Staying in Viareggio

Villaflood

New member
My girlfriends and I rented a house in Viareggio for 7 days in July. We rented a car and are flying into Pisa. We are spending two separate days in Lucca after Viareggio and then 2 more days in Florence, before flying back to the States. What are some suggested day trips from Viareggio to other parts of Tuscany? We want to spend a day in Cinque Terre. Is the best way to get there by train or ferry? Other than beach clubs, any other suggestions while in Viareggio?
 
from Viareggio, I'd recommend Versilia, Cinque Terre, Lunigiana and Garfagnana

Ciao Villaflood, sorry I had missed your post somehow so it has taken me a week to post some ideas for you....

Viareggio is a great base for visiting the Tuscan coast: the whole of the Versilia as well as the Cinque Terre but also perfect base for discovering Lunigiana and Garfagnana. I'd recommend you head inwards towards the Apuan Alps if you also enjoying walking and hiking - there are marked trails all over the alps to go up the peaks - for example, this one to Monte Forato. You can also drive up from Lucca into the Garfagnana valley and visit Barga, Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Bagni di Lucca.... I'd recommend going to see the Wind Cave or the Antro del Corchia (the first one is reachable from Garfagnana, the second from Versilia).

I also suggest you head toward Lunigiana and Pontremoli - the fortress there is beautiful, so is the museum housed within. This area of Tuscany is called the "land of the 100 castles", you'll see them on many hills. Aulla also holds a fortress and it is also a museum but of natural life :D, not what you'd expect. You can also head to Carrara if you're interested in joining in with a tour of some of the marble quarries. Once you're in Viareggio, head to the local tourist office since they'll be able to give you brochures and summer hours for the tours.

Of course, you should make sure to go back to Pisa on another day after you fly in.... you'll already by in Lucca and Florence so I'd suggest heading south and in toward San Gimignano, Volterra and Siena on any other days..... I am giving you lots of possibilities, the ones I'd personally visit again, you won't be able to do everything but now you know which ones to consider! ;-)
 
Thank you! So many options! As for Cinque Terre, we have a rental car so we plan on driving to La Spezia. From there, do we take the ferry or the train for a one day trip?
 
From La Spezia, you can choose depending on the time you have.... the train ride is literally 10 minutes to Riomaggiore, the first of the towns you reach. I think the ferry takes a little longer.... but also offers a great view from the water of the towns.

Are you planning to hike along the Cinque Terre? or take the train? If you plan any hiking, know that the part of the trail between Monterosso and Vernazza is the longest and toughest! the part between Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore is easy (flat) while the part between Vernazza and Corniglia is in between. We started off in Monterosso and hiked all the way down, it took all day and we're very happy to spend the night in Manarola to enjoy that and Riomaggiore better that evening and next morning.
 
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