Things to Do and See in Massa Carrara

The provincial capital is Massa, which is the best place to start your tour of this area; the historic center features a medieval quarter with narrow, winding streets and a 16th-century quarter built by the Cybo Malaspina family, who ruled the city from the 16th century onward. As for Carrara, which is of great historical and artistic importance, it is known throughout the world as the “City of Marble,” surrounded by the white bastion of the Apuan Alps, where intense marble quarrying and processing take place. To learn more about marble, a visit to the Civic Museum of Marble is well worth your time. Elsewhere in the province, we recommend visiting some notable quarries, such as the Fantiscritti Quarry Museum and the Cava dei Poeti near Campocecina, whose walls are inscribed with quotes from illustrious figures and famous poets. Among the most picturesque villages, we recommend visiting Fosdinovo in Lunigiana, dominated by its medieval castle; Aulla, to admire the Fortezza della Brunella—named for its distinctive color; and Fivizzano, with its ancient walls and the Printing Museum. Also worth visiting is Pontremoli, with its splendid Piagnaro Castle—home to the Museum of Stele Statues—and its cathedral. Finally, nestled among lush nature and dense forests, lies Zeri, known for its cuisine, and Filattiera, home to the Pieve del Sorano, a precious Romanesque monument with a striking apse.