Carrara's Marble Quarries Tour & Light Lunch + Lardo PGI

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 4 This tour at Carrara Marble Quarries will take you to discover the heart of the marble basins and the village of Colonnata for a tasting of lard and typical local products! You will depart in an elegant Mercedes minivan and, crossing the road that winds like a snake to the top of the mountain, you will pass the famous Ponti di Vara which, together with the ancient tunnels carved into the rock, formed the “former Marble Railway.” We will head directly to the heart of the marble basins to visit the interior of a closed quarry. This is a shared guided tour in what is known as the “Marble Cathedral,” where you will learn about the extraction techniques, machinery, and history of this precious material. Afterwards, we will take a walk through the streets of the village of Colonnata, where we will taste Lardo di Colonnata and other local products.

Itinerary

1. You will set off on an elegant Mercedes minivan to the Carrara Quarries and, crossing the road that winds like a snake to the top of the mountain, you will cross the famous Bridges of Vara that together with the striking tunnels carved into the rock constituted the “former Marble Railway.” We will head straight into the heart of the marble basins to visit a closed quarry; this is a shared guided tour of just under an hour in what is called the “Cathedral of Marble” where the extraction techniques, machinery and history of this precious material will be explained. Here you will admire a reproduction of Michelangelo's “CREATION OF ADAM” by international artist Ozmo, which towers imposingly with its 160 SQM in the center of our gallery. You will have the opportunity to discover this magical place where Michelangelo found the block that gave birth to the world-famous "Pieta". (45 min) Admission included
2. You will have a stroll through the streets of the village of Colonnata where a tasting of Lardo di Colonnata and other local products is planned. Colonnata is the oldest village in the Carrara marble basins and home to a unique local product, Lardo di Colonnata, which was the typical lunch of the quarrymen. We will immerse you in this gastronomic experience, tasting, in addition to Lardo di Colonnata, other local cured meats and cheeses, accompanied by Sgabei (small pieces of fried bread) and a good local wine. (30 min)