Art and Scent of the Sea: Pisa, Lucca & Viareggio

Plunge into a sea of beauty, and experience the heart-stirring discovery of splendid architectural, sculptural and painted masterpieces, the nostalgic charm of a famous seaside resort and a relaxing encounter with splendid natural beauty. Lucca lies between Florence and the Tuscan coast. It is a refined city crammed with majestic churches, surrounded by 16th century walls with its imposing gateways and massive bastions. One can walk along a stretch of the tree-crowned city walls, enjoying a wonderful view over the roofs, alleys, tower-houses, Romanesque churches and aristocratic palaces of the city, and then move into the compact historical town centre.

Discover Piazza S. Michele, the heart of the city, with the splendid Basilica in white limestone (12th – 14th century) and the stately Palazzo Pretorio. Walk past the charming little shops lining the squares and narrow streets and enter Piazza del Mercato where you can admire its circular perimeter built on top of the remains of the Roman amphitheatre dating back to the second century BC. Continue your walk until you reach the famous Gothic Cathedral of San Martino (11th century), where you will be enchanted by the delicate effigy of Ilaria del Carretto by Jacopo della Quercia. Continue your walk and discover the solid bulk of the Guinigi tower, with a huge holm oak growing above its battlements. After a short journey, we reach the splendid and flat Versilia coast in one of the most famous tourist seaside resort of the Mediterranean sea, attended by aristocrats, celebrities and sports stars: the seaside town of Forte dei Marmi, which stretches along sandy beaches against the backdrop of the magnificent Apuan Alps.

During your free time you can take the occasion to admire the old town, with many elegant shops, high fashion boutiques and outdoor cafes and to walk in the shade of the palm trees on the waterfront, to admire the villas sprouting from the pine forest and the most beautiful beach resorts in the world. Do not miss the opportunity to try the fragrant seafood in one of the many restaurants along the coast, and during the summer, you can take the occasion for an unforgettable swim in the warm waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea with the spectacular backdrop of the white marble of the Apuan Alps that sparkles in the sun. 

In the afternoon, we move inland and drive into the heart of the famous city of Pisa, with the glittering sight of Piazza dei Miracoli, a UNESCO heritage site, where the peerless marble masterpieces emerge miraculously from the green sward: the famous Leaning Tower, the magnificent Baptistery, the stunning Cathedral, and the Monumental Cemetery, supreme expressions of the Romanesque architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries, containing works of staggering artistic impact.