Viareggio is located in the southernmost part of glamorous Versilia, only one hour and a half from The Mall Firenze. The Art Nouveau buildings and its 1960s ambience give the city its unique charm. To explore it, you only need to go for a walk along its beautiful pedestrianised promenade with refined Art Nouveau buildings such as the Gran Caffè Margherita, the perfect first stop for a delicious breakfast.
Renowned as a seaside resort, thanks to its iconic beach clubs such as the Nettuno, the Balena or the Martinelli e Bertuccelli, Viareggio offers many attractions also in winter: its famous Carnival is one of the most popular and largest carnivals in Italy and Europe, featuring giant mechanical floats with parades held several weekends before Shrove Tuesday (the day of the last parade) and at night on Fat Thursday (click here to see this year’s programme). Those who want to learn more about their construction can visit the Citadel of Carnival and the warehouses where artists and craftsmen work all year round to build the amazing carnival floats, the Carnival Museum and interesting papier-mâché workshops.
For lunch, the people of Viareggio have a well loved ritual: fried fish to be eaten as street food that you can purchase from one of the little floating kiosks (actual boats) moored at the port. While if you prefer to take a break at a restaurant, we recommend the Michelin-starred restaurant Romano.
You can then visit the GAMC – Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art of Viareggio held in the 19thcentury Palazzo delle Muse, featuring works by artists such as Monet, Picasso, Mirò, Chagall and Max Ernst. Afterwards, it is time for a snack with a typical cecina at the Pizzeria da Rizieri or the Pizzeria Athos near Tito del Molo, just before heading to the pier to admire the beautiful sunset.
For a perfect ending to your day, try the two-star Michelin restaurant Il Piccolo Principe of the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte.
