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Pietrasanta
- Inland
- Train station
- 22,870 residents
Good for CultureHistoryOld townWalksDay tripsWithout a car
Pietrasanta lies about 3 km inland on the Versilia plain, at the foot of the Apuan Alps, and is the historic capital of Versilia. It was founded in 1255 by Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, a Milanese noble serving as podestà of Lucca, below the older Rocca di Sala.
The long Piazza del Duomo is the centre: the Duomo di San Martino with its white marble façade and rose window, a brick bell tower with a spiral staircase inside, the former church of Sant'Agostino, now used for exhibitions, the Teatro Comunale and the Torre delle Ore. On the hill above, the Rocca di Sala and the Rocchetta Arrighina recall the medieval defences.
Marble and bronze shape the town. More than 50 marble workshops and bronze foundries still work here, sculptures by Fernando Botero and Igor Mitoraj stand permanently in the streets, and the Museo dei Bozzetti keeps around 700 plaster models by Italian and foreign sculptors.
Pietrasanta suits art lovers, day-trippers from the coast and visitors arriving by train.
Events in Pietrasanta1
Filter →Saturday 31 October1
What to see
Duomo di San Martino
The main church on Piazza del Duomo, first recorded in 1223, with a white marble façade, a 14th-century rose window attributed to Riccomanno Riccomanni and carved lunettes over its three portals.
Campanile del Duomo
The cathedral's bell tower, about 36 m high and completed around 1520; the planned marble cladding was never added, so it shows bare brick, with a spiral staircase inside.
Sant'Agostino and Museo dei Bozzetti
The deconsecrated church of Sant'Agostino hosts art exhibitions, and its cloister holds the Museo dei Bozzetti, with around 700 plaster models by Italian and foreign sculptors.
Rocca di Sala
Fortress on the hill a few minutes' climb above Piazza del Duomo, strengthened by Castruccio Castracani from 1324; it has been under restoration since 2017, and the view reaches the sea.
Museo Igor Mitoraj
Museum on Viale Oberdan, run by a foundation set up in 2022 by the Ministry of Culture, the Tuscany Region and the comune, showing works donated by the Polish sculptor.
Marble workshops and bronze foundries
More than 50 artisan workshops and foundries still work in Pietrasanta; Studio Cervietti on Via Sant'Agostino is one of the old marble studios.
Getting there and around
- By car
- By car, leave the A12 at the Versilia exit and follow the signs for Pietrasanta; the town also lies on the Via Aurelia (SS1).
- Train and bus
- Pietrasanta station is on the Genoa–Pisa line and served by Trenitalia regional trains. Autolinee Toscane buses link the station with Marina di Pietrasanta on the coast; the nearest airport is Pisa.
- Parking
- Parts of Pietrasanta are a limited-traffic zone (ZTL): camera gates record the number plates of vehicles entering, and drivers without a permit are fined. Guests on a short stay can request a ZTL permit from the comune.
Pietrasanta climate by month
| Month | Day | Night | Rain days (≥1 mm) | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12° | 6° | 13 | 143 mm |
| February | 13° | 7° | 11 | 144 mm |
| March | 14° | 8° | 12 | 135 mm |
| April | 17° | 10° | 12 | 124 mm |
| May | 20° | 14° | 15 | 154 mm |
| June | 25° | 19° | 8 | 73 mm |
| July | 28° | 21° | 6 | 40 mm |
| August | 28° | 22° | 7 | 74 mm |
| September | 25° | 18° | 12 | 158 mm |
| October | 20° | 14° | 13 | 232 mm |
| November | 16° | 10° | 15 | 218 mm |
| December | 13° | 7° | 14 | 179 mm |
Averages 2016–2025 from reanalysis data (Open-Meteo); a single year can differ a lot.
Questions visitors ask
What is Pietrasanta known for?
For marble and bronze: more than 50 workshops and foundries still work here, sculptures by artists such as Botero and Mitoraj stand in the streets, and so many artists have settled in the town that it is nicknamed "Piccola Atene" (Little Athens).
Can I drive into the centre of Pietrasanta?
Only with a permit in the limited-traffic zone (ZTL): camera gates record number plates and unauthorised vehicles are fined. Short-stay guests can request a ZTL permit from the comune.
Is Pietrasanta on the sea?
No. The town is about 3 km inland; its coast is Marina di Pietrasanta, linked to Pietrasanta station by Autolinee Toscane buses.
When was Pietrasanta founded?
In 1255, by Guiscardo da Pietrasanta, a Milanese noble who was podestà of Lucca, next to the existing Rocca di Sala fortress.
Nearby
Researched from: it.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, it.wikipedia.org, it.wikipedia.org, visittuscany.com, visittuscany.com · checked 2026-10-27.