Viareggio is a glamorous resort on the Tyrrhenian Sea, or the ‘Tuscan Riviera’, known for its long, pale-sand beaches, elegant hotels, chic beach clubs, and its huge carnival celebrations. It’s a lively destination, with plenty of places to eat and drink, and plenty of sunshine. If you’re here for carnival, or the summer season, you’ll definitely need to book into one of the best places to stay in Viareggio early! There’s a good range of accommodation on offer, from classic grand hotels, to contemporary resorts, elegant converted villas, and bijou guesthouse escapes, but the best rooms are booked up a long way in advance.

In Viareggio the beach clubs are a recent addition, but some of the hotels, bars and restaurants have been part of the pleasurable package of Viareggio for hundreds of years as well. Since around 1882, actually, when Napoleon’s sister spent her summer her, and Percy Shelley’s body washed up on one of Viareggio’s perfect, sandy beaches. After that stylish villas began unfurling from nothing, followed by the galleries, museums, boutiques and fine restaurants required to support the villa owners’ idea of a summer season.

Today our Gurus recommend Viareggio to travellers looking for lively seaside luxury, or historic seaside style, and for couples seeking out a sunny stretch of beach with a little more history to it. The countryside around the city undulates with pine woods and fields, and is dotted with quaint farmhouses. It’s also well located for day trips to Pisa, Florence, Elba and Lucca, for starters, so it makes a slightly different base for exploring the Tuscan coastline and hinterland.

Out of season, even slightly, the best places to stay in Viareggio become much more affordable, and while the beaches won’t have the same facilities — they’re only managed between mid-May and mid-September — they’re still very beautiful. You’re more likely to get a table at the most popular restaurants too!

The Best Places to Stay in Viareggio

For the Beach

• The beach-front Hotel Plaza de Russie has been a popular haunt for chic travellers since 1871: the jet set before there were jets! And while its elegant facade has held its style well, its interiors have been remodelled time after time, to keep up with tastes. The 51 rooms and suites are currently configured in an excellent variety of ways, so there are some very spacious options, some options with self-catering facilities, some very grand options with huge private terraces, and some more modest rooms, which only really appear modest when compared to other rooms in the hotel. Expect contemporary style and all the mod cons, plus a Michelin-starred restaurant and ocean views.

For Families

• The Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte is a large and splendid seafront hotel built in the 1920s, with a fantastic rooftop pool and spa overlooking the ocean. The Grand has more than a hundred rooms and suites, decorated differently on each floor of the hotel: Art Deco, Colonial, Empire or Modern. In addition to the views and the choice of room decor, the Grand also has a number of restaurants, one with two Michelin stars. It’s grand, but still one of our recommendations for families too (interconnecting rooms are perfect for those travelling with kids), and you’re just opposite the Excelsior Beach Club, a well-groomed sandy beach with all the facilities you might need.

For Great Value

• The Palace Hotel, Viareggio is a traditionally Italian seafront hotel, in an elegant building within a short stroll of the beach. its roof terrace has fantastic views over the sand and water, as do many of its rooms and suites, and there’s a choice of two restaurants onsite. Expect grand murals, comfortable rooms, and just the right amount of fussy decor. The family suites are well laid out, and some have private terraces and self-catering facilities.

For a Private apartment or villa

• If you think a self-catering option would best suit your needs then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner, Booking.com.

Travel Information

• Viareggio’s closest airport is Pisa Airport, which is about 25 minutes away by road, or 40 minutes by train..
• If you're looking to hire a car, we recommend visiting our online partner Rentalcars.
• Viareggio is right on the Tyrrhenian Sea, so benefits from sea breezes that keep it from baking quite so much as Tuscany’s interior; but the summer temperatures are still up around 30°C — which may be just what you’re looking for if you’re here for a beach break! The beach facilities at Viareggio usually open mid-May through to mid-September, though of course the beach is always there, it’s just not cleaned and managed so well out of season. If you want to use Viareggio as a base to explore the region you might want to plan your trip for a less busy period. Spring and autumn are sunny and very pleasant, but there will be fewer visitors. Easter and Christmas are always special times to visit Italy, and Viareggio hosts a carnival, one of the largest in Italy, late February through early May.

Still not sure where to stay?

• You could expand your search to include the best places to stay in Tuscany
• Or just the best places to stay on the Tuscan coast
• You might add the best hotels in Forte dei Marmi (which is just along the coast to the north) to your list or even consider Elba, just off shore. Pisa, Lucca and Grosseto are also close by.
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly gurus for personalised advice.