The Marble Quarries of Carrara

The Marble Quarries of Carrara

In the northernmost part of Tuscany, on the border with Liguria, lies the city of Carrara, known worldwide for its beautiful, white marble.
Along the mountain range north of the city, you can visit some of the quarries and see how the marble is extracted. In the city center, there is also a marble museum. Just the thought that marble has been quarried here since Roman times, without the technical aids of our era, is breathtaking.

Michelangelo's Works

When wandering among buildings and monuments in Italian cities, one often encounters Michelangelo's works. The most famous is perhaps the David statue, which stands in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. However, it is only a copy; the original can be seen at the Galleria dell'Accademia museum in Florence. The statue represents a David ready for battle, but also an independent and free man who acts according to his own will.

When looking at the statue, one marvels at how such a hard material as marble can appear as soft as it does on David's body. The statue is absolutely one of Florence's greatest prides.

When driving around the area of the marble quarries, you sometimes come across small stalls where artists from the area sell their own small sculptures.

Our suggestion for a day trip to the marble quarries of Carrara

Set aside a full day for this beautiful and interesting excursion.
First, take the A12 motorway from Lucca towards Viareggio – before reaching Viareggio, turn off towards Genoa and continue until you reach the exit for Carrara.

Carrara is known for its white marble, which Michelangelo used for his famous statues

If you are interested and want to know more about the marble quarries, you can visit the museum on Via XX Settembre, near the train station. We also suggest driving up among the quarries, especially the one called „Fantiscritti" is worth a visit (approx. 6 km from Carrara) – here you will also find an interesting open-air museum, where you can see the kind of technique used to extract the marble.

Colonnata

From Carrara, you then drive on towards Colonnata, which was once a Roman slave colony, located at an altitude of 532 m above sea level with a splendid view. Nowadays, the small village is inhabited solely by people who work in the marble quarries. For those interested in gastronomy, we can recommend a visit to one of the characteristic bars to taste the local specialty „Lardo di Colonnata", a type of cured pork fat, very flavorful with spices but a bit fatty by Nordic standards. It should be enjoyed with „pane casalingo", i.e., homemade bread.

Fosdinovo

After visiting Colonnata, you drive on towards Fosdinovo, which is a small ancient rural village located at an altitude of 500 m above sea level, controlled by the Malaspina family during the Middle Ages. Visit the 13th-century castle and the San Remigio church. The view from the village is magnificent; on clear days, you can even see the sea.

To reach Fosdinovo, you can choose two different options:

1. either take the somewhat winding and narrow mountain road, which offers breathtaking views.
2. or drive back down into the valley and take the motorway towards Parma, then exit at Aulla. Follow the signs to Fosdinovo.

Equi Terme

A picturesque small village located within Parco delle Apuane. Already during Roman times, the place was known for its thermal baths. It is still possible to take a dip; the baths are open from May to September, and admission is required. Furthermore, it is interesting to visit the evocative limestone caves (www.parcoapuane.toscana.it); guided tours are possible for groups starting every full hour. Also visit „La Buca e il Solco" – an exciting phenomenon created by water erosion, a kind of grand canyon. This area is especially suitable for hiking tours.

From here, you then drive on to Aulla, where pilgrims on their way to Rome at that time made a stop before reaching Lucca.

Podenzana

Drive to Podenzana. This village is famous for its „panigacci", a type of focaccia bread made from wheat flour and baked in clay pots. This ancient dish, which replaces pasta, can be enjoyed with a little bit of everything; pesto or mushrooms, prosciutto or fresh cream cheese, even with Nutella. Absolutely wonderful!

Try one of the restaurants Da Gambin or La Gavarina d'Oro. In the latter, the "panigacci" are baked over a large stone oven in the middle of the room so you can watch the preparation. It's best to arrive before 7:00 PM, and if you order panigacci, they will bring all the accompaniments; you don't need to order anything else.

After dinner, to get home after an eventful day, follow the road towards Aulla and from there the motorway towards Pisa-Livorno.