Claudia

Montignoso is a big town in the province of Massa Carrara that’s actually made up of a cluster of tiny hamlets including Cinquale and Renella. Over ten thousand people live in the commune of Montignoso and when you arrive here for a visit, you can see why they love it here so much! Browse our stunning holiday villas in Montignoso area and reserve your favorite for your stay.

This charming town was founded on a hilltop overlooking the Tuscan coast and is dominated by the magnificent Aghinolfi Castle. Its strategic position allowed a close view of the Tyrrhenian coast that stretched from the Gulf of La Spezia to Livorno.

Aghinolfi Castle is a beautiful Tuscan castle perched on a hilltop with stunning view all around the Lunigiana area and out across the Tyrrhenian coast. This position adds to the beauty and romance of the castle but has also made it an optimum strategic location which has made its history dramatic and complicated. It has also meant that the town in which it is located, Montignoso, has also had a much more colourful history than a town its size might normally have had. The town purchased the castle just over a decade ago and have restored it and opened it to the public as a perfect example of a Tuscan countryside palace. If you have a fondness for castles and beyond amazing locations, find a luxury villa in Montignoso and stop by!

Situated beside the Apuan Alps in the Frigido River Valley is the thriving tourist town of Massa. This coastal town in Massa Carrara province is twinned with the marble excavation town of Carrara which is located right beside it.

Massa was and still is a thriving economy due to its proximity to the vast marble mines which were excavated for centuries.

Stay in a stunning villa with a swimming pool in Massa where you can experience the very finest of comfort and scenery after your thrilling days of exploration!

Previously in our listing of fantastic castles that are must-sees around Tuscany, we have mentioned Sarteano's giant castle, the foodie favourite Castello di Brolio in Chianti, Prato's iconic Emperor's Castle and the Rocca di Radicofani and its infamous inhabitants. Yet, there are still plenty of other beautiful and fascinating castles worth discussing all across the region.

Aghinolfi Castle is a beautiful Tuscan castle perched on a hilltop with stunning views all around the Lunigiana area and out across the Tyrrhenian coast. It was purchased by the nearby town of Montignoso just over a decade ago and was then restored and opened to the public.

Visiting the Riviera Apuana region of Tuscany is like stepping into paradise! Enjoy exploring the white sandy beaches that stretch along the Tuscan coast below the tall majestic marble mountains of the Apuan Alps. The Riviera Apuana is bordered by the River Magra and the River Versilia that flow down from higher ground into the sea, and is home to several Blue Flag beaches. The most popular of these are Marinella di Sarzana, Marina di Carrara and Marina di Massa.

Tourists have a superb selection of beautiful vacation rentals on the tuscan coast to choose from; from the towns scattered on the sea to some cosy hamlets tucked into the hills behind.

Visitors will marvel at the vibrant colours that exist naturally here; from the white marble of the mountains, the lush green of the trees and vegetation in the low hills, the yellow sand beaches and the clear blue waters of the sea. There is so much to do and see in the Riviera Apuana; enjoy the many amenities available close to the twenty kilometre long stretch of beaches where you can partake in thrilling water sports like surfing, sailing, sea kayaking and snorkelling.

House-museums are dotted all over the globe and there are lots of them in Italy, in particular. These are a particularly insightful and interesting breed of museum in which objects by an artist are displayed in a space in which they grew up, lived, and/or worked. Often in a childhood or final home of an artist, they celebrate the full spectrum of the life and work of an artist and are a great way to get to know more about the maker behind the pieces.

In Rome you can find the Hendrik Christian Andersen House Museum, dedicated to the life and work of the Norwegian-American 20th century artist Hendrik Christian Anderson, in Milan there is the Manzoni House Museum, dedicated to 19th century Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni, and in Possagno, the Canova Museum, which is not a former home to the artist but is where much of his living and work spaces were transported, as well as works of art, after his death. Another, more recently established house museum dedicated to an artist is Forte dei Marmi’s Ugo Guidi Museum.

One of the most celebrated Italian sculptors of the 20th century, the museum is set in Ugo Guidi’s studio and home in this beautiful Tuscan seaside city. If you are interested in Italian art and fancy a Tuscan vacation by the sea, a holiday rental in Forte dei Marmi is a great idea as it will allow you to enjoy both at the same time! With over 600 sculptures, tempera paintings, drawings, and more by the artist on display, the Ugo Guidi Museum is a fine testament to his legacy that maps out the artist’s entire life and career inside the space in which he both worked and lived.