Carrara, Tuscany

What to see in Carrara in 2 days: marble, art and quarries

Carrara is far more than the city marble passes through: a compact historic centre and the quarries in the Apuan Alps make for a complete two-day itinerary.

Of Elena Marchetti · Aug 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Foto di Carrara, Tuscany — What to see in Carrara in 2 days: marble, art and quarries

Sailko, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Day 1 — the historic centre

The day opens in Piazza Alberica, the city's eighteenth-century drawing room surrounded by stately palaces, before continuing to Piazza del Duomo, dominated by the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral of Sant'Andrea Apostolo. Nearby, Palazzo Cybo Malaspina — a medieval castle turned Renaissance residence by the Cybo-Malaspina family — now houses the Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1769: a direct link between the city and its artistic vocation tied to stone-working. It's worth closing the day with a walk to the Fontana del Gigante, an unfinished sculpture by Baccio Bandinelli.

Day 2 — the marble quarries

The second day is devoted to the marble basins: Torano, Miseglia and Colonnata, a few minutes' drive from the centre, let you see the still-active quarry faces up close, some visitable on organised tours. Colonnata is also worth a stop for its own hilltop hamlet, gathered around the marble basins where the famous lardo is cured.

Practical info

How long do you need to visit Carrara?

Two days allow you to alternate between the artistic historic centre and the marble basins of Torano, Miseglia and Colonnata.

What to see in Carrara in 2 days?

On the first day you explore the historic centre, on the second the marble quarries.

What's the best time of year to visit Carrara?

April, May, June, September and October is ideal: those are the months with less tourist traffic.

Is Carrara a crowded tourist spot?

Compared to the more touristy destinations, Carrara is very quiet.

What area is Carrara in?

Carrara lies in Tuscany.

How to get there

🚆 Nearest station: Sarzana ~11 km as the crow flies
✈️ Nearest airport: Aeroporto internazionale Galileo Galilei PSA ~50 km as the crow flies

Nearest points as the crow flies (source OpenStreetMap): actual times depend on the roads, often mountain ones.

Toscana

Adatto a: Aprile Maggio Giugno Settembre Ottobre

Hai qualcosa da aggiungere?

Questo articolo lo scriviamo perché ci crediamo, ma non siamo dappertutto. Se hai visto un errore, se conosci un luogo che ci manca, o se ti va di scriverne uno tu — dicci.

Data sbagliata? Nome scritto male? Un luogo che non esiste? Scrivilo qui — anche una frase basta.

Nearby

Destination	Category	Crowding
What to see in Carrara in 2 days: marble, art and quarries (this guide)	Guides and itineraries	Very quiet
Where to stay in Carrara: between the old town and the marble quarries	Guides and itineraries	Very quiet
How to get to Carrara: train, car and airport	Guides and itineraries	Very quiet
Where to eat in Carrara: lardo di Colonnata and quarry-town cuisine	Guides and itineraries	Very quiet
Where to stay in Massa: between the old town and the Apuan Alps	Guides and itineraries	Very quiet

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