Beautiful Houses at Day Trips By Boat: Cinque Terre & Portofino , Forte dei Marmi, Italy -Courtesy Christine Zenino

Day Trips By Boat: Cinque Terre & Portofino

One of the best ways to experience the Versilian and Ligurian coasts is by boat. Charter a private motoryacht and spend a beautiful summer day at sea. Stop first to see the Cinque Terre, or the five lands, famous for their medieval architecture and narrow colorful homes built into the cliff side. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant like Ristorante Belforte (Via Guidoni, 42, Vernazza; 39-0187-812-222) in Venazza, which occupies a medieval fortress and offers a menu of local specialties served at tables with panoramic views over the sea. Enjoy some swimming in the glistening sea before heading to the charming port town of Portofino. Spend the afternoon strolling Portofino’s piazza, filled with excellent restaurants, fabulous shopping and quaint fishing boats. Famous for its pesto and focaccia, enjoy a local Ligurian dinner in Portofino or one of the other picturesque port towns on the Porotfino peninsula before returning to Forte dei Marmi.

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Beautiful Landscape at Day Trips: Carrara Marble Quarries , Forte dei Marmi, Italy - Courtesy V. Menkov

Day Trips: Carrara Marble Quarries

Both adults and children will appreciate a visit to the famous Carrara marble quarries. Located in the stunning Apuan Alps thirty minutes southwest of Forte dei Marmi, this historic and artistic town developed organically, out of a necessity to house the workers who ran the marble quarries created by the Romans. Some of ancient Rome’s most significant buildings and sculptures (like the Pantheon and Michelangelo’s David) were made from Carrara marble. Now, distinctive in its beauty and renowned for the exquisite marble that is quarried here, the area is still a well-known attraction for visitors. Strolling through the narrow streets and admiring the quarries of Carrara makes for a lovely day trip from Forte dei Marmi.

Beautiful Landscape at Day Trips: Lucca , Forte dei Marmi, Italy - Courtesy Myra Bella

Day Trips: Lucca

The medieval town of Lucca is a short thirty-minute drive from Forte dei Marmi and is one of the best preserved walled cities of the early Renaissance era. The fully intact city walls are now used as pedestrian promenades and ruins from the anfiteatro can still be seen in the city’s piazza where Julius Casear, Pompey and Crassus reaffirmed their political alliance in 56 BC. Rich with ancient and Medieval history and architecture, Lucca makes for an excellent historical day trip to break up time at the beach.

Roads at Day Trips: Pietrasanta , Forte dei Marmi, Italy - Courtesy Guerin F.

Day Trips: Pietrasanta

Art lovers shouldn’t miss a day trip to the neighboring town of Pietrasanta, the historic and artistic capital of the Versilia area. This small town and commune in the province of Lucca is a fifteen-minute drive from Forte dei Marmi and is rich in medieval history and architecture. What Pietrasanta is most famous for though, is its artistic ties to the Apuan Alps—where Italy’s famous white and blue-grey Carrara marble is sourced. Known colloquially as the ‘City of the Artists’ and ‘Small Athens,’ this quaint Tuscan town is home to international artists, marble studios (including that of Michelangelo’s) and monuments plus renowned art galleries and museums like the Bozzetti Sculpture Museum (via S.Agostino 1, Pietrasanta, Lucca; 39-0584-795-500). Contact Indagare’s Bookings Team for help with specialized guides and customized itinerary planning.

Pisa Tower at Day Trips: Pisa, Forte dei Marmi, Italy - Courtesy Georges Jansoone

Day Trips: Pisa

The slightly more touristic but just as significant medieval town of Pisa is, like Lucca, a thirty-minute drive from Forte dei Marmi. Pisa is most famous for its Leaning Tower—awe-inspiring in its unique beauty and well worth a visit in its own right—but the city is also home to many other historic churches and examples of Roman and Renaissance architecture. The town has its own distinctive history as one of Italy’s powerful maritime republics, making is well worth a visit for visitors in the area.

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