The poetry of marble: Carrara

Driving through northern Tuscany, past the ethereal Cinque Terre and the Riviera di Levante in eastern Liguria, you know that the coast and the sea will accompany you along the journey. And yet, looking upwards, a white dash colouring the rugged, imposing mountains on the other side captures your attention: surely that cannot be snow, so close to the sea. It is, in fact, the white treasure that has captured the imagination of countless artists – and dreamers – the centuries through.

Marmo – marble – has fashioned the life of this distinct corner of Tuscany, seemingly endless rows of slabs being worked at the bottom of the valley, the poetry of this exceptional material happening higher up; there, the dust and the noise conjure up a special ballet that has captivated everyone, starting from the Romans, through to Michelangelo and all the way to Rodin, contemporary artists adding their special, innovative touch. A seemingly cold material, marble can speak to anyone sensible enough to listen to its lyrical potency: hard and heavy, but soft and gentle to the touch, marble embellishes, adorns and enriches our soul. Carrara itself is home to a stunning 188 quarries and you can experience a “hands-on” Cave di marmo tour of the quarries, to see where the poetry lies, or take up a cycling tour up to small Colonnata – home to the tasty, wafer-thin and delicious lardo di Colonnata – admiring the hard-working cavatori who spend their lives in a perilous job, yielding one of Italy’s most precious art treasures.

A world of museums: Pietrasanta 

History and art colour every street and every corner in Tuscany, that’s a given. Beyond the extraordinary cultural riches of bigger centres like Florence or Siena, the region is filled with lovely towns that tell their very own tale of splendour and beauty. In the tiny jewel that is Pietrasanta you will find a series of outstanding places that reinvent the quest of a museum. A case in point is the Virtual Museum of Sculpture and Architecture, located in Pietrasanta: learn about the fascinating history of marble with The voice of marble video, a virtual experience that is filled with interesting anecdotes and revelations, allowing you to sense the captivating atmosphere of a marble quarry.

Capitani Coraggiosi offers a collection of 19th and 20th century sculptures that were crafted by local artists and are on loan from the Museo dei Bozzetti (the maquettes museum), another gem in town. Hosting 700 sketches, models and drawings of sculptures, executed by more than 350 artists, the museum is also made up by foundries and laboratories, where the idea that is put on paper with the maquettes finally comes to life.

The International Park of Contemporary Sculpture, an open-air extension of the museum, sees the finished works placed into the very unique natural setting that is northern Tuscany, the sea to one side and the Apuane Alps guarding over the land.