Forte dei Marmi is a prestigious Italian resort town in the Toscana region on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea (mare Tirreno). Once it was a simple port where they shipped marble mined in the Apuan Mountains (Alpi Apuane), but in the middle of the twentieth century the town was chosen by the Italian aristocracy.
Since then, Forte dei Marmi has grown into a magnificent fashionable resort, where the strong and wealthy of this world still love to relax. No one hides that relaxing here is expensive, but worth it. The resort is known as one of the most comfortable and chic in sunny Italy. Great climate, colorful gardens, beautiful beaches, restaurants, designer shops and perfect infrastructure - this is what the city will meet with you.
Weather
The mild microclimate of Forte dei Marmi is created by the location of the resort between the mountains and the sea. The beach season lasts from June to September, then there is almost no rain, and the average temperature is + 28C, the water warms up to + 23C. It becomes hotter in July-August. Then the air warms up to + 30C, water to + 25C. The main disadvantages at the height of the season are 3 times higher prices, clogged hotels and endless flows of tourists.
There are those who come to rest already in May - it is warm on the street, you can walk, sunbathe, and for seasoned tourists swimming in the sea does not seem impossible.
Winter at the resort is wet and warm. The temperature does not fall below zero, the average is + 10C, there is little rain, but quite cool. In spring and autumn, you can relax comfortably and relatively inexpensively - there are almost no tourists, a few hotels are open, and the temperature is kept at 15-20C. Club life calms down during these seasons and water activities are paused, but you can enjoy hiking or horseback riding in the mountains.
Hotels
3 stars
Hotel olimpia
Hotel Olimpia is a 3-minute walk from the beach near the city center. Bicycle rental is available nearby. On Saturday evening, the restaurant has an hour of discounts, when you can get cheap drinks and snacks. The hotel has free parking and pets are allowed.
Hotel Etruria
Hotel Etruria is just 150 meters from the beach. The garden has tables and comfortable sofas. In the common living room you can watch TV and entertain the child with children's games. The dining room overlooks the garden. The traditional Italian restaurant has a special children's menu.
4 stars
Villa gray
Hotel Villa Gray is centrally located on the seafront. To the beach - 2 minutes on foot. The soundproofed rooms have a private bathroom and a minibar. Guests have access to a private beach, sun loungers and parasols.
California Park Hotel
California Park Hotel is located 300 meters from the beach, near the city center. The rooms are equipped with elegant furniture, balconies, air conditioning and other amenities.
The hotel features a swimming pool, fitness room and hydromassage. The restaurant serves Tuscan cuisine.
5 stars
Hotel Principe Forte Dei Marmi
Hotel Principe Forte Dei Marmi is 3 minutes from the private beach. Guests can sunbathe on the panoramic terrace. Two restaurants, a spa complex, a swimming pool, a gym and various procedures will delight guests of this five-star hotel. They will take you to the train station for free, help with caring for your pet and will pay attention to all your requests.
Augustus Hotel & Resort
At Augustus Hotel & Resort you can enjoy celebrity life. The hotel is surrounded by a pine forest, rooms with a balcony give you the feel of the sea. It features a beach, a breakfast buffet, a spa and a gourmet restaurant. Guests can relax at the Augustus Club or enjoy a delicious dinner at the Bambaissa Restaurant.
Apartments and B&B
Casa Indipendente 50 Metri Dal Mare
Casa Indipendente 50 Metri Dal Mare is set on two levels, surrounded by a garden. It features a veranda, a fully equipped kitchen, a living room with a TV and a sofa bed. Excellent value for money and quality.
Forte inn
Forte Inn Bed and Breakfast offers comfortable accommodation 200 meters from the beach. Each room has a private bathroom. Enjoy breakfast on the terrace with delicious cakes. For guests there is free parking.
Villa rental
In addition to a variety of hotels, in Forte dei Marmi, villas are available for rent, from small to large and luxurious. They are rented for at least a month, and most often they are booked for the whole summer. All houses are made in the Tuscan style, with roof tiles and a garden. Rental price - from 1000 euros per week.
Restaurants
Most of the city's restaurants stretch along the coast and are located in the city center.
Lorenzo
One of the most pathos can be called a luxury restaurant Lorenzo - the owner of a Michelin star. It’s hard to get there, prices, like in the entire resort, bite - on average, from 60 to 140 euros for a dinner for two. But in Lorenzo a great fish menu and you can meet some celebrity. The guests are looked after not only by the waiters, but also by the owners of the establishment.
Bistrot
Another Michelin star owner is the Bistrot luxury restaurant. It has been working for 26 years, and is still at the peak of popularity. Here you can look at the open kitchen with stoves and go down to the wine cellar. The atmosphere gives off pathos, but not outrageous - you can go in jeans after the beach and eat. The price for a dinner for two is from 85 to 125 euros.
Gilda
Restaurant Gilda is in minute access from the center. Halls decorated with white wood and natural materials, white tents, candles - and all this on the seashore. It offers a fish menu, seafood and traditional Tuscan food. In summer, the institution is open every day for lunch and dinner. At the height of the season, reservations are recommended in advance. You can rent a restaurant for private events - the hall is designed for 140-150 seats.
Beaches
With the creation of beaches, the prosperity of local social life began. Local beaches are considered the best in Italy - everything is clean and beautifully equipped. This is a great place to relax with children. However, almost all the beaches were bought by hotels, so you won’t be able to relax on them for free unless you are a hotel guest. And even in this case, you will have to pay for sun loungers and an umbrella - from 20 euros. There are city beaches with easy access, but you can literally not find a single place there. Particularly pleasant climate, without winds, in the northern part of the coast, and sand dunes have been preserved near the border with Cinquale.
- Read also: the best beaches of Italy
Beach parties
Beach parties can be held in cafes and restaurants, countless of which stand along the beaches. It offers a bar, delicious dishes, music, a warm sea and magical landscapes - only know to pay. There are regular parties that take place in local popular clubs. Recommend to visit Twiga club - one of the most pathos, where the price for a regular table starts from 300 euros, and in the VIP zone - from 1500. The club belongs to the former Formula 1 manager Flavio Briatore. This place is often visited by world celebrities.
Wedding ceremonies
The official part of the wedding ceremony takes place in the Municipality, as throughout Italy. All fees and duties, marriage permits in Italy, translation services and rental of venues for the ceremony will cost from 2200 euros.
Everything else, from plane tickets to a banquet, is paid separately. The price depends on your claims. All the same hotels, villas and restaurants are ready to provide you with everything to make the ceremony unforgettable. By the way it was at Forte dei Marmi that the wedding ceremony of Konstantin Meladze and Vera Brezhneva took place.
- For a wedding in Italy, we recommend one of the best photographers in Italy, Arthur Yakutsevich, his site is jakutsevich.ru
The property
Property owners in the Forte dei Marmi resort are people like Roman Abramovich, Oleg Tinkov, Oleg Deripaska, Andrei Boyko and others. In total, Russian celebrities bought about 30% of the houses in the city. You can buy an apartment, apartment or villa. Sizes range from small, cozy apartments to spacious houses with gardens and pools. Real estate prices correspond to the resort - everything is measured in euros, and less than five zeros in the figure does not happen. Apartments of 100 sq.m. cost from 700,000 euros, villas of 200 sq.m. - from 800,000 euros.
Shopping
The luxury of the resort is emphasized by many boutiques and designer shops. Opening hours are from 10.00 to 12.00, after the break, and from 14-17.00 to 20-21.00.
The resort also sells fakes of famous brands. Often traders stand right along the roads. On Wednesdays and if the season is on Sundays, a market opens at Piazza Marconi. Here, in addition to wine and cheeses, you can buy Italian shoes, clothes, souvenirs. These are all fashionable designer items - nothing to do with the assortment of traditional markets. Every second weekend at Piazza Dante, named after the poet Dante Alighieri, there is an antique market. Here you can find real antique accessories, books, furniture, various interior items.
Sights
There are not many attractions in Fort Dei Marmi, however, there is something to see here. Forte dei Marmi translates as "Fort of Marble". In Piazza Marconi you will find an ancient fort (Fortino), to which the city owes its name. The fortress was erected at the behest of Duke Leopold I to protect the city from attacks from the sea. There was also a warehouse for marble, which was mined in the mountains and brought along the Via di Marina road. Later, the fort was the headquarters of the National Fascist Party, and after the war served as mail.
The Museum of Satire and Caricature on Garibaldi Square holds exhibits from different times. In summer, the museum is open daily, from 17.00 to 20.00, and from 21.00 to 00.00. On Sunday, the time is added from 10.30 to 13.00. Entrance to the museum is free.
The open air theater Torre del Lago hosts the Giacomo Puccini Music Festivalwhere musicians and connoisseurs from all over the world come. By the way, the theater is located in the villa of the composer himself. It was here that Puccini created his best creations. Villa Bertellip regularly hosts concerts, exhibitions and performances. The villa is located in Vittoria Apuana, via via Mazzini 200.
How to get there
Forte dei Marmi-Seravezza-Querceta Train Station is 700 meters from the city center. Trains from Pisa (Pisa), Genoa (Genova), Florence (Firenze), Pietrasanta (Pietrasanta) come here. The Italian Railways website provides up-to-date information on the trip.
From the airports of nearby major cities - Pisa and Genoa - you can take a taxi. Or by car, including rented:
- From Genoa, head south onto the A12 motorway to the Versilia exit.
- From Milan (Milano), head south onto the A1 motorway to the FIDENZA exit. There, move onto A15 to the city of La Spezia, and then on to A12 head south to Versilia.
- From Florence, take the A11 FIRENZE - MARE motorway to the city of Lukka. At the roundabout, take Viareggio (VIAREGGIO) to Versilia.