After leaving Viareggio we drove about 10 minutes north to the town of Forte dei Marmi   In Italian –  Forte dei Marmi  means “Fort of the marbles”.

Forte dei Marmi is a sea-side town and is located along the northern Tuscany coast between the Marinas of Ronci and Pietrasanta, in an area known as Versilia.

Forte dei Marmi is known for its clean, sandy beaches. It is a low-key beach resort aimed at wealthy Italians.  Forte Dei Marmi was, in fact, one of the first beach resorts in Italy, begun at the turn of the century and becoming instantly popular with royalty and the rich “beautiful people” who still flock to villas in the pines. The number of bathing establishments is enormous

The town takes its name from the fortress that rises in the middle of the main square, built under Grand Duke Peter Leopold.

This is a very pretty town with its very own character. The shops are just so lovely and even the streets are beautiful.  It looks like a good place to go to for shopping especially high-end shopping, with many of the shops carrying popular designer labels.

When we arrived it was obviously siesta time as most shops were closed but for us it was a great time to be there as there was plenty of parking and we were able to wander around everywhere leisurely.

One of the most important shops was open, yes the gelataria.  Naturally we had to try it out.

Everywhere you look there are beautiful flowers and plants, lots of trees and pretty outdoor seating.

We did learn while we were there that each Wednesday, a market is held which has become famous for deep discounts on designer clothes, leather goods, and other products.  This will be on my  list of things to do on my next visit to this lovely area.

Forte dei Marmi is only about an hour drive from Bagni di Lucca, via Lucca along super roads. We did return to Bagni di Lucca a different way, driving over the mountains. It was a stunning drive however it did take longer this way.