Camaiore and Lido di Camaiore
Camaiore has the most villas in the region. The town itself is an ordinary market town a few kilometres inland, with houses spread through the olive hills of Gombitelli and Montemagno above. Lido di Camaiore is its seaside half, with a long promenade, a pier and rows of beach clubs. It is quieter and cheaper than Forte dei Marmi. Pisa airport is around 30 to 40 minutes away.
Best for: Families who want a beach base with hills behind it
Not for you if: You want to stroll to the sea: villas around Camaiore town are a 10 to 15 minute drive inland.
Viareggio, Torre del Lago and Massarosa
Viareggio is the largest resort on this coast, with Art Nouveau buildings along the Passeggiata and a carnival of huge papier-mache floats in February. To the south, the Lecciona is a long free beach backed by pine woods, and Torre del Lago holds the Puccini opera festival each summer beside Lake Massaciuccoli. Massarosa, Corsanico and Chiatri are hill villages behind. Pisa airport is about half an hour away.
Best for: A proper town with restaurants, trains and a long promenade
Not for you if: You dislike crowds: Viareggio's seafront is packed on August evenings.
Forte dei Marmi, Pietrasanta and Marina di Pietrasanta
Forte dei Marmi has wide, tidy beaches, designer shops and a large Wednesday market. Pietrasanta, a few minutes inland, is a working marble town where sculptors use the bronze foundries and studios, and its main square often has large works on show. Marina di Pietrasanta is the quieter beach strip, while Capriglia, Strettoia and Seravezza sit in the hills with sea views. Pisa airport is around 40 minutes.
Best for: Couples and groups who want the smarter end of the coast
Not for you if: You are on a tight budget: Forte dei Marmi is among the most expensive resorts in Italy in August.
Massa, Marina di Massa and Montignoso
Marina di Massa has a long sandy beach with shallow water and a mostly Italian family crowd. Massa town, inland, has a Malaspina castle above it. Montignoso and Cinquale sit between Massa and Forte dei Marmi, and San Carlo Terme is a small hill spa. Carrara's marble quarries, and the lard cured at Colonnata, are about 20 minutes away. Pisa airport is around 45 minutes.
Best for: Better-value beach holidays with the marble mountains close by
Not for you if: You want the polish of Forte dei Marmi: Marina di Massa is plainer and more family-run.
Lunigiana and the hills towards Liguria (Aulla, Bagnone, Licciana Nardi, Castelnuovo Magra)
Lunigiana is the green valley at Tuscany's northern tip, dotted with castles built by the Malaspina family. Bagnone is a stone village with a castle tower above the river, and Aulla is the practical town. Castelnuovo Magra, just over the border in Liguria, looks down on Sarzana. La Spezia, the train hub for the Cinque Terre, is around half an hour from Aulla. Minucciano, to the east, is close to Lake Gramolazzo. Pisa airport is about an hour away.
Best for: Quiet countryside, castles and day trips to the Cinque Terre
Not for you if: You want a wide choice: we have only a handful of villas here.
