What to see in Viareggio in 2 days: Liberty style, the Darsena and Torre del Lago

Day 1 — Liberty seafront and the Darsena

The day opens with a walk along the seafront, home to the buildings that made Viareggio famous: the Gran Caffè Margherita (1928), decorated by Galileo Chini, and the Bagno Balena (1928), designed by Alfredo Belluomini in Art Deco style. This same scenic backdrop hosts the allegorical floats of Viareggio's famous Carnival every year. In the afternoon, head to the Darsena, the historic harbour along the Burlamacca canal, dominated by the sixteenth-century Torre Matilde, now converted into an exhibition space.

Day 2 — Torre del Lago Puccini

The second day is devoted to the hamlet of Torre del Lago Puccini, on Lake Massaciuccoli, linked to composer Giacomo Puccini, who lived there for many years. A slower pace, between the lake and the coastal pine forest, rounds out the picture of a Viareggio that goes beyond its bathing establishments.