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Photo (c)
AmyEmilia
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The Province of Massa Carrara
The Province of Massa Carrara is situated in the northernmost part
of Tuscany, in the center of wonderful places such as the Golfo dei
Poeti, the “Cinque Terre” and Tuscan art cities.
Here, the nature has created a perfect harmony
between the land and the sea.
The Apuan Alps, famous marble mountains, overlook the
sea breaking on the sandy beach, which extends for kilometers.
The excellent geographical position and the exceptional variety of the
territory make this part of Tuscany as a paradise, the right destination
for any type of tourism.
The Lunigiana is the northernmost part of the
province and it stretches beyond the Apuan Alps. This small plot of land
– one among the richest of history and tradition – takes its name from
Luni, an important center during the Roman Age.
Following the river Magra, crossing the
medieval itineraries of the Via Francigena, it is
possible to find the well-preserved signs of an ancient and evolved
civilization.
The Province of Massa Carrara takes also is
tourist importance from the Apuan Alps, a magnificent
mountain chain which reminds, with its peaks and slopes, the morphology
of the Alps in northern Italy.
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Fantastic mountains, which always, after long walks
trough the paths and the fields, offers you a fantastic view of the sea.
But the province of Massa Carrara is not only mountains and sea, here
the tourist will find a variety of landscapes, different in each season.
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The many
castles, that you will find during your trips, recall to the
memory the battles made for the occupation of this small part of
Tuscany, which was an independent Principality under the Cybo
Malaspina family for many centuries, a noble dynasty which
gave to Massa and Carrara an unique mark of renaissance and Baroque Art
style.
The quiet Romanesque parishes in the plains and on the hills
attract you with their medieval mysticism. You admire their ancient
stone structures, which saw many believers stopping there during their
walk to the north, to France, to England, to Spain and to all the Faith
places along the well known Via Francigena (called also Francesca o
Romea), which, today, represent a Pilgrimage Road to destinations as
Santiago de Compostela or Reims or Canterbury.
On this road, crossed by pilgrims, crowd and merchants in the past, were
raised many villages, that today offer the opportunity to see many
artworks, created by great masters from Lucca, Genua, Milan, Florence
and from France.
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Marina di Carrara - Photo (c)
AmyEmilia
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Furthermore, the Province of Massa Carrara offers an uncontaminated nature to be
experienced at first hand. The mild and sunny climate allows the
tourists to enjoy the beaches in summer and also in winter.
From the Roman age, the sea of our Province represented a landing place
for travelers and traders, who, from Lunigiana, exported the fine hill
wine, one among the valuable product which is possible to taste in our
territory.
Among the typical products of the Massa Carrara
Province, you will find the popular Lardo di
Colonnata, but, during your stay, you can also taste many
other delicacies such as: Testaroli with pesto sauce, Chestnut honey,
Panigacci, Mushrooms, Focaccette of Aulla, Torte d’erbi (Herb Quiche),
Olive bread, Chestnut bread and so on.
The ancient art of stone working, which has been active in the
Ligurian-Apuan civilizations since the Roman age, when they were
defeated by the Roman Army, at the beginning, was focused on the
sandstone , the typical stone of the mysterious stele statues (stone
idols dating back to 2000 years BC – t.n.).
But the real thing that attracted Romans and that attracts tourist
nowadays, is a white and precious stone: the marble (The
fascinating quarries, the art works bearing from marble, and the most
suggesting and unique landscape of Europe).
Courtesy of
APT Massa Carrara
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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