No other vacation resort on the Italian coast owns the "it factor" like Forte dei Marmi on the Ligurian Sea. Just 40 minutes north of Pisa, with colorful beach huts, indescribable villas and fragrant pines and palm trees - the glitterati's favorite place is the epitome of chic, exuding charming and nostalgic aesthetic.

Like in a Wes Anderson film, the colorful beach huts are arranged symmetrically along the coast. © Adobe Stock

In addition to well-heeled visitors from abroad, Forte dei Marmi is above all a hideaway for urban Italians. Industrialists from Turin find a retreat here, just as much as fashion magnates from Milan. However, you don't have to be part of high society to have a fabulous time. Simply revel in the ambience and watch the hustle and bustle. That's reason enough to take a vacation in the "Queen of the Italian Riviera". If you want to feel like you're in a nostalgic movie, take a bike ride along the beach promenade. Or take a stroll along the quay, which was originally built to transport Michelangelo's marble from the surrounding mountains. During the day, you can almost feel the tranquillity that writers such as Thomas Mann and Aldous Huxley found here in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Life is a Beach

The epitome of good taste: the "California Park Hotel". Lorenzo Montanelli, Federico Berti

Forte dei Marmi's most convincing argument is undoubtedly its enchanting beaches and iconic beach clubs. They seem to have been taken straight out of a postcard from the 1950s. Anyone who has big plans here and is full of energy has misunderstood the appeal of the town. This is a place to practice dolce far niente and proudly sport the chicest resort looks of the season. Or you buy them in the luxurious boutiques on Piazza Marconi, where you'll find all the major labels, from Prada to Valentino.

© Adobe Stock

Anyone expecting sumptuous grand hotels will be surprised, as the top accommodations are characterized above all by contemporary design and understated luxury rather than old-world grandeur. The best restaurants also know how to impress with modern fare and creative fine dining. Once the sun has gone down, Forte dei Marmi seems to really wake up, as the nightlife here is legendary, including countless clubs that are always buzzing. 

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