Where to stay in Carrara: between the old town and the marble quarries
Carrara alternates a medieval centre at the foot of the Apuan Alps with the coastal Marina di Carrara: where to stay depending on whether you want art, quarries or the sea.
Sailko, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Carrara is split between the historic centre, gathered around Piazza Alberica and Piazza del Duomo, and the coastal Marina di Carrara a few kilometres away. Staying in the centre puts you within easy reach of the Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral dedicated to Sant'Andrea Apostolo, the eighteenth-century palaces around Piazza Alberica, and the Academy of Fine Arts housed in Palazzo Cybo Malaspina — the ideal base for exploring the marble city's art and history on foot.
Those looking for a seaside base will find a more summer-oriented offer in Marina di Carrara, closer to the harbour and the seafront promenade. A more original alternative is staying in the quarry hamlets — Torano, Colonnata, Miseglia — on the first slopes of the Apuan Alps: few beds, but the chance to wake up among the marble basins and set off early to visit the quarries before the organised tour groups arrive.
Practical info
When should you go to Carrara?
The best months are April, May, June, September and October, when there are fewer people.
Are there a lot of people in Carrara?
Carrara is very quiet compared to the more touristic destinations.
Where exactly is Carrara located?
Carrara sits 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.
