The northern Tuscan Riviera is dominated, by far, by Viareggio, an elegant and modern seaside resort which is conveniently close to Pisa (only 20 kilometers northwards from the International Galileo Galilei Airport) and connected to it by the reliable transport system which operates both by road and by railroad. The city pertains to the Province of Lucca, and its main attraction is yielded by the beaches stretching on more than 10 kilometers, of which more than half are private beaches owned by the various hotels and resorts in Viareggio.

It’s true that this city on the Versilia coast does not excel in tourist objectives of much historic and architectural value, though Piazza Shelley, Villa Paolina and the Carnival Citadel Museum (Museo Cittadella del Carnivale) provide a good excuse for getting off the beach and diversifying the stay in Viareggio. On the other hand, Viareggio is, together with Tirrenia and Marina di Pisa, one of the main nightlife hubs in Tuscany, plenty of tourists accommodated either in Pisa, Lucca or Livorno coming to Viareggio in order to benefits from the spectacular nightlife opportunities this resort makes available. In addition, the city is also famous for its Carnival (Viareggio Carnivale) which manages to amass a tourist flow counting more than one million visitors each year. Summers are particularly eventful in Viareggio, the main highlights being represented by the so-called Cittadella Jazz and More and by the Puccini Opera Festival.