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Sandy
beaches and elegant villas in tree-lined avenues sheltered by the
Apuan Alps, are the main attractives of Forte dei Marmi, a town that
in the last century has become a world- famous tourist resort.
Smart cafés and boutiques may be found in the centre, and
restaurants are of a high standard. This well known, elegant seaside
resort, lies on what was once a strip of Mediterranean maquis. The
town grew up in the Renaissance period around a quay used for
loading marble from the nearby Apuan mountains, which was carried to
the sea along a road that was built on the suggestion of
Michelangelo himself. In 1788 the Grand Duke Leopoldo built the
fortress that gives the town its name, and is still to be seen in
Piazza Garibaldi in the centre. |
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In the surrounding
countryside there is an architectural, historical and cultural
heritage to be discovered, charming villages are nestled in the
numerous valleys or are perched at the top of hills and the beauty
of alpine pastures can be enjoyed on the scenic Apuan Alps. |
