VERSILIA COAST
Centered around the Art Nouveau jewel of Viareggio and an easy drive to the art treasures of Pisa, Carrara and Lucca, the Versilia Coast is enjoying renewed popularity as a resort destination. Lavish bathing establishments and grand hotels were established here at the turn of the century due to the then new vogue for therapeutic saltwater bathing, the warm waters, flat sandy beaches and mild weather conditions. After some decades of decline, in the late nineties, the major restoration of several important properties - including the chic Principe di Piemonte - spurred a return to popularity for this area. Spearheaded by the gay community's adoption of Torre del Lago as its own, the Versilia has now become trendy and fashionable.
