Marina di Carrara, Italy. Massa and Carrara. White marble Tuscany.

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Welcome to Tuscany. Sun, Chianti and Pizza. We can thank the Marella Explorer and the Marella Discovery 2 for introducing many cruises to this little used port, where nearby, some of the purest white Marble in the world is quarried, and the special area of Massa. Years ago we went there to shoot a episode of the YTV Dennis Waterman series Stay Lucky. It was the only ever episode in Italy. It is a nearer access port for Pisa than the more common La Spezia. Pisa is under an hour down the coast by road, and a quicker and pleasant train ride. Florence is a little further, one hour forty, but again you are nearer than La Spezia and it can be accessed by train. Expect excursions to be focussed on these two centres, but that is not all that is available. All the key Italian coastal resorts are joined by trains and the La Spezia to Pisa and Florence train is station stops at a station just 20 minutes inland. Go early, come back early, validate your ticket before boarding the train. See our Pisa by train video.Ships Dock Here – Google Map position showing beaches and Massa

LOCAL. The port itself is almost exclusive to Marella, it is normally a container dock, so you will either want to take the port shuttle or walk to the nearby beach. The shuttles are frequent but less so in the early afternoon during siesta. There is little point sharing a film on the beach or the port. It is a beach, a typical huge Italian beach mid way between Forte dei Marmi and La Spezia, with the usual chairs and umbrellas for hire. In September they have a massive beer festival on the beach in Carrara. Also Marina di Massa is a great Beach. 

CARRARA town is about fifteen minutes in-land on the shuttle. That is where you will find the train station and nearby the Tower and the Arch of Castruccio Castracani, the only remains of a medieval walled city. This link to it will show you other Tuscany attractions. 

MASSA. Our film features where we went to film the Dennis Waterman series, Massa. This is worth a look if you have done Pisa and Florence. It is a good day out in its own right. It may be time to hire a car and explore.

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Massa‘s sights include:

  • Malaspina Castle (15th century), overlooking the city from a hill
  • The Renaissance Ducal Palace, on the Piazza Aranci
  • Cathedral of Massa
  • Piazza degli Aranci
  • Piazza Mercurio
  • Teatro Guglielmi was built in 1880
  • Marina di Massa
  • The Orto Botanico delle Alpi Apuane mountain Botanical garden  “Pietro Pellegrini”.


PORT GUIDES ON FILM include…..

ATHENS METRO ATHENS ICE CREAM ATHENS GUIDE ATHENS HORSE+CARRIAGE ATHENS PLAKA GAME OF THRONES TAKE ON DUBROVNIK  OUR ANGELS & DEMONS TAKE ON ROMEPORT GUIDES – WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – CARIBBEAN MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – CANARY ISLAND MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – FJORDS MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – BALTIC SEA MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – BRITISH ISLES CRUISING DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – NEAR UK + SHORT CRUISE W.EUROPE MENU OF DESTINATION GUIDESPORT GUIDES – SHORT CRUISE W. COAST FRANCE PORTUGAL – DESTINATION GUIDES