When you hear about traveling to Italy, a lot of people would think of Rome, Florence, Venice, or Milan. These are some of the most popular cities to explore in Italy but the country has more regions to offer.

Italy is a very beautiful country filled with historical sites worth visiting. There’s Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Naples, Verona, Turin, Bologna, Peruvia, and Genoa. These are considered the best places to go to in Italy being the most famous tourist destinations. However, there are smaller regions you can visit and explore while in Italy.

The Versilia Coast & the Cinque Terre are two interesting places just on the other side of Tuscany. The Versilia Coast has beautiful and expansive beaches while further south are the five cliff-sided villages of the Cinque Terre. You can enjoy these areas by traveling from village to village by train or by a walking trail.

Here are ten (10) things you probably didn’t know about the Versilia Coast and the Cinque Terre:

• The name Versilia is derived from Vessidia, the ancient German word for water (Wesser/Wasser).
• Climate in Versilia is usually temperate (mild). This makes it an ideal holiday destination by locals and foreigners visiting the city. Expect about 270 sunny days with pleasant warmth. During winter, it can be cold but you won’t experience any biting cold.
• The most populated and most famous part of Versilia is Pietrasanta. It is located at the foot of the Apuan Alps, extending along the coastline, from South to North, starting at Stazzema and ending up to Marina di Massa.
• The old or Historical Versilia consists of four places: Stazzema, Seravezza, Pietrasanta, and Forte dei Marmi.
• Versilian territory includes both mountain and the sea. It boasts of the longest sandy beaches in Italy.
• One of the impressive sights in Versilia is the whole range of mountains called the Apuan Alps. It spreads as far as the north-west of Tuscany. There are about 200 caves in the mountains and some of them tourists can visit with special guides.
• Liberty Style in art is very much evident in Versilia. It started in 1905 but in 1917, Art Deco came to life. You’ll see examples of Art Deco style in Villa Arrighi and Villa Argentina.
• You can enjoy a lot of local cuisines in Versilia: Luca, Pisa, Massa Carrara, and Genoa.
• The Cinque Terre are situated in the region of Liguria. It is close to Genoa and the boundary of Tuscany. Cinque Terre landscape was formed by a series of folds that results when rocks were pushed, raised, and pressed together during the Tertiary period.
• There are five villages forming the Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Monterosso.

Want to visit Versilia Coast and the Cinque Terre? Contact Gateway Destinations and we’ll plan a custom tour just for you.

[SOURCES: 1, 2  [ [IMAGE: Davide Vadalà]