On the Beach, it is that time of year.
Viareggio is the Brighton of Tuscany. Quite large, quite sophisticated and very popular. Just 60km drive from Vellano.
It lies at the end of the Firenze-mare highway, built in the 1930’s to transport Florentines from the city in the heat of the summer to the cool of the seaside. It is a very busy place but has a lovely marina where they build some very expensive and very stylish yachts. I love looking round harbours at boats. We are never particularly impressed by the large brash white boats that are larger than most peoples houses (and some), but we love the smaller elegant, probably older, wooden-hull boats that are painted in lovely blue or yellow or red colours. I have never been in a sailing boat like these but it is very appealling.
Behind Viareggio are the Massa Carrara mountains. It is from here where most of Italy’s famous marble comes from. The peaks are sharp and dramatic, especially so close to the sea, and it looks like they are streaked in snow and ice. However, this is June so we know that it is marble. Just imagine this is where the shapely form of Michelangelo’s David began his life!