Carrara and the marble civilization

Located across Tuscany and Liguria, visible from the beaches of Versilia as well as travelling along A12 motorway, you can't help noticing the Carrara marble quarries. 

Here since 2000 years, quarrymen have been fighting daily in order to excavate from steep and abrupt slopes this unique stone, white and shining, used since the ancient Rome to built and embellish churches, palaces and monuments all over the world. The following itineraries are planned for individuals and groups of travellers and allow to know, not only the techniques of excavation and transportation of marble, but also the history of a people, his uses and customs, language, food, from which originated: the marble's civilization.....(read more)

The province of Massa e Carrara

No longer Tuscany, not yet Liguria, the territory of Massa e Carrara province is divisible into wide geographical areas: Lunigiana that includes Magra, Aulella river valleys; and the coastal area included between the Apuan Alpa and the Tyrrenean sea. 

Border and passing land, point of contact between the Mediterranean sea and the Northern, the Lunigianalived its Gold age between the 10th and 16th sentury, thanks to the restart of commerces and the birth of pilgrimages phenomenon  towards the Cristianity's holy sites.

Pontremoli and  Fivizzanoare the gateways to the territory, Fosdinovo Malaspina family's stronghold until Napoleon, and then Filattiera, Mulazzo, Bagnone, Codiponte, had been the great protagonists of this historical period. 

On the coastal area, toghether with Carrara, we find Massa, administrative center of this area since the 16th century when passed under the Cybo Malaspina family's control, who left intersting evidences of their presence, in art, culture and traditions of these lands........(read more)

Itineraries by theme

Itineraries planned for who desires to discover this territory, through local wines and foods, or following medieval pilgrim's footsteps, or exploring the 100 castles land. And for those who have reduced mobility or with some kind of disability,  I set up a list of sites easy rechable by motor coach, where long walk are not prevented and monuments, churches, palaces, are located in plain and without  architectural feature barring advance to the handicapped... (read more)

Fosdinovo, castle and village

Verrucola castle

Shore excursions - Private tours with driver

Totally customizable in order to visit, in compelte relax, the art towns and all your wished destinations, taking advantage of a double service driver and toursit guide. 

Don't miss, the exclusive excursion at the discover of the marble civilization, which offers the possibility to see the marble workers fully operational into: the marble quarries, the workshops of art, the marble laboratories.

Classic excursions in Tuscany, Liguria and rest of Italy and, for cruisers, many shore suggestions for excursion from Livorno, La Spezia, Genova, Portofino.....(read more)