Translating as "Fort of the Marbles”, Forte dei Marmi is a seaside town backed by the marble quarries of the Apuan Alps. It’s famed for its picturesque beach, Italian designer goods and the caricature museum inside the Lorenese Fort.
Things to do in Forte dei Marmi
Relax beneath a beach umbrella on Forte dei Marmi’s long strip of sand or rent a private cabana. You can also explore the town’s Italian designer boutiques or coincide your visit with the famous Forte dei Marmi Street Market that takes place in Piazza Guglielmo Marconi.
Stroll along the Pontile, a long fishing pier that extends into the Tyrrhenian Sea and once shipped marble blocks destined to become Michelangelo sculptures. Watch the local surfers catching waves below and soak up the views back towards Forte dei Marmi and Apuan Alps.
If you’re a fan of political cartoons, visit the Museum of Satire and Caricature, which is housed within the 18th-century Lorenese Fort. It features works by many of Italy’s most prominent cartoonists and showcases the annual Political Satire Prize that honours the industry’s best.
Enjoy the panoramic vistas across the Tuscan countryside from the octagonal ruins of Aghinolfi Castle, which is believed to be one of the oldest of its kind in Italy. Admire the bastion of San Paolino and the wide defensive walls, then peer down through the glass floor to see the castle’s historical layers.
Getting around Forte dei Marmi
Forte dei Marmi is around 30 minutes’ drive from Pisa International Airport and just over an hour from Florence. Buses travel throughout the town, but many of Forte dei Marmi’s attractions are accessible on foot.