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The Apuan Alps are made up off a large variety of geological and lithological soil that has been formed through sea limestone stratifications over millions of years. These mountains are well-known for their large marble quarries. The most important ones in the Apuan mountain range are situated in the Carrara area, the other deposits are set on the Massa, Versilia and Garfagnana side.
The marble which is quarried from these basins is a metamorphic rock composed of microcrystals of calcium carbonate. The beauty and the value of this kind of rock has attracted famous artists such as Michelangelo, Canova, Moore and the quarrying basins near Carrara (Colonnata, Fantiscritti, Torano) have become tourist and cultural destinations.
These mountains also have wide range of karst features, both for depth and surface: there are more than 1.300 cave?s of different sizes that can be visited only with suitable equipment and with a specialist guide (also known as spelunking). The Caves of Equi Terme, on the contrary, are open to the public.
There are many paths, marked by the Italian Alpine Club, that allow people to plunge into Apuan territories characterized by a unique landscape. Vertically faced, sharp peaks, lush forests and green valleys. The highest peak is almost 2 000 m of altitude and they offer the possibility to practice different kinds of sports: climbing, hang gliding, mountain bike and horse trekking.
These majestic Apuan Alps are also an ideal destination for people who enjoy walking and discovering nature: there is a surprising variety of wild flora and unique botanical species.
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