Free Guide of Tuscany - Massa Carrara

The province of Massa Carrara: a marble pearl within Apuane Alps. Located in the north of Tuscany, on the Gulf of Poets, with the mighty Apuane Alps as a background, this region is a continuously changing panorama of unforgettable sights and experiences.

Massa…
The city of Massa had its moment of peak growth during the 16th century, when Alberico I of the Cybo-Malaspina family established several villages of Roman and Medieval origin in order to support the important copper and marble extraction activities. After his death, power shifted to the Baciocchi family and then to the Estense Duchy. After the Italian National Reunification, Massa became capitol city of the Massa and Garfagnana provinces, now called Massa-Carrara.   In 1923, Garfagnana became part of the province of Lucca, in exchange for Valdinievole, which was annexed to the newborn Pistoia province. Today the Massa-Carrara province is appreciated for its marble extraction activity and for its beaches, which draw huge numbers of summer tourists.
…and Carrara
Generated from the ‘curtis de Cararia’, it became a Feudal State in 963 and a Free Commonwealth in 1261. After the Seignory of Castruccio Castracani, it passed to the Visconti family and then to the Malaspina family. Ever since, Carrara has been bound to Massa.

The Lunigiana
Here stood the ancient city of Luni, a major passageway for traveling armies.  The Lunigiana also includes part of the province of Sarzana, a region full of history-filled valleys , 14th-century castles, and quaint villages. This area has preserved its distinct dialects and cultures, each very different from the other, weaving together a unique patchwork of tradition.
The ancient medieval village of Fosdinovo overlooks the Magra and Luni Plain; its Malaspina Castle is the most visited in all Lunigiana. This historic landmark hosts concerts, exhibitions, and cultural happenings, and it the headquarters of a trekking school.
In Aulla you can visit the Brunella Fortess, named after its remarkable dark colour, built upon a rock in the early 15th century, and the Natural History Museum.
Upon crossing the Cerreto Pass, you arrive in Fivizzano, where you can visit the Print Museum and Verrucosa. In Filattiera,  the small rural church of Pieve del Sorano combines the Lombard and Tuscan Romanic styles, both showcased in the awe-inspiring and monumental Apse. From here it is a pleasant walk to Pontremoli, where guests can visit its museum of the Stele Statues, located in the Castello del Piagnaro. The Marble
Sculptors and sculpture lovers alike can’t miss a visit to the characteristic marble workshops in Carrara. Exhibitions dedicated to famous names of contemporary sculpture and happenings regarding the art of marble processing are frequent. Your discovery of the marble quarries should start from the Civic Marble Museum, continue on to the spectacular marble quarries, across the Vara bridges and inside the tunnels carved into the rock.
In the Gothic-Romanic style Carrara Dome you'll find frescoes and sculptures from 14th and 15th centuries, and an important piece by Bergamini. Nearby the town centre is the “Parco della Padula," with its intoxicating scents and expert landscaping, home to the 19th-century Villa Fabbricotti. In Campocecina, upon the Apuane Alps, you can admire the Quarry of the Poets: in honor of the 2002 biennial, quotes from famous poets and scholars have been carved on its walls.  The Park of Memory, where  statues from the 14th International Sculpture Symposium dedicated to the “Shoah”  are displayed, is also of great interest.
In August, you can assist in the reenactment of the Lizzatura, the ancient method used by quarrymen to transport marble blocks back to the valley, essentially sliding them over soaped wood with the help of oxen.  All of this, of course, takes place against the spectacular background of the marble quarries and steep towers.
For lovers of interesting local gastronomic tradition, it is impossible to miss the famous Sagra del Lardo (lard festival) in Colonnata. Nearby the marble quarries, Marina di Carrara is a popular beach destination.

Festivals and Traditions
The Sanctuary of Lunigiana is a frequently visited spot from Easter to September, and Solemn feasts are celebrated on the day after Easter, the day of the Lord’s Ascension, on July 2nd, Assunta (Assumption) Day, in addition to the six monthly pilgrimages of Fatima, from May 13th to September 13th of every year, which find participants walking to the Madonna del Monte. On the final pilgrimage, on the 13th of October, the final destination is the “Madonna di Fatima” church in Groppoli. The area's summer events schedule is quite rich. Between July and August,  charming events such as ‘Torano Night and Day’ in Torano, where marble sculptures produced by local artists are on display in the town’s streets and squares.

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