SURROUNDINGS

Massarosa, Piano di Mommio

Between the Apuan Alps and the Versilia coast, the area of the municipality of Massarosa extends in a landscape of diversity and beauty. The medium-sized islands of the Lake of Massaciuccoli are of rare and glorious majesty, which is part of the Natural Park of Migliarino S. Rossore bound to the memories of the music of Puccini. The archaeological and natural park "Buca delle Fate" is characterized by a series of impressive caves of the prehistoric age, immersed in the colours of the local nature. Between 130000 and 40000 years ago various populations began to live in the hinterland, to hunt mountain animals, and to use the natural caves as temporary shelters. In later times, especially during the Copper Age (III - II millennium BCE), the use of these caves continued, mainly as burial sites. These valuable claims suggest that this territory had been inhabited since time immemorial.

Versilia

The coastal landscape lies between the Ligurian Sea and the Apuan Alps in the provinces of Lucca and Massa-Carrara and is influenced by a number of famous seaside resorts such as Viareggio, Lido di Camaiore, Marina di Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi. The soft sand beach is about 40 km long and the seaside resorts lined up almost seemingly gapless together. After the beach fun nightclubs, bars and restaurants invite you to the nightly party.

Apuan Alps

The Apuan Alps are part of the Apennine Mountains and are between Lucca and La Spezia. They are significantly characterized by their rugged form and their marble quarries. The highest peak is Mount Pisanino (1945 m).

Via Francigena

The Via Francigena is known as the long-distance route from Canterbury to Rome and is the oldest occidental trail in Europe (grave of St. Peter). Actually, it is a system of paths, because all paths that lead to Rome, are called ?Via Francigena" and are summarized under the name Vie Francigene.
Tuscany: Aulla - S. Stefano Sarzana - Massa - Capezzano - Lucca - Altopascio - San Miniato Basso - Gambassi - San Gimignano - Badia a Isola - Siena - Lucignano - San Quirico d'Orcia - Abbadia San Salvatore

Viareggio

Viareggio is the oldest and largest coast resort in Versilia and the center of the Carnival. Already at the beginning of the 20th century there were more than 3,000 beach dressing rooms. The Carnival of Viareggio was first celebrated in 1873 and is comparable to the ranking of international notoriety with the one of Rio. The beach promenade in Liberty style, the Passeggiata, is home to numerous restaurants, bars and stylish shops. The shipyards, both in terms of the construction of luxury yachts as well as the maintenance, have a reputation around the world.
Piano di Mommio - Viareggio: ca. 6 km

Camaiore/Lido di Camaiore

Lido di Camaiore is the beach that smiles at you of the historical town of Camaiore and is known for its wide, sandy beach and its beautiful scenic hinterland.
Piano di Mommio - Camaiore/Lido: ca. 6 km

Pietrasanta

Pietrasanta (pietra = stone, santa = holy) is the main cultural center of the Versilia. As the center of processing and art of marble Pietrasanta has for centuries been a meeting place for artists from the era of Michelangelo on to Henry Moore, Mir¢ up to the present by Botero and Mitoraj. The place is full of marble handicraft workshops, studios and foundries. Surrounding the elegant Piazza del Duomo in the historic center, there are lovely little restaurants, galleries and shops.
The beach of Marina di Pietrasanta is soft, stretches with many bathing establishments over 5 km and can be up to 100 m wide.
Piano di Mommio - Pietrasanta: ca. 7 km - Marina di Pietrasanta: ca. 11 km

Torre del Lago Puccini

Torre del Lago is surrounded by a fascinating lake, the Lago di Massaciucoli and the Tyrrhenian Sea between the Apuan Alps and the Natural Park of Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli. Since 1930 the yearly Puccini opera season takes place on the lake stage designed by artist. The former Giacomo Puccini villa is now a museum with memorabilia of the "Maestro".
Piano di Mommio - Torre del Lago: ca. 12 km

Forte dei Marmi

Forte dei Marmi with its elegant bathing establishments, exclusive boutiques, galleries and restaurants is one of the most fashionable seaside resorts of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The nobles from all over Europe, businessmen, artists and other celebrities chose to build here their luxury villas in the countryside.
Piano di Mommio - Forte dei Marmi: ca. 16 km

Lucca

The intact historic city center with its numerous medieval churches and palaces of the major city of Lucca is still completely surrounded by the intact city walls from the Renaissance. Because of the extensively renovated buildings Lucca charms as a medieval jewel. The Roman amphitheater from the II century took place for 1,000 spectators and is now the ideal stage for outdoor events.
Piano di Mommio - Lucca: ca. 30 km

Pisa

Pisa, the lively university city of the Arno, was formerly a naval power and a commercial metropolis and looks back on a thousand years old cultural heritage. It's history spans out from the Etruscan through the Roman period and from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli, the Square of Miracles, was named in 1987 by the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to the magnificent Romanesque cathedral with its bell tower "the leaning tower", you can enjoy the Baptistery and the unique Campo Santo cemetery on the court.
Piano di Mommio - Pisa: ca. 35 km

Carrara

Located at the Apuan Alps, this city owes its worldwide fame the white marble. For thousands of years Carrara's white marble is sought after by artists and builders and found use at various significant works such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Michelangelo's David, or the chapel of the Duomo of Florence. In Campocecina it's possible to see the marble quarries. In Fantiscritti is the underground quarry Galleria Ravaccione, which can be visited. Nearby is the town of the quarry workers Colonnata, where the world-famous "Lardo" (bacon entirely made out of fat) matures.
Piano di Mommio - Carrara: ca. 35 km
Piano di Mommio - Colonnata: ca. 40 km

Livorno

Livorno has one of the most important harbours of Italy. The northern part is a trading port, in the southern part near the old town is the old Porto Mediceo, which is today a ferry terminal and a docking point for cruise ships. The Etruscan coast between Livorno and Piombino offers a variety of beaches from the rocky coast to the sandy beach.
Piano di Mommio - Livorno: ca. 40 km

Garfagnana

The Garfagnana is a mountain range between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines in the province of Lucca. Thanks to its remote location, it is relatively undiscovered spot of nature. The Garfagnana is rich in forests and offers a wide variety of landscapes and is popular for hiking and mountain biking. The medieval town of Castelnuovo is the heart of the Garfagnana.
Piano di Mommio - Castelnuovo di Garfagnana: ca. 50 km

Cinque Terre

The about twelve kilometers long coastline of the Italian Riviera in the northwest of La Spezia is called Cinque Terre. From northwest to southeast, the five villages of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore line up along the steep coast. The region has about 7000 inhabitants and is protected as a national park, in which nothing can be built or modified. In 1997, the Cinque Terre have been nominated together with Porto Venere a UNESCO World Heritage.
Piano di Mommio - Traversale Cinque Terre: ca. 60 km

Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was born in Vinci. His birthplace is located in the district Anchiano. The Musem "Leonardino da Vinci" houses drawings, models and replicas of Leonardo's machines and inventions.
Piano di Mommio - Vinci: ca. 70 km

San Miniato

San Miniato is next to Alba another place in Italy, where the noble white truffles are growing. For three weekends in November each year the famous truffle market takes place in the heart of San Miniato.
Piano di Mommio - San Miniato: ca. 80 km

Bolgheri

Bolgheri is a district of Castagneto Carducci. Here the famous "Super Tuscans" wines such as Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Guado al Tasso and Masseto are produced.
Piano di Mommio - Bolgheri: ca. 95 km

Volterra

The city is known thanks to its spectacular scenic environment as one of the most beautiful in Tuscany. Already in pre-Christian times the place has been inhabited by the Etruscans. In the early Middle Ages Volterra was independent, but fell in the mid-14th century to Florence. Today Volterra is proud of its eventful past, and numerous buildings have been preserved.
Piano di Mommio - Volterra: ca. 95 km

Florence

Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is the center of unique Renaisscance art and monumental buildings such as the world-famous Duomo. The city is known for its art-historical significance. Works of the famous artists Michelangelo, Raphael and Rubens can be seen in Florence. As early as 1982 the old town was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Piano di Mommio - Florenz: ca. 100 km

Chianti

The soft hills of Chianti between Florence and Siena with its famous wineries are considered as one of the symbols of Tuscany. Old castles, but also dense forests and open fields characterize the world-famous landscape of the Chianti and Chianti Classico.
Piano di Mommio - Greve in Chianti: ca. 125 km

San Gimignano

The small town of San Gimignano (7,000 inhabitants) in the province of Siena is known mainly for its medieval town center. The town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its numerous tower houses that are spread around.
Piano di Mommio - San Gimignano: ca. 150 km

Siena

Thanks to his picturesque hilly countryside Siena is perhaps the most beautiful city in Tuscany. Of the 55,000 inhabitants of Siena nearly 20,000 study at one of Italy's oldest universities from the year 1240. Siena is known next to Florence as the cultural center of the region and is characterized by its Gothic style. Since 1995, the historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the Piazza del Campo, twice a year in summer time one of the toughest and most spectacular horse race in the world takes place, the Palio. In a rotating order 10 of the 17 districts ("Contrade") compete against each other and have the opportunity to fight out their traditional rivalries. Around the race is an extensive program.
Piano di Mommio - Siena: ca. 165 km

Maremma

To the Maremma landscape belongs the entire southern Tuscany and parts of Northern Lazio. The largest city is Grosseto. In the south of the Maremma, near Capalbio, you will find the spectacular sculpture garden "Il Giardino dei Tarocchi - Tarot Garden" with works from Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. The since 1975 existing natural park "Parco Naturale della Maremma" has returned a portion of the land back to nature. A part of this wild park is accessible to people.
Piano di Mommio - Parco Naturale della Maremma: ca. 195 km

Montalcino

The small Montalcino with its 5,000 inhabitants is especially famous for its wine. The climatic conditions and the nutrient-rich soil of the region ensure that one of the best Italian wines can be grown here, the “Brunello di Montalcino”.
Piano di Mommio - Montalcino ca. 200 km