Marina di Pietrasanta – Spend a Day at the Beach in Tuscany

If you’re in Florence, Lucca, Pisa, or the Tuscan countryside and are looking for a beach break, you may want to take a day trip to Marina di Pietrasanta.

Marina di Pietrasanta is often overlooked for chic Forte dei Marmi to the north or bustling Viareggio to the south, but this stretch of sandy beach hits the sweet spot. It’s the perfect place for a beach day trip and soaking up Italian beach culture.

I’m a mamma of three living just over an hour from Marina di Pietrasanta, and we make frequent visits to the coast for a dip in the sea and time playing in the sand. In fact, we’ve just returned from a day trip.

As a mom who visits with kids, I’m writing from a family perspective, but all of it applies to anyone who wants to spend a day at the beach in Marina di Pietrasanta.

Andiamo – let’s go!

Day Trip Quick Guide (if you want me to just tell you what to do):

Pack your own panini or pick some up at the grocery store.
Drive to Bagno Carlo Marina. Rent an umbrella or tent and lounge chairs.
Enjoy the beach!
Purchase snacks and cold drinks at the bagno’s bar.
Need to move your legs? Walk to the end of the jetty.
Pack up and ciao!

Table of Contents

Marina di Pietrasanta – Where is It?

Marina di Pietrasanta is a small beach town on the Tuscan coast in the area of Versilia. It’s part of a long stretch of beaches and towns that feel connected (you can’t really tell when you leave one town and arrive in the next).

Distances from (driving):

Lucca – 34km (35 min)
Pisa – 30 km (40 min)
Florence – 120km (1.5 hr)
Tuscan Countryside – 115km (1 hr 40 min) from San Gimignano, 130km (1 hr 35 min) from Greve in Chianti
La Spezia (gateway to the Cinque Terre) – 50km (40 min)

Why Visit Marina di Pietrasanta?

Boy in red shirt walks in shallow water. Others are further out walking and swimming. There are tiny waves and a few sailboats in distance. — *My boys in the shallow, clear water of Marina di Pietrasanta*

Along this coastal area of Italy (Liguria’s Cinque Terre along with Tuscany’s Versilia Coast, Etruscan Coast and Southern Maremma Coast), the terrain is quite varied. What starts as rocky coastline with mostly pebble beaches (Cinque Terre) turns to continuous sandy beaches full of beach clubs (Versilia) and finally to stretches of sandy beaches dotted with the occasional beach club (Etruscan Coast and Southern Maremma Coast).

Marina di Pietrasanta is in Versilia and minus a small section of free beach, its beaches are all taken up by beach clubs. It’s a great place for a day at the beach because:

It’s easy to get to
The water is shallow and usually clear (unless it’s been stormy)
Beaches are well-maintained beaches
It’s got plenty of amenities for families (like family-friendly beach clubs and play areas)
There’s a large green park in town
You can park and walk or ride bikes everywhere

But, Marina di Pietrasanta isn’t for everyone. You may want to avoid a day at the beach here if:

You’re looking for wild beaches. This place is full of beach clubs. Head further south for more free/wild beaches.
You want to go shopping or explore a lively pedestrian center. If this is what you want, head to nearby places like Forte dei Marmi or Viareggio for more action.

When to Visit

View of beach, beach clubs, and mountains at the beach in Marina di Pietrasanta, Italy. — *July in Marina di Pietrasanta*

For swimming and beach time – Beach clubs are typically open from Easter through early September.

For good weather – If you’re not concerned about swimming, you’ll catch ‘good weather’ throughout the year. Check the weather before you head to the beach (it’s late-July and raining outside here in Tuscany as I write this). Il Meteo is one of my preferred Apps for Travel in Italy.

To avoid crowds and high prices – Avoid weekends in July and August (especially August). Mid-week during July and August isn’t awful crowd-wise, but you’ll still find higher prices. If you’re here on vacation, do everything you can to come mid-week. It’ll be much easier to find a spot at a bagno and a place to park.

Winter time – Like all beach towns on this coast, it’s dead in the winter, but you can still walk on the beach. We’ve visited in the winter and our kids have fun playing in the sand.

Read more about visiting Tuscany in the Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter

How to Get to Marina di Pietrasanta

By Car – Driving to Marina di Pietrasanta is by far the easiest option, and parking isn’t difficult (except for weekends in July and August). Park at your beach club or in the on-street parking marked with blue lines (and pay the meter and place the ticket on your dashboard). On our recent visit, you still had to pay with the machines (vs. having the option to pay with an app like EasyPark).

Read more about
Driving in Italy
Renting a Car in Italy

By Train – You can arrive by train/bus combo. Marina di Pietrasanta doesn’t have a train station, but nearby towns like Viareggio and Pietrasanta do. For example, on a day trip from Florence, you can take the train from Florence to Viareggio (1.5 hr), and then take the bus from Viareggio to Marina di Pietrasanta (30 min).

Private Driver – If you want to remove all stress and are willing to fork out extra €s for it, you can hire a private driver to drop you off at your selected bagno and pick you up later.

Choosing a Bagno in Marina di Pietrasanta

Boys stand under beach tent at beach club in Italy. Two eat sandwiches and one kicks a beach volleyball. There are other beach tents and umbrellas in the sand. — *Beach tent at Bagno Carlo Marina*

Colorful toys in sand at kids play area at beach club in Italy. Boy sits at picnic table eating gelato. — *Beach tent at Bagno Carlo Marina*

A bagno is a beach club that’s got umbrellas, lounge chairs, and usually other amenities like a bar, restaurant, showers, changing rooms, toilets, a kids’ play area, etc.

The beach in Marina di Pietrasanta is lined with bagni. You can call ahead to reserve a spot (recommended) or just show up. I’ve done both, but if I’m traveling with kids or a large group, I call ahead.

Bagno Carlo Marina (Viale Roma – Lungomare, 45) – This place is a great pick if you want to be able to speak English with the staff at your bagno. The people who work here are kind and helpful. The bagno is set up well with a snack bar, great kids play area, and all of the bagno basics (showers, changing rooms, etc). We paid €55 for a large beach tent with three sunloungers and a chair. There were also umbrellas with two chairs available for €30.

Bagno La Perla (Viale Roma – Lungomare, 37) – You could park your car at La Perla and not leave the entire day. This bagno has everything you could possibly want or need, including a restaurant and a swimming pool.

Good To Know: You don’t have to pay to use a beach club in Marina di Pietrasanta. You can always go to the free beach in the southern end of Marina di Pietrasanta

Things to Do in Marina di Pietrasanta

Boy looks out at water on wooden pier in Marina di Pietrasanta, Italy. In back is beach with beach umbrellas and further back are mountains. — *My son checking out the view from the pier*

Enjoy the Beach – This is the main reason to visit Marina di Pietrasanta. If you’re not interested in the beach, I’d head elsewhere. At your bagno, read under your umbrella, swim in the shallow sea, rent a pedal boat, and soak up Italian beach culture.

Walk on the Pier – The Pontile di Tonfano (Tonfano Jetty) is actually a pier. Technicalities aside, it’s worth a stroll to check out the artwork, see if the fisherman have caught any fish, and check out the view of the beach and mountains from a different perspective. The best time to walk out on the pier is sunset, but it’s a nice walk any time of day.

Stroll or Cycle the Bike Path – There’s not a beachside boardwalk here, but the Ciclovia della Versilia is a lengthy bike path that runs along the road and is the best place to walk or ride a bike.

You can rent bikes in town and cycle between towns along the coast. This is one of our favorite things to do when we come to the beach, and you’ll see locals and visitors alike on two wheels. If you need to walk your baby to sleep in the stroller, this path is a great place (along with the park mentioned below).

Good To Know: The path does cross streets occasionally and it you need to be aware of cars leaving/entering the bagni parking lots.

Check out the Versiliana Park – Also known as ‘the pineta,’ this enormous park is home to walking paths, art sculptures, and shade. There is a lot of grassy area, but it dries out in the summer (so it’s not a ‘run around barefoot’ park).

Keep Kids Entertained – Besides playing at the beach, kids can also ride bikes and visit the small playground (Via Alfredo Catalani, 6) or the kids carnival area (Piazza Villeparisis). Our favorite kids area on this coast is in Forte dei Marmi (small carnival area, little race cars).

Events and Entertainment – Marina di Pietrasanta is home to one of the Tuscan Coast’s most famous nightclubs – Twiga. Celebrities and visitors flock to this place in the evening. As a mamma, nightclubs are no longer my forte, but I’ve heard plenty of stories about Twiga. Marina di Pietrasanta also hosts the annual summer Versiliana Festival which includes music, dance, and theater. The kids program includes yoga, dancing, storytelling, bubbles, and more!

Large white 'O' sculpture in a grassy area with trees in Tuscany, Italy. — *Art in the Versiliana Park*

The Cibo (Food) Situation

You’ve got a few options for food in Marina di Pietrasanta:

Eat at your bagno – If your beach club has a snack bar or restaurant, you can move barefoot from the beach to lunch.
Grocery store – There’s a small Coop by the pier, or you can stop at the Conad Superstore on your way into town to pick up panini. Read more about Going to the Grocery Store in Italy.
Bring your own food – Bring your lunch from your hotel/apartment or you pick it up at a grocery store or shop on the way to the beach. If I’m at the beach solo with kids, this is what I do (vs. eat in a restaurant) and we buy snacks and drinks at our bagno.
Eat at a restaurant – There are plenty of restaurants specializing in pizza and seafood in Marina di Pietrasanta. Our family likes the pane arabo at Bar Milano (Via Cavour, 48). If you’re craving a Michelin star meal, there are plenty in the area.

Things to Do Near Marina di Pietrasanta

Pietrasanta – Artists’ village, less than 5 km away, and you can even ride your bike there (~20 min)

Forte dei Marmi – Chic, lux town on the coast north of Marina di Pietrasanta

Carrara Marble Quarries – Take a tour of Michelangelo’s marble source

David Mural – Walk to artist Eduardo Kobra’s colorful mural of Michelangelo’s David

Lucca – Cycle the walls, climb a tower, stroll the shopping streets

Pisa – See the Leaning Tower and other Pisa highlights

Candice Criscione

Candice, a mamma of three, is an Italy trip planner and travel guide who has been living, traveling, and working in Italy for over two decades. She uses her extensive experience in Italy to help travelers plan their first (or tenth!) trip to bella Italia. She lives in Tuscany with her husband and three boys and when she’s not writing for Mom in Italy or The Tuscan Mom, you can find her cycling the Tuscan hills and exploring Italy with her boys!