Carrara Marble Quarry Tour: Discover the History, Techniques, and Tastings
5.0
41 Ratings
Provincia di Massa e Carrara
Embark on a captivating tour of the Carrara Marble Quarry, exploring its rich history, excavation techniques, and artistic transformation. Indulge in the unique flavors of Colonnata, home to quarry men for centuries.
Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Ponti Di Vara - We will spend the first part of the tour in the Carrara mountains, taking a few stops in front of different marble quarries, where you’ll learn everything about the history and methods of the excavation processes and understand how the experts transform a rock into a beautiful artwork or piece of furniture.
  • Colonnata - We will then make our way to the small village of Colonnata, home of the quarry men, where you’ll be able to taste the famous Lardo di Colonnata, a special type of cold cut aged in a marble basin with its own special recipe.
What's Included
  • Carbonated beverages
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Expert geologist and stone guide
Additional Information

For the initial segment of our tour, we’ll venture into the Carrara mountains, making occasional pauses at various marble quarries. Here you’ll gain insights into the history and techniques of the mining procedures as well as how artisans skillfully convert a simple rock into attractive art or furniture. Afterwards, we’ll explore Colonnata, the abode of quarry workers for more than 2000 years. You’ll also get the opportunity to savor the exclusive lardo, a distinctive variety of cold cut matured in a marble basin.

Location
Via Miseglia Fantiscritti
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(41 Ratings)
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Roving09076068755
Apr 14, 2024
What a fantastic experience - Amazing tour, our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable, we learned so much about the history of the quarries and Carrara, we definitely recommend it!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robert_w
Apr 13, 2024
Amazing morning - It was a wonderful and informative morning. We are very happy we went on a weekday and we able to watch the diamond saws and heavy equipment in action. Our guide Nicola and as wonderful.
Review provided by Viator
R0bertmichellew
Apr 12, 2024
Nicola quarry tour is Amazing! - April 2024 Nicola was our driver and guide. He was exceptional!!! This was an incredible experience. My wife and I along with a friend throughly enjoyed it. Nicola is brilliant and answered all of our questions and gave us a great understanding of history of the quarry. It was worth the cost!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Riccardolc8513ya
Mar 18, 2024
Good boy - We went on the tour to see the quarries first and then Colonnata. Nicola waited patiently for us despite our delay, he took us to see the quarries and the museum, carefully explaining the typology of the territory, extraction methods over time, use and reuse of the material. Subsequently, transfer by car to Colonnata, short tour of the town and unmissable tasting of the most famous product. Nicola is young, knowledgeable and attentive to our questions and needs. 5 well-deserved stars, I would have given six -)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eleanor
Feb 15, 2024
Enjoyable tour - Very informative tour and the Laredo tasting was an added bonus. Every question we had was answered and would recommend this tour if you’d like to see something a little different
Review provided by Tripadvisor
226ursulae
Dec 27, 2023
Outstanding way to spend a half day - Excellent tour. Nicola is very knowledgeable and personable. He answered all of our questions (quite a few given there were 3 geologists in our group!). His English is excellent, and we felt very safe and confident on the roads. The marble quarries and views were beautiful, and the lardo tasting was the perfect touch to an already memorable day. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barb
Nov 23, 2023
Fantastic Marble Tour and guide! - We enjoyed a fantastic tour with Nicola who was an excellent knowledgeable guide. We both really enjoyed the outdoor museum replicating the mining processes from the past and also learning how it’s done now. We stopped at a small shop and I was able to purchase a tray that reminds me of this trip every time I see it. We also went to Colonatta, it’s amazing seeing where the workers lived and learning about the danger of their work! I would highly recommend this tour with Nicola if you want to see and learn about the mining of Carrara Marble.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katie
Sep 28, 2023
Amazing day in Carrara - We booked with Nicola and are sooo glad we did. He is a scholar and geologist and did a great job of inviting us to learn about the stone, methods of quarrying, various uses, and how it is marketed across the globe. We saw artists carving sculptures, huge blocks of stone being cut into slabs, and walked through ancient quarry sites. There was time for shopping at the quarry store and a snack in one of the oldest miner’s communities. Nicola conveniently picked us up at the train station and dropped us off in the old town of Carrara to explore. Excellent guide and 5-star experience. Thank you, Nicola!
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Ivanaprelkov
Sep 27, 2023
Fantastic view and tour - This was a birthday present from my good friends from Latvia and an unforgettable experience thanks to Nicola's perfect guidance. Very informative and professionally done. I definitely recommend taking this tour with Nicola!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anne_f
Sep 8, 2023
It was a rainy day and... - It was a rainy day and Nicola did a great job rearranging the order of our tour to accommodate the weather. His English was very good. As a geologist he was very knowledgeable about marble and the mining process both now and in ancient times. My first experience with Lardo, tasted good if you didn't think about what you were eating. Tour of Carrara at the end was a great finish. It is definitely the Marble City. Would recommend his tour. He was a great guide.
Review provided by Viator
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2 Adult
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