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The Splendor of Forte dei Marmi – Exploring the Coastal Gem of Tuscany
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Forte dei Marmi is an Italian sea town and comune in the province of Lucca, overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Come to Forte dei Marmi in Tuscany to experience one of the country’s chicest beach resorts. While it’s in Tuscany, it doesn’t remind you of cobblestone streets and medieval architecture.
Its flat grid makes Forte dei Marmi an ideal place for biking. Hedgerows, palm trees, and cypress trees frame mid-century villas. There are many designer shops in the town center, including Gucci, Prada, Versace, and Dolce & Gabbana. An ancient Roman gate built in a former bog is a historical artifact related to strategic planning by the Romans.
It’s like the Hamptons of Italy, where the elite gathers at the beach, dine, shop, and dance. There are wide, fine sand beaches there, with shallow waters that are perfect for kids. Visitors during the summer will be mixing with well-to-do families that have been coming here for decades, along with international jet-setters following celebrities like Miuccia Prada and Giorgio Armani. This wasn’t always the case.
The big brick building in the town’s main piazza used to be Forte dei Marmi, which means “Fort of Marble.” Marble was quarried from the Apuan mountains that surround it back in the eighteenth century. In its place is a promenade flanked by beaches, filled with glamorous tourists, built to transport that marble out to ships. For a Forte dei Marmi experience, there are nearly a hundred beach clubs offering cabanas, beach chairs, and umbrellas starting at about fifty euros.
Bruno, which has an excellent restaurant, is a favorite among families. Known for dating models like Heidi Klum and Naomi Campbell, the high-end restaurant Twiga is owned by Flavio Briatore, the mega-businessman. There are billowing Moroccan tents, chairs upholstered in leopard skin, and a disco where you can dance all night long if you arrive in the evening. Santa Maria is Italy surrounded by pine trees and is one of the beaches in the world.
Almost all the areas overlooking Versilia’s beaches have replicated the pier over the past few decades. With its luxury boutiques and glittering nightlife, the city is particularly well known for its seaside restaurants and high-fashion shopping. You should stay here for at least a few days if you want to get used to the scene.
A nearby town, Pietrasanta, offers a great selection of artists’ sculptures, paintings, and jewelry, making it a great place to shop and see galleries. If you prefer, you can visit Carrara, where Michelangelo selected the marble for the Pieta from the famous marble quarry.