VIAREGGIO: CARNIVAL COUNTRY
Viareggio is a town in the province of Lucca, situated on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the north of Tuscany, Italy. With a population of around 60,000, Viareggio is a highly popular tourist resort with a historic fishing harbour. Among its other industries is the manufacture of luxury motor yachts. To international tourists, Viareggio is known as the site where the body of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was cremated. Indeed, in 1822, Shelley’s body was cremated on the beach of Viareggio in the presence of Lord Byron and Leigh Hunt.
The name of the city derives from Latin Via Regis (kings’ road), the name of a road built in the Middle Ages along the coast, and still existing as Via Regia. The city was created in the mid-16th century, when it became the only coastal base of the Republic of Lucca. Today, Viareggio is one of the most famous and traditional seaside resorts in Tuscany. Its wide, spotlessly clean beaches, excellent seafood-based cuisine and exciting nightlife in the ‘Versilian discos’ have made Viareggio a popular holiday resort for international tourists. Among its other attractions are a Puccini opera festival held at nearby Torre del Lago, and one of Italy’s most famous carnival celebrations, featuring enormous floats that sometimes satirize current political events.
The town is also known as the home of Lorenzo Viani, composer Giacomo Puccini and writer Mario Tobino and is surrounded by the Apuan Alps and the lake of Massaciuccoli. Pinewood, a colourful harbour, shipyards and a three-km long promenade with superb shops, cinemas and a theatre are also part of the landscape.
Until the 19th century, Viareggio was a small fishing village. Its claim to fame was the daring of its sailors and the skill of its shipbuilders, who created the most beautiful wooden ships in the Mediterranean area. As the city began to spread toward the north, it developed its bathing and tourist activities until it became famous all over Europe and the world for its tourist facilities and its unparalleled natural beauty, beautiful beach, and luxuriant pinewoods.
Today, you can walk along the jetty, which runs alongside the Burlamacca Canal and extends into the open sea for almost a kilometre. The city has two pinewoods. One is located in the urban centre and known by the name of Pineta di Ponente. The other is called Pineta di Levante, begins at the docks and extends for six km as far as Torre del Lago.
Accommodation in Viareggio has grown parallel to its growth as a tourist resort. Our selection (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Viareggio.htm) of Viareggio hotels, exclusive apartments and bed & breakfasts offer the best deals for a great stay during your trip, so why not check us out?
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