautiful Massaciuccoli Lake. Among ?ts most important events is the Carnival (January-February), fhe Viareggio Liferary Prize (July-Augusf) and the Puccini Opera Festival (July-August) held in Torre del Lago, where Giacomo Puccini lived and composed most of his works. |
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Camaiore
Historic town with important monuments such as the collegiate church of Maria Assunta (l3th cenf.) with the 14th cent. bell tower and the 7th cent. Benedictine Abbey; nearby is the hamlet of "La Pieve" with the ancient Romanesque church founded in 816 a.D. The resort of Lido di Camaion: is situated along the seaside in the greenery of parks and gardens with a characteristic terraced promenade. |
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Massarosa
  The origin of this town dates back to the third cent. B.C.. At a few kilometres in the hilly hamlet of Massaciuccoli are the ruins of Roman villas and thermal baths dating from the 2nd cent. From the hills breath-taking views of the coastline with its luxuriant pine woods. |
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| 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.
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