The Versilia coastline stretches across roughly 165 km of beaches and mountains. It is characterised by sandy beaches and mountains that reach up to 1800m above sea level. It is situated in northern Tuscany, between the Cinquale estuary in the north, the Apuane Alps in the east, the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west and lake Massaciuccoli in the South. Versilia is made up of seven municipalities; Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi, Servezza, Stazzema, Camaiore, Massarosa and Viareggio, which are all located in the Lucca province. A dense network of rivers and canals criss-crosses the region. The largest one starts at the point where the rivers Serra and Vezza converge, and joins the sea near Cinquale, in the Massa Carrara province. The coast is dotted with numerous beauty spots, the most famous being the Versiliana Park, which stretches over 80 hectors of land, ending up at Marina di Pietrasanta.
The capital city of Versilia is Pietrasanta, rich in art, culture and character. The beach at Marina di Pietrasanta is shared between Fiumetto, Tonfano, Focette and Motrone. Forte dei Marmi is the tourist capital of the region, and is particularly popular with the wealthier traveller. The liberty style buildings of Viareggio, which is particularly famous for it’s carnival, are simply resplendent, and the city also enjoys a lively nightlife. By contrast, Alta Versilia, made up of Servezza and Stazzema, makes for a more peaceful and tranquil retreat, whereas the region of Camaiore, ideally located between sea and mountains, offers a bit of everything. Finally, the landscape and culture of Massarosa offers a change from that of the more coastal municipalities, and travellers can expect to visit sites containing palaeolithic human remains and will find an atmosphere of blissful tranquillity on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli.