Carrara

Approximately 10 km from the Campground, Carrara is situated in the Tuscan heights with approximately 60,000 inhabitants, and it is considered the world capital of Marble extraction; the white marbles of Carrara are absolutely the most prestigious in the world.

The first settlements date back to the 9th Century B.C. when the territory was occupied by the Liguri-Apuan, then during Roman Times other settlements emerges due to the extraction activities.

Among the typical dishes of the carrarese cuisine are: the taglierini nei fagioli (noodles with beans), il baccalà marinato (marinated cod), i muscoli ripieni (stuffed muscles), il lardo di Colonnata (Colonnata lard) and the torta di riso (rice tart).
Among the wines you can savour the Vermentini wines of the nearby Luni Hills.

During Medieval Times the city was under complete Byzantine and Longobardian possession, after which it was under the possession of the Bishops of Luni, and a state-city in the early 13th Century; in 1230 it was once again unde the possession of the Bishops and as of 1313 it belonged, respectively, to the Republic of Pisa, of Lucca, of Florence and finally it fell under the possession of the Bishops of Milan; upon the death of Filippo Maria Visconti di Milano (1477), disputed between the Lords of Sarzana and of Malaspina, it was passed on to the latter who united it to the Massa estate, giving life to the Massa Carrara Duchy; then it was passed on to the Duchy of Modena and Reggio, and after the of Napoleonic domination ended it was returned. In the 19th Century Carrara became the heart of anarchism.

Must-sees: Piazza Alberica, the Duomo, a great example of Gothic architecture, l’Accademia di Belle Arti (the Academy of Fine Arts), the historical centre in general and of course the marble caves.

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