Allesandra

I plan to visit Tuscany in a couple of weeks and was told that there are some good beaches along the "Versilian Riviera?" I hear that it's a popular beach destination for Italians, but not many people I know have heard of it. If anyone has heard of it and/or been there I would love to know your thoughts, recommendations, etc... Also, any other beach recommendations (excluding Capri and the Amalfi coast)in Italy would great.

karen

I have been in both towns many times, many years ago. Viareggio is larger, with a wide promenade lined with shops, and more nightlife. (Also a famous carnival.) Forte is a charming and fashionable town as well. The whole coast along Versilia has wide sandy beaches and a sandy bottom off shore, which is why it's popular, I think, with families. There were many Germans as well as Italians, and it gets very crowded in August. The beaches are (or at least were then) the sort where you pay for a cabana and chairs, which are set up for you by an attendant. Another attraction of the area is that the Apuan Alps (site of Michelangelo's marble quarry) are just a short ride inland. You can easily spend the afternoon at the beach and then be high up in the mountains for dinner. It's been much too long ago for me to give any recommendations, but if you go, the local fish stew, similar to bouillaibaise, is called "cacciuco" and is wonderful.

karen

P.S. I forgot to mention two other things: Torre del Lago, where Puccini lived and wrote some of his greatest operas, is also nearby. And the English poet Shelley, who died while sailing from Portovenere, was washed up and then cremated by his friends on the beach at Forte dei Marmi, after they cut out his heart to bury in Rome.

grego

Allesandra: <BR> <BR>I have been to the coast numerous times and in fact it was my first introduction to Italy. Being an architect, it is my fortune that I "must" visit the quarries and the stone fabricators that are in nearby areas and up the mountains just above the coast. Karen is correct that the areas get very crowded in the summer. This is not necassarily a bad thing. Viarreggio and Forte dei Marmi are Italian vacation destinations as well as for foreign travellers, particularly the Germans. I would not let this stop you for a second. If you are seeking beach resort time, this is where you want to be. Also, you are within easy reach of the Alps, Lucca, Pisa, Boca di Magra, Cinque Terre (SP?) and Portofino to name a few great excursions. Of the two locations, I would choose Forte dei Marmi. It is an upscale town with some of the best restaurants I have ever experienced. The beaches are all "leased", expect to pay for chairs, umbrella and the sand they rest on. Your hotel can arrange a rate and make the reservations for you. In high season it is not cheap, $50 per day but many of the beaches are quite lovely. As far as hotels, I would strongly recommend Hotel Ritz 39-0584-787531. It is a smaller, simple hotel but not short on hospitality or amenities. They have a fine restaurant, pool, lounge and attentive service. Many of the rooms are on the european small side so ask for rooms facing the beach, which tend to be larger. They have an arrangement with The Royal beach. If full, try Hotel Goya. For dining, it is endless, but here are a few musts. 1. Bistrot, on the beach directly across from the Ritz. Sensational food and very good service. Order the seafood appetizer (3 finely prepared separate dishes) 2. Lorenzo - in town and excellent. Need to make reservations far in advance. 3. La Barca - on the beach further north. I have found that it is best to stop in after the day at the beach (or at lunch) and make a reservation before going back to the hotel for the requisite nap, shower, cocktail and salty snacks that always preceed dinner. For hanging out and people watching, hit Principe's cafe at the main intersection in town. They close the main streets to cars in the towm center so people can stroll casually, which they do for hours before and after dinner. If you can get away from the beautiful beaches and the beautiful people, venture to Pietrasanta to laRocchetta, via Montescendi, 170 tel. 0584 799728. Weekday lunch is a quiet time, dinners fill up fast. Try the crostini and the Stinko. Lucca is a 20-25 minute drive west on the Autostrade. Rent a bike and ride the walls then take your meal at bucadisanantonio. Again, call well in advance. I could go on but let me know if you need more advice. All of Tuscany is within your reach. Have a great trip.

candy

alessandra, i spent several days in viareggio and can only add to what's been said that you have to be aware this is nothing like Cape Cod or Caribbean beaches, it's wall-to-wall people, on wall-to-wall lounge chairs. it's not to my style at all, though i did think the town was fun, "town" being the boardwalk street lined with bookshops, restaurants, and ice cream stores in Art Nouveau-style storefronts. <BR> <BR>The Carnival referred to is, of course, at Carnival time, in the winter, and is amazing--giant floats of incredible papier-mache figures created by artists who design opera and film stage sets when they're not doing floats. the floats lampoon italian political and other figures, so there's an extra dimension to them if you know what's up in italy, but even if you don't you can appreciate the truly spectacular floats. <BR> <BR>and last, in torre del lago you'll find puccini's house, which is now a museum, and a major outdoor summer opera festival featuring his works, with a stage set on the edge of the lake.

kam

I'm here to tell you that everything said above is still current in Viareggio and Forte dei Marmi. There's another smaller town there also called Lido di Camiore which is also more like the upscale Forte dei Marmi. Charlie Lo Squalo (the shark) is a very good seafood restaurant and Romano in Viareggio is the top place. We have actually been there in August (with Italian cousins) and it was hot, crowded and the water very warm, but also great fun because we had a bunch of kids with us, laughed and hung out at the beach. If you don't like crowds though, it's not a place for you.

Nancy

We visited Viareggio a few days after May 1st, which is an Italian holiday. The beaches were filthy!! I have never seen so much garbage on a beach in my life. I didn't even take a picture of the beach it was that dirty. Yes, hotels that had their own section of beach were cleaning up but still, to sit in a rented cabana and to have a view with so much trash..couldn't wait to leave. Also, Puccini's house in Torre del lago, was ok, but the lake was disgusting. There were paddle boats, row boats, half sunk in the water and dead fish floating everywhere. I loved my trip to Italy, but this day could have been better spent..go to the Cinque Terra, take the boat from Lerice..It's gorgeous..Viareggio and Torre del Lago..skip it!!

D&S

Where were all of you people with all of your great information when I begged for information on Viareggio back in March. Nobody knew anything, then! We have just returned from a 7 week trip that included 3 nights in Viareggio. Funny, I didn't see the same Viareggio as did Nancy. The beaches were clean and neat and the city was very interesting. For people watching, it is superb! We didn't pay to sit on the beach, because we had already spent 5 weeks along the French and Italian Riviera and we were "beached out." We really enjoyed Sestri Levante, Rapallo and Camogli, more than Viareggio, just because they have more character. Sestri has two good beaches. One is free and the other is covered with rented areas like Viareggio and the towns around it. There is a large free beach area in Viareggio, but it is a little further out of town.

Judith

I hear that the europeans are now starting to go around totally nude on their beaches-is that true?

D&S

Judith - <BR>Absolutely NOT true. In France, you will see many topless females. Very few in Italy! Naturally, there are swimsuit optional beaches in Europe just the same as in the U.S. However they are usually difficult to access and one needs to go to great lengths to get there. Hope I didn't burst your bubble.