La Citta Nobile di Pietrasanta

If ever you are going to Italy, especially to Tuscany, make sure you wander off, what for Australian and British tourists is considered, "the beaten track" - Florence, Pisa, Siena, Venice and Rome. There are of course a myriad of little gems the cognoscenti enjoy the length and breadth of the boot but I want to offer one more - La Citta Nobile di Pietrasanta. It's in the province of Lucca, and you shouldn't miss Lucca either. 


My father was born in Pietrasanta and in a fact he relishes, he was born on the day of the Feast of the Patron Saint of Pietrasanta - San Biagio and is named after him - (in English St Blaise) Feast Day 3 Febbraio. Dad always tells the story that there was no one there when his mum went in to labour with him as they were all in the centre of town for the festa.


The city is famous for being the centre for the artisans who work in marble. It was to Pietrasanta that Michelangelo went when he was choosing the marble for the statue of David and the Pieta' and his other masterpieces in the pietra santa - holy marble. Rodin, Henry Moore have all been frequent visitors. Today it is a real mecca for German tourists enjoying the beaches 2-3kms away in Marina di Pietrasanta and Forte dei Marmi, and American artists, but I never see Australians there.   


The hotel where Michelangelo stayed is now Bar Michelangelo and if you go there in the Italian summertime, you are bound to see another miraculous cultural spectacle - my mum Libby, sitting at a table in the piazza writing her 1000th postcard.


I've found a little video showing Pietrasanta and it's easy to find - on the Via Aurelia - the ancient route linking Rome to Gaul and its on the train line 30 mins from Pisa on the way to Genoa. So if you're doing Pisa and the Cinque Terre, or driving from Lucca have a wander and say hi to Libby! 

See VIDEO OF PIETRASANTA (and do forgive the inordinately daggy video commentator - he is trying)