Characterized by the unique Apuan Alps that protect the town from the cold north winds, Marina di Carrara is a modern seaside resort with many facilities and a fine, large, soft sandy beach stretching between the blue on one side and green pine-woods on the other one.
Marina di Carrara is in a geographically favourable position on the Thyrrhenian coast. An excellent network of roads (SS n°1 Aurelia) motorways (A12 Genoa-Leghorn; A15 Parma-mare/sea; A11 Florence-Mare/sea), and railways (The Genoa-Pisa-Rome) and Milano-Fornovo-Leghorn Lines. Make it the most reachable for Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia. Thanks to the same efficient network you can reach all the main monumental and artistic attractions in Tuscany from Marina di Carrara in a short time. Touristic catering is top-rate an confortable(with Hotel, camping sites and private flats).

And for number and service it is organized in order to satisfy the most various requirements. Besides a mild climate all year round, sunshine, sand and cool breezes that mitigate the hot summer, you also have privilege of bathing in the sea and then go sun-bathing in the mountains only a few kilometres away at more than 1000m above sea level. That is without mentioning the various excursions you can take inland to see places rich in art and history while enjoying incredibly beautiful views on the way. Campocecina 1350m above sea level is just over half an hour's drive away from Marina di Carrara and there is a stand point from which you look of nature's spectacular gifts. You get a sweeping look at the islands of Tuscan Archipelago, Corsica, the Maritime and the Graian Alps and then down the heaps of marble debris below, criss-crossed with steep windings tracks. However, Marina di Carrara is not only sun, see cool pine-woods and warm hospitality. For entertainment of her guests Marina is equipped with every modern facility for practising any sport one can mention: sailing, tennis, bowls, underwater fishing and skating. There is also an efficient Club Nautico Sailing Club Nautico Sailing Club that takes a very activ part in national and international events. It also has a functional tourist port. During the summer the town organizes a great number of performances of every kind ranging from theatre to music, art, culture, society and sports. The international Marble and Machine fair with its spacious and well organized exhibition area adds even more importance to Marina di Carrara.

Carrara, the world's capital of the marble trade and working, rightly owes its name to the stone that has made this town famous all over the world. The ancient city centre boasts of valuable monuments as: the Duomo with its Romanic Gothic facade and precious rose-window; inside the Duomo there are: a wooden Crucifix, two splendid statues, "the Cassanelle", the Virgin and Herald Angel; the statues of the High Altar. In the city square there are the marble Bell Tower, the fountain of the "Giant" and the house where Michelangelo stayed.
Other interesting monuments are the ancient castle and renaissance palace that now houses the Academy of Fine Arts. Casa Repetti (13th century); the characteristic 16th century Piazza Alberica considered one of the finest of its kind; and the Santuario delle Grazie with its precious inside decorations.

In Piazza Matteotti you can admire two important sculptures; the copy of P.Tacca's "Wild boar" and the "Foal" by A.Dazzi. The avenue XX Settembre still shows traces of this city's ancient history. In Avenza you can see the Castruccio Castracani Tower, the only one now standing of the 1300 strongholds once there. On a hill above Fossola there are the remains of the castle of Moneta which dates back to 1235. In Fossola it is well worth stopping to visit the Marble Museum which has been organized in six parts tracing and displaying the history of marble, its excavation, working methods and use.

The Apuan Alps are a beatiful naturalistic jewel proteced by a ragional natural park. In this marvellous alpine landscape on the sea grow a large number and variety of rare flowers and plants. The club Alpino Italiano organized all year long excursions for mountain-climbing, horseriding and tracking enthusiasts.