Frazione Pariana, Massa

The Apuan Alps rise immediately inland from Massa, with marble mountains and steep valleys visible from the urban area. The Frigido river crosses the town and reaches the Tyrrhenian near Marina di Massa. Part of the local mountain hinterland falls within the Parco naturale regionale delle Alpi Apuane. The nearest ski area is Careggine in Garfagnana, roughly an hour to an hour and a half away depending on the route, so it is not part of the immediate landscape. Massa itself is a provincial capital with full services and an old centre below the Malaspina castle. The area is known for the Apuan marble basin and for the coastal strip of Marina di Massa.