Help Needed Carrara quarry tours

[Victoria]

I'm looking into the Carrara quarry tours and am wondering if anyone's done them and if so, what you thought of them. Of course, recommended tour operator experiences are welcome. Also, what would be the easiest way (short of renting a car) to get from Florence to Carrara and back?

 

[jan]

Hmmm.... We did one in 2016 but it was from Lucca. You can read about it here:
http://keepyourfeetinthestreet.com/2016/10/carrara-tour/

We used Tau Touring in Lucca--maybe you could call them and see if they have a driver from Florence. I would do it again. Very cool day!

 

[Penn251]

We drove ourselves to one of the quarries above carrera. It was a bit of an adventure since signage is not that great. We took a jeep tour and it was quite a ride up to the active part of the quarry. Windy roads of crushed marble with no guardrails and cliffs. WE had an added adventure as half way up the back hatch door of the jeep flung open. We all laugh about it NOW. They explained the quarrying process and it was interesting to see how big the marble walls are. Here is a picture. You can get scale by comparing the machinery to the marble walls.

 

[Victoria]

Thank you Jan and Penn251! Tau Touring is who I had contacted already about the tour. They seem to come highly recommended. Great photos!! This looks like an exciting day trip -- we may have to rent a car for the day to do it.

 

[Alpinista]

If driving from Florence to Carrara, your route will take you past the vicinity of Sant'Anna di Stazzema. The road to the memorial site is steep and winding, but wonderful views along the way and possibly one of the most emotionally evocative spots in Tuscany once you reach the village.

 

[Matt D]

A couple of years ago I took a small group from Lucca to the quarries. I hired a driver and did not take a tour. You can see quite a bit from the quarry roads and the views are breathtaking, but you cannot actually go down into the quarries without being part of an authorized group. There are several tours offered online and I would book directly through the one that suits your needs best. Some will pick you up at the train station for an additional fee. Coming from Florence I doubt you'll have time, but I also recommend a visit to Pietrasanta on the way. This year I am taking my group again, but I am planning on booking a Jeep tour this time.