FORTE DEI MARMI: Summer in Paradise
Written by Alana
Photo: https://www.villaromaimperiale.com/en-gallery.php
A SLICE OF HEAVEN BY THE SEA
You’re sitting under a white-canopied day bed, sipping on a fresh peach Bellini, you can hear the waves are crashing against the sand, the sun is lightly baking your skin, and your hardest decision all day is if it’s legit to order a bowl of pasta at lunch and dinner (it is. It always is). You are in Forte Dei Marmi!
Booking a beach vacation is always risky for us- the idea of coming home with a golden tan and a super cute anklet sounds like a dream… but we are restless at the best of times and have the attention span of a goldfish (that’s 5 seconds, we got you). We want to go to the beach BUT we also want to wake up at 7am and go exploring and sight seeing and soak up EVERY single possible thing. You see the problem?
Forte (as us regulars call it- we have been twice) is a small beach town (7 miles to be exact) that sits on the coast of the Ligurian Sea in northern Tuscany and is often described as the Hamptons of Italy because of the sandy beaches, chic visitors, wild nightlife, and close proximity to major cities.
WHERE TO STAY:
VILLA ROMAE IMPERIALE
PHOTO: https://www.villaromaimperiale.com
By the way, that scene I described in the opening where you’re sitting on that white-canopied day bed that got you hooked- that is a real. That was us at hotel Villa Roma Imperiale, living our best lives. Villa Roma is a small house-turned-hotel where you can expect the absolute best service from the staff who will know you by name within seconds of checking in. The rooms are all white and look like a Brunello Cuccineli ad, your bathroom is stocked with Ortigia products, and the restaurant staff will make you anything you want from their fully stocked kitchen of local and fresh ingredients.
Hotel Principe Forte Dei Marmi is a traditional five star hotel- they have a gorgeous spa, fabulous restaurants (including Piccolo Principe which casually has 2 Michelin stars) and a concierge team that bends over backwards to accommodate your every need. Most hotels do not have direct beach access, so if you would rather sit by the beach than the pool, you can ride a hotel-provided bici (bicycle, for those of us who aren’t fluent in Italian…yet) to one of the many beach clubs (we will get to those in a bit, don’t worry).
HOW TO SPEND YOUR DAYS:
Relax:
BANGO BEACH
INSTAGRAM: @BAGNO.BRUNO
Once you spend a summer in Forte, it will be hard to resist returning every single year, which is why you will need to book your cabana at one of the beach clubs far far faaaaaar in advance. Beach clubs are more than just cabanas on the water- the high end ones also have swimming pools, spas, gyms, restaurants, and nightclubs. Our favourite of them all is Bagno Bruno- a chic place to spend the day with some of the best food in town. Other high end beach clubs that we have enoyed are Bagno Anetta, Bagno Piero, Bagno America, and Bagno Milano (is it necessary to say Bagno every time? Let us know).
Explore:
As mentioned earlier… we need adventure and excitement, and Forte is the perfect starting point for day trips. The way we organize our days is an early morning wakeup where we grab a quick breakfast of fruit with a few slices of prosciutto and parmesan on the back terrace, head out for a day of touring, and get back to the hotel around 3pm to sit by the hotel pool or head over to one of the beach clubs. Welcome to a perfect day. The easiest places to take day trips are to drive north to Genoa and Portofino or to Carrara and Pietrasanta (where Michelangelo got his marble), take a boat to Cinque Terre (we found it touristy and tacky, sorry not sorry), or drive south to Viareggio and Lucca or spend a day in Florence (one of our favourite cities in Italy- travel guide coming soon). There are so many places to explore, you will not run out of options.
Shop:
Every Wednesday of the year as well as Sundays in the summer, from 8am until 1:30pm, there is a market in the Piazza Gugliemo Marconi. This is not your typical street market- you can find everything- designer clothing, furniture, handbags, furs…and to kick things up just another notch, the “Peddler of Market of Forte dei Marmi” ensures that all of the products being sold are authenticated- you will not go home with a “Channel” bag.
WHAT TO DO AT NIGHT:
LA CAPANNINA
INSTAGRAM: @LaCapanninadiFranceschi
The real hustle and bustle of Forte is at night along the main streets- Piazza Garibaldi, Via Roma, Via Mazzini and Piazza Dante. Nightlife is real mixed bag- families usually walk the streets that are lined with fair-like stalls (games, rides, popcorn) after dinner and grab a gelato. The stores stay open really late so you can take a walk after dinner and do some damage. A glass of wine usually helps too. Also, I feel like we should be clear about the shopping- while there are some super cute local shops where you can get fun beach bags and sun hats, the majority of the shopping in Forte is in high end designer boutiques… I mean, if Louis Vuitton is making a “Fortei Dei Marmi” print on their Neverfull bag every year (which always sells out within the first few weeks of summer), you’re playing a whole different game. See where that glass of wine comes in handy? Speaking of glasses of wine…
If you are looking for a spicy night on the town you are either going to Twiga Beach Club which turns into a full nightclub or to world famous La Capannina di Franceschi, where every celebrity that has been to Forte since 1929 has been photographed drinking and dancing the night away.
WHERE TO EAT:
Dinner is something we take very seriously- we spend many waking hours looking at menus, deciding what to order and what to share, and proceed to look up every dish on instagram to make sure that we know what to expect- needless to say, this is something very near and dear to our hearts. It’s hard to go wrong with meals in Forte, most places specialize in fresh fish and seafood picked right from the sea and prepared into simple Italian dishes (they usually have veal or lamb as well).
Lornezo is the classic restaurant where everyone who has visited Forte has been at least once- they serve traditional dishes prepared simply and beautifully. You will see a mix of locals and tourists, and will probably be greeted by Lorenzo himself.
RISTORANTE LORENZO
INSTAGRAM: @GIOACCHINO_PONTRELLI
Food/Drink: 7.8
Vibe: 7.8
Both Maito and Restaurant Gilda are laid-back unassuming restaurants on the beach that serve some of the best seafood in town. If you are looking for a break from seafood, which I always am after two or three days, Maito has a pizza oven and a long list of options to choose from.
Food/Drink: 8.5
Vibe: 8.5
LA MAGNOLIA
INSTAGRAM: @tuscanypeople
La Magnolia is a chic beachside restaurant in the five-star Hotel Byron (one of the only hotels on the beach). Their tasting menu is written up every day based on what is most fresh- the specialty is, of course, seafood and the bread selection is no joke- do not skip out on this course (that’s how good it is, it counts as a course). Every dish comes out looking like a work of art, but you won’t be able to take photos eating the dishes because they actually banned selfes!
Food/Drink: 8.9
Vibe: 8.6 (the outdoor terrace is amazing)
Bistrot is Michelin-starred and the most formal (but not stuffy) restaurant on our list. Seafood is their speciality and the crudos are some of the best we have ever had. The wine cellar is massive and new bottles are constantly being added- you can ask the sommelier a million questions and they will be happy to answer without making you feel like an uncultured heathen.
Food/Drink: 8.8
Vibe: 8.8
The same restaurant group from Bistrot has other trendy restaurants- Fratellini and Pesce Baracca.
SUSHI AT FRATELINNI
PHOTO: WWW.FRATELINNIS.COM
Fratellini is modern in terms of design as well as menu- the focus is still on seafood, but the menu is split between traditional Italian dishes and sushi and sashimi. We would recommend getting a few of the sushi/sashimi dishes to start, but definitely stick with the pastas and risottos for the bulk of your meal.
Food/Drink: 8.2
Vibe: 8.8
Pesce Baracca is the most casual restaurant in Forte- it is a fresh seafood market in the morning, a “street food” market during the day (tapas, fried and raw fish and seafood, focaccia, and fish and veggie burgers), and opens up as a restaurant at night where you leave your filled out your menu card of the most fresh traditional Italian seafood and fish dishes on their counter and they bring your dishes to the table.
Food/Drink: 9
Vibe: 7.6
Snacking is one of the most important parts of the day, and Italians do snack time very well. Whether you are drinking a cappuccino or an espresso, coffee is a non-negotiable.
PASTICCERIA ALDO
INSTAGRAM: @GASSANIADO
Pasticceria Aldo is the place to go if you are craving something sweet along with your coffee of choice.
Caffe Morin has a long list of coffee options and baked goods to enjoy on their terrace. Caffe
Soldi is the place to go if you’re hungry but not looking to break the bank- get a cappuccino and a cornetto (the Italian answer to the croissant)!
Final Thoughts:
Forte is a little slice of Italian paradise- you can spend your days bicycling and strolling through town, lounging at one of the beach clubs, or exploring nearby cities and towns. The food is fantastic, the people are chic, and you never run out of things to do- day or night. After spending a few days lapping up the laid back luxury of Forte, you will understand why everyone who visits always returns (you too can graduate to calling it ‘Forte’).
Best time to visit:
May through September
How to get there:
Forte is close to many major cities (Florence, Genoa, and Milan) and the easiest way to get there is by renting a car (or hire a driver if you can’t drive stick- automatic cars are few and far between), but you can also take the train if you feel comfortable making transfers.
Instagram: @alpemare_fortedeimarmi
