Massa

The historical centre of Massa - a town of early mediaeval origins between the Apuan Alps immediately behind it and the beaches of Versilia facing out onto the Tyrrhenian Sea - comprises a mediaeval part under the Malaspina Castle and another Renaissance part, in the plain, with the large Piazza Aranci where an ordered pattern of wide straight streets converges The modern city then developed in the direction of the sea until it merged, amidst interesting Art Nouveau and 20th century buildings, with Marina di Massa and its resorts.

The castle, imposing from the top of its bastioned hill, adds cachet to the mediaeval town centre; the walkways along the walls offer spectacular views. Between the 15th and 16th century, the Malaspina family wanted to add a Renaissance palace to serve as a princely residence: the polychrome façade, with decorated windows and a large loggia, precedes the asymmetrical courtyard and largely frescoed interiors. On the slopes of the fortress, the church of S. Rocco houses a wooden crucifix that is thought to be an early work by Michelangelo.

In Massa, you should also visit (for information on trails, refuges, hostels, hotels, restaurants and agritourism in the mountainous hinterland) the Visitor Centre of the Regional Park of the Apuan Alps, located not far from Piazza Aranci, in Via Simon Musico. Not all of the Apuan Alps are protected areas, so as to continue to allow for activity of in the marble quarries that are fundamental to the economy: however, there are more than two hundred square kilometres that are vital for Tuscan biodiversity and available for hiking.