Forte Dei Marmi Hotels

Situated towards the north of Tuscany, Forte dei Marmi is an exclusive seaside resort on Italy's Tyrrhenian coast. Thanks to its mild climate and peaceful atmosphere, it is one of the country's most popular bathing resorts and has provided exclusive holidaying for those who shun mass tourism for more than a century. Most Forte dei Marmi hotels are located on the seafront and such is the exclusivity of the resort, some hotels also have their own private beaches.

Forte dei Marmi is best known as a low key beach resort, particularly aimed at wealthy Italians. Developing at the beginning of the 20th century, it was one of Italy's first beach resorts and instantly became a hit with the rich and powerful. Santa Maria Beach was singled out in 2006 as one of the top ten topless beaches in the world.

The town is located around a jetty developed to ship Apuan marble during the sixteenth century. Today expensive restaurants, fashionable boutiques and ultra-chic night spots together with clean sandy beaches ensure that the area is as popular with the rich and the famous as it was more than a century ago.

A number of famous Italians own villas in and around the city and diplomats, business-men, celebrities and artists have had beautiful villas built in the pinewoods here. Stylist Giorgio Armani and tenor Andrea Bocelli are among the city's famous residents. Queen of the Belgians, Paola Ruffo di Calabria, was also born here.

The population of just over 7,700 people swells during the summer months when thousands of tourists visit. Tourists come mainly from the Italian cities of Milan and Florence, as well as from Russia and Germany.

The nearest airport is Galileo Galilei International airport in Pisa, approximately 15 miles down the Versilia Coast. The airport can be easily reached by train or by bus. Florence airport is approximately 65 miles away. There are two railway stations in the area, Forte dei Marmi and Pietrasanta. While most long distance trains stop in Viareggio, the city can easily be reached through local trains, taxi and bus.

The town's name, Forte dei Marmi, literally means Fort of the marbles, a name which derives from the fortress built to defend the coast from attack and later became the store place for Alpi Apuane marble before it was taken to the pier for shipping. The Fortress building was later used as a postal service office and today houses a museum of satirical art and caricature. Outside the Fortress, a weekly Wednesday market deals in designer clothing among other things.

Forte dei Marmi is commonly considered the world's capital of political satire and more than 35,000 people come to attend the International Political Satire Festival. Giacomo Puccini lived and wrote his operas in nearby Torre del Lago. Today an open-air theater shows performances of Puccini's operas. There is an annual Jass'n Forte Festival and a magnificent firework display each August honors the town's Patron Saint, St Ermete.

Both the sea and the lake of Massaciuccoli provide water sports and sailing and surfing, when the weather allows, are popular here. The surrounding Apuane Alps are ideal for those interested in mountain sports and provide interesting climbs and hikes suitable for every level. Cycling is popular in the town and some of the Forte dei Marmi hotels have facilities for tennis and other sports and there are a range of golf courses in the area. The spa of San Giuliano Terme provides the opportunity to relax and unwind.

The city is surrounded by enchanting villages, valleys and hills and Forte dei Marmi is a perfect place from which to explore the Tuscan countryside and nearby Cities. Lucca, the Provence capital with its long history dating back to Etruscan and Ancient Roman times is a real gem and contains many marvelous architectural highlights from its great Gothic era just before the Renaissance. The old town is still enclosed within its 17th century defensive walls and contains most of the sites. Narrow roads, small squares and pretty towers are overlooked by numerous churches, cathedrals and Basilica.

Nearby Pisa boasts one of the world's most recognizable landmarks and further afield the Uffizi Gallery in Florence offers one of the world's best collections of Renaissance art. Sam Gimignano's skyline, highlighted by medieval towers, is also worth witnessing. When not sunbathing on the beach or exploring renaissance art, enjoying Tuscan food and tasting the world famous local wine, is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. Whatever you've come to the area for Forte dei Marmi hotels will provide a great base from which to embrace Tuscan life.

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