Viareggio: All you need to know
Elegant and refined Viareggio is one of the more famous coast resorts in Versilia and a tourist destination known all over the world. It is an amusement-centre, the country of the Carnival and of the night-refinement with its advanced anf first-rate night-clubs and premises. The night lights make room for a lively and coloured landscape in summer and for wonderful sunsets and tranquillity in winter. Anyway Viareggio is always the right place to visit as it displays, during every season, different kinds of tourist attractions.
The historical traditions are scanty: its name derives from the tower in Via Regia, which was built during the XVth century by the inhabitants of Lucca. In that period, once the Burlamacca's outlet had been make in working order, the arbour become lively and trading was set going. Anyway the real industrial growth starts only some centuries later and was based mostly on shipyards. The sea, the big ally of the inhabitants of Viareggio, constituted the starting-point to build the fishermen's boats. The development and growing of the town have caused that, nowadays, yachts and posh boats are designed and built in the same shipyards. Anyhow tourism is still Viareggio' strenght: you only have to note that in the beginning of the 20th century the bathing huts reached already 3000 units, to see the neverending development of this tourist resort . The landscape is unique thanks either to the greenery of the hills, the pinewoods, the blue sea and the carnival which enlivens this town every year through a long parade. Custom, actuality and policy are the targets of the organizers' imagination.
The carnival was born in 1873 and is as famous as the Rio carnival. Another important local tradition is the Literature Award (created in 1929 by Leonida Rapaci) still following the development of our literature. The architecture in Viareggio is not very interesting due to its mogenious art-nouveau style designed by the architect Belluomini and to the ceramics by Galileo and Chino Chini. It's worth visiting Matilde's tower and Shelley Square where you can see a bust representing the poet.
Carnival of Viareggio 2020 PROGRAM and TIMETABLE
The appointments of the Great Masquerade Courses on Viali a Mare in Viareggio this year will be 6!
As an absolute novelty there will be the night parade on Thursday 20 February to celebrate Fat Thursday:
- 1st masked opening course Saturday 1 February 2020;
- 2nd Masquerade Course Sunday 9 February2020;
- 3rd Masquerade Course Saturday 15 February 2020;
- 4th masked course Thursday 20 February 2020;
- 5th Masquerade Course Sunday, February 23, 2020;
- 6th masked closing course Tuesday 25 February 2020 and followed by jury verdicts, award ceremonies and fireworks show.
What to see in the Surroundings
We have selected 4 interesting things to see nearby.
If four are few and are not enough for you then read our posts , you will find many ideas to spend your holiday in Versilia with your family, alone, as a couple or with your friends.
Carnival of Italy with its splendid parades of wagons, fireworks, is held every year between February / March along the promenade of Viareggio.
The most exciting European event for comics, animation, role-playing and table games, video games and fantasy.
A theater and a multimedia museum that will allow everyone, and for the whole year, to enter the magical world of Carnival, to grasp the secrets and the shades so far inaccessible.
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Viareggio How to reach:
by Car
Tramite autostrada è raggiungibile dal sud, attraverso Autosole A1, fino a Firenze, e poi attraverso la Firenze Mare A11 e la Livorno-Genova A12. Dal Nord attraverso Autosole A1 fino a Parma e poi l'autostrada della Cisa A15 fino a S. Stefano, e quindi A12 Genova-Livorno. Through motorway is reachable from SOUTH, through Autosole A1, as far as Firenze and then through the Firenze Mare A11 and the Livorno-Genova A12. From NORTH through Autosole A1 as far as Parma and then through the Cisa A15 to S.Stefano, and then through the A12 Genova-Livorno.
Tollhouse: Viareggio
by Train
- Line: Ventimiglia-Torino-Genova-Pisa-Firenze-Roma
- Line : Genova-Parma-Bologna
- Line : Livorno-Milano
- Railway station of Viareggio
by Plane
The international airports in Pisa, Genoa and Florence provide reliable transport to the main city.
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