We the Italians July 18, 2016 - 81 | Page 76

th tH # 81 JULY 18 , 2016 # 81 juLY 18 , 2016 read more about #Italian Land and Nature ITALIAN LAND AND NATURE: VERSILIA By www.italia.it The vivacious cultural life here expresses itself with literary encounters and in the by-now famous International Satire Festival (to which even a Museum is devoted - hosted, no less inside the old fort). Forte dei Marmi's weekly market is also quite well-known; it is definitely one of Italy's musts. Versilia, a zone both fun and cultured, is known to many for its gossip pages. Yet this stretch of land (in the Province of Lucca), that runs past the slopes of the Apuan Alps and the Park of San Rossore, is famous for its beaches. Lying between the cities of Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio, its long, fine-sand beaches and coastal dunes – particularly from Viareggio to Torre del Lago – are typical traits of the Versiliese littoral. The resort localities that dot the coastline include the exclu- sive Forte dei Marmi, sunny Viareggio, Marina di Pietrasanta and Lido di Camaiore. Symbol of refined glamour, Forte dei Marmi is built up around the ruins of a fortress, and stands out for its villas plunged in green and its famous nightclubs – for instance, the legendary La Capannina – that made the Italian lifestyle of the 1970s history. Pietrasanta, Versilia's artistic capital, is located further inland. It was Michelangelo that first worked the local marble, beginning in the 1500s, while today, sculptor Fernando Botero is a regular, having already adorned the community with some of his works. Facing the Tyrrhennian Sea, Marina di Pietrasanta is a tranquil and elegant sea village, ideal for families. Camaiore, with its typical historic center and Romanesque architecture – e.g. the Collegiate Church from 1278 – is nestled within a basin at the feet of the Apuan Alps. Camaiore is famous for its cast-iron artisanry, a process that tourists can view in local forges. Its beach community is Lido di Camaiore. 81 landandnat 2Finally, Viareggio, the southernmost point in Versilia, for centuries was the only outlet onto the Lucca Sea. It has been known internationally since the late 1800s, given that it hosts one of Italy's most important Carnival celebrations; today, it is also an elegant and refined seaside resort hub. Composed of fashionable cafes and locales that welcome the young and trendy nightlife crowd, Viareggio also boasts architectonic beauty to match, with a number of lovely Art Nouveau constructions. With its aesthetics and style, it can add culture to its résumé, as seat of one of the most 76 | WE THE ITALIANS WE THE ITALIANS | 77 www.wetheitalians.com www.wetheitalians.com