Northwestern Tuscany
Locals rave about this tiny family-run trattoria on Cathedral Sq, aptly called 'By Auntie' and with an inviting 'Cibo e Vino' (food and wine) strapline. Cuisine is strictly local, with plenty of traditional, potato-filled tordelli (square pasta cushions, larger than ravioli) and sweet torta di riso (rice cake) plumping out the handwritten menu.
Dishes like cocoa pappardelle with pear and gorgonzola inject a touch of creative spice. Reservations recommended.
28.77 MILES
One of Italy's signature sights, the Torre Pendente truly lives up to its name, leaning a startling 3.9 degrees off the vertical. The 58m-high tower,…
28.73 MILES
Pisa's magnificent duomo was begun in 1064 and consecrated in 1118. Its striking tiered exterior, with green-and-cream marble cladding, gives onto a…
26.13 MILES
Lucca's predominantly Romanesque cathedral dates from the 11th century. Its stunning facade was constructed in the prevailing Lucca-Pisan style and…
28.68 MILES
Pisa's unusual round baptistry has one dome piled on top of another, each roofed half in lead, half in tiles, and topped by a gilt bronze John the Baptist…
13.46 MILES
At the end of the quay, a Cinque Terre panorama unfolds from the rocky terraces of a cave formerly known as Grotta Arpaia. Lord Byron once swam across the…
25.75 MILES
Lucca’s monumental mura (wall) was built around the old city in the 16th and 17th centuries and remains in almost perfect condition. It superseded two…
25.82 MILES
Fire the romantic in you with a stroll around this beautiful 17th-century palace where parts of Portrait of a Lady (1996), starring Nicole Kidman and John…
26.06 MILES
The bird's-eye view from the top of this medieval, 45m-tall red-brick tower adjoining 14th-century Palazzo Guinigi is predictably magnificent. But what…
1.61 MILES
Opposite the tourist office, Carrara's Marble Museum tells the full story of the marble quarries outside town, from the old chisel-and-hammer days to the…
1.9 MILES
To learn how the Romans worked with marble, visit this surprisingly informative, open-air museum adjoining the souvenir shop across from the quarry…
1.92 MILES
Head up the mountain to this dusty, truck-busy cava de marmo (marble quarry), through a dramatic series of tunnels used by trains to transport marble from…
4. Orto Botanico delle Alpi Apuane 'Pietro Pellegrini'
5.61 MILES
This delightful botanical garden in Pian della Fioba is ideal for discovering alpine flora. Opening hours can be variable; check the day's opening hours…
8.35 MILES
On a walking track just above Tellaro stands the ruins of Portesone, a former rural village that was abandoned in the 1600s (allegedly owing to a plague…
8.6 MILES
Built in the second half of the 16th century, the imposing Chiesa San Giorgio occupies a strategic point overlooking the seaside. Over the portal, a bas…
9.4 MILES
Just off Piazza Garibaldi, this atmospheric pedestrian lane is sprinkled with colourful boutiques, a focacceria and wine shop, and some appealing seafood…
9.51 MILES
Hidden behind the Castello di Lerici are a series of wild cliff-backed beaches extending along the southern shoreline. Reach the first by heading through…