Carrara Marble Quarries
Behind Carrara, a few kilometers north of Viareggio, the Apuan Alps show in all their splendor. From these rugged mountains is extracted the precious white marbleprotagonist of the history and the economy of the territory. This material is worked directly on site for the manufacture of artifacts for architecture, construction, urban furnishings and sculptural art.
The exploitation of Carrara marble quarries began in Roman times, more than 2,000 years ago, and continues today in the localities of Colonnata, Torano and Fantiscritti. The scenery of the quarries is spectacular: suggestive steps in the rock and white amphitheaters surrounded by mountains well visible from the sea. The same road that reaches the marble basins of Carrara is a very panoramic route that allows to admire the towns and beaches of Versilia from above.
Today it is possible to visit the quarries with a guide following the route of the former Marble Railway. The visit path leads to the discovery of the extraction sites and the villages of the cavers as the millenary village of Colonnata. You get into narrow tunnels cross the heart of the Apuane and several impressive bridges.