Viareggio Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Viareggio featuring street scenes and a house as well as an individual female
Viareggio featuring a square or plaza and a city
Viareggio
Viareggio featuring night scenes, tropical scenes and street scenes
Viareggio featuring heritage architecture and a park

Viareggio, the main city in the Versilia area, is world famous for its Carnival and its long beaches. A holiday in Viareggio is a chance to enjoy the sea on one side and the Apuan Alps on the other. Founded as a seaport for Lucca, the city owes its name to the Via Regis, a medieval road that linked it to the provincial capital. Discovering its beauties is easy, thanks to the holiday packages to Viareggio.

The vast coastline of fine white sand stretches for 10 km, 6 km of which are lined with modern and comfortable bathing establishments. The remaining km of free beach and are part of the Migliarino - San Rossore - Massaciuccoli Regional Nature Park, a protected forest area between the coast and Lake Massaciuccoli, on the shores of which are Giacomo Puccini's house and tomb and an open-air theatre that annually hosts the famous Festival Pucciniano.

The elegant Passeggiata di Viareggio should be a highlight of any itinerary. From the pier, this broad avenue runs along the beach, lined with the city's principle historic Liberty style buildings, which are typical of the city. Many villas from the early 1900s have been refurbished and transformed into beautiful hotels. The coastline has been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award many times, attesting to the excellent environmental quality of the beaches and sea. The modern tourism services, elegant architecture, green pine groves between the coast and the city centre and the famous shopping streets make Viareggio a leading destination for refined travellers and lovers of luxury vacations.

Amongst Viareggio's main symbols are the Matilde Tower, a square fortress built to protect the ancient port, and the existing marina, built in the 1800s, which brought new impetus to the city's maritime and shipbuilding, still pillars of Viareggio's economy, together with beach tourism and the famous Carnival celebration. Strolling along Viale Margherita, you can admire the villas and fascinating architectural styles from the last century, like the Gran Caffè Margherita, the Duilio 48 Emporium and the Cinema Savoia, interspersed amongst luxury boutiques and hotels. The central Piazza del Mercato, known as the "Piazzone", is surrounded by traditional shops, artists' workshops producing papier-mâché items and colourful flower shops.

If you plan a holiday in Viareggio to attend the famous Carnival, you'll discover a completely different side of the city, with its allegorical papier-mâché floats and thousands of revellers celebrating in the elegant seaside avenues. During the rest of the year, the huge Carnival floats are moved to the Cittadella del Carnevale, a multi-purpose building that hosts wonderful cultural events, like the Festival Teatro Canzone dedicated to Giorgio Gaber, the Viareggio-Rèpaci Literary Prize and the Cittadella Jazz & More music festival .

The Viareggio Carnival began in 1873 when a group of young people who frequented the Caffè del Casinò launched the idea of a parade of floats and masks along the Viale del Mare. Since then, the floats parade down the avenue for 4 consecutive Sundays, with enormous papier-mâché caricatures poking ironic fun at politicians and show-biz stars. This satirical artistic tradition annually addresses the main themes of current events, while having a good laugh. After the parade, fun in Viareggio continues with weekend celebrations hosted in turn by the city's four neighbourhoods. They close off the streets to traffic and fill up with masks, music and dancing.

This and much more await you in Viareggio!

Where to stay in Viareggio

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Ex Campo d'Aviazione

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Ex Campo d'Aviazione and surrounding area, you can visit Viareggio Harbor and Villa Borbone.

Ex Campo d'Aviazione
Hotel Marchionni
Hotel Marchionni
3 out of 5
Piazza Giacomo Puccini,2, Viareggio, LU
The price is £70 per night from 9 Jul to 10 Jul
£70
9 Jul - 10 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star family-friendly hotel in Viareggio. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 6 beach bars. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
7.4/10 Good! (362 reviews)
"Good location but it's hard to park (paid road parking) and the beach is private and not for hotel guests. Breakfast is good but doesn't have a lot of variety. The room had only air conditioning in one of the two rooms."

Reviewed on 26 Aug 2024

Hotel Marchionni
Sina Astor
Sina Astor
4 out of 5
Viale Giosue' Carducci, 54, Viareggio, LU
The price is £204 per night from 6 Jul to 7 Jul
£204
6 Jul - 7 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Viareggio. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (441 reviews)
"Lovely place"

Reviewed on 27 Jun 2025

Sina Astor
Hotel Residence Esplanade
Hotel Residence Esplanade
4 out of 5
Piazza Puccini 18, Viareggio, LU
The price is £189 per night from 6 Jul to 7 Jul
£189
6 Jul - 7 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star beach hotel in Viareggio. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and a private beach. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (572 reviews)
"Our stay at Hotel Residence Esplanade was fantastic. Our room lived up to expectations, particularly the hot tub. Breakfast was lovely each day and the staff were very helpful."

Reviewed on 19 Jun 2025

Hotel Residence Esplanade
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Club Del Sole Viareggio Family Collection
Club Del Sole Viareggio Family Collection
3 out of 5
Viale Dei Tigli 52, Viareggio, LU
Stay at this 3-star family-friendly campsite in Viareggio. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Popular attractions Viareggio Beach and Matilde ...
"La pulizia della camera non era eccezionale al nostro arrivo, e purtroppo basta un pomeriggio di domenica di pioggia per mandare un po' in tilt la situazione. Alle ore 14.40/15 impossibile mangiare nella struttura (ristorante chiuso, minimarket chiuso, bar senza prodotti salati) ed impossibile anche ..."

Reviewed on 9 Sep 2024

Club Del Sole Viareggio Family Collection
Viareggio center immersed in the Pinewood 200 meters from the beach
Viareggio center immersed in the Pinewood 200 meters from the beach
Viareggio, Provincia di Lucca
Stay at this apartment in Viareggio. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and air conditioning. Popular attractions Viareggio Beach and Ponente Pine Forest are ...
Viareggio center immersed in the Pinewood 200 meters from the beach
Bosco Verde Camping
Bosco Verde Camping
1 out of 5
Viale John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Versilia, Torre del Lago Puccini, Viareggio, LU
Stay at this family-friendly campsite in Viareggio. Enjoy free parking, an outdoor pool and a garden. Popular attractions Viareggio Beach and Villa Borbone are ...
8/10 Very Good! (45 reviews)
Bare Bones Cabin
"Very disappointed that towels were extra and they charged for air conditioning. This should be publisized on the site. Oh yeah, wifi is not included in the cabin either and lots of misquitos. Stayed for the beach which was nice and fun area if you truly are camping not passing through."

Reviewed on 29 Jun 2017

Bosco Verde Camping
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Viareggio

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
19
5 - Excellent 51%
4 - Good
18
4 - Good 49%
3 - Okay
0
3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Fantastic

5/5 - Excellent

Lee

Viareggio is a wonderful little town on the coast. Friendly, lovely place. Great travel links for Lucca, Firenze, Pietrasanta, Forte di Marmi etc.. love visiting Tuscany and using Viareggio as a base.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

It's an excellent beach resort but maybe not the destination for those seeking lots of bars and nightlife (we weren't). In its own way an attractive and well-cared for city, lacking the tattier elements associated with some Mediterranean resorts.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Loved the beach will be going again next year

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Be aware that almost all beach access is through beach clubs that charge around 25-30 euro’s for 1 parasol and 2 chairs for a day

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Lovely camp site, the staff were very helpful & polite. The food at the restaurant was top notch. Walking distance to the beautiful beach. Woukd definitely go back

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