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Versilia: pine forests, resorts and beaches

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Versilia, that is the Tuscan coast between the mouth of the river Serchio and the city of Massa, with the towns of Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi, Camaiore and Pietrasanta in the center, is certainly the most famous coastal and holiday area in the region.

Tourism along this stretch of coast began to develop in the 19th century, initially as a winter resort and then as a summer seaside destination. Starting from the years of the economic boom, Versilia became one of the most famous and popular social areas of the Tyrrhenian coast. This tourist development has led to the progressive overbuilding of the coastal strip where some green areas and some vast pine forests remain.

VERSILIA: THE MOST TOURISTIC COAST OF TUSCANY

The landscape of this part of the Tuscan coast is made up of large flat expanses covered near the coast by vast pine forests, planted in the nineteenth century to shelter the plain from brackish winds. Coast is characterized by wide beaches from which you have magnificent views of the nearby Apuan Alps. Due to the presence of the Apuan Alps which retain moisture from the sea, Versilia is characterized by a mild but rather rainy climate, particularly in the autumn months of October, November and December.

Characterized by great vitality and nightlife, this area is seen as the Tyrrhenian alternative to the Adriatic Rimini. The extension of the inhabited settlements along the entire coastal area involved, in part, the destruction of the coastal dunes and the Mediterranean scrub that once dominated the coastal environment and the sacrifice of some sections of the famous pine forests. Among the most famous clubs in Versilia are “La Bussola” at Focette and “La Capannina” in Forte dei Marmi.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • AA. VV. “Toscana” Guide Rosse Touring Club Italiano, 2007
  • AA. VV. “Cinque Terre e Versilia” 2010, CARSA
  • Pieraccini Giovanni “Storia di Viareggio e della Versilia” 2007, Pezzini
  • Gavioli Andres M. Pia; Galleni Luisi Leila “Pievi romaniche della Versilia. Itinerari storico-artistici” 1999, Pacini Fazzi
  • AA. VV. “Versilia, Lunigiana e Golfo dei Poeti” 2007, Touring

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