VIAREGGIO , 22km northwest of Pisa, is a large and once-elegant nineteenth-century resort, which continues to aim - with limited success - for a well-heeled clientele. It has its attractions, with a fair amount of nightlife (including big-name concerts and hot dance clubs) complemented by some neat Art Deco buildings along Passeggiata Margherita. But the beaches are private and charge upwards of L25,000/?12.91 for admission, and in season the hotels are either full or demand pensione completa . Aim instead for Viareggio's famously boisterous Carnevale (in February); for four consecutive Sundays there's an amazing parade of floats, or carri - colossal, lavishly designed papier-mâché models of oliticians and celebrities.

The train station is 600m back from the seafront. Buses (Lazzi, CAT and CLAP) stop nearer the centre; turn right along the seafront, past Piazza Mazzini, to find the tourist office , at Viale Carducci 10 (June-Sept daily 9am-1pm & 4-7pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 4-7pm, Sat 9am-1pm; tel 0584.962.233, www.versilia.turismo.toscana.it ). The town has literally hundreds of hotels in all price brackets; one inexpensive option is Villa Amadei , just west of the tourist office at Via F. Gioia 23 (tel 0584.45.517; L60,000-90,000/?30.99-46.48). Of the dozens of restaurants , the long-established Liberty-style seafront villa Montecatini , Viale Manin 8 (tel 0584.962.129; closed Mon) is a sound midpriced choice. Summer sees Viareggio's dance clubs fill with holidaying Florentines: the most famous joint is La Capannina on the Viale Franceschi seafront (summer daily 9am-6am), despite its exorbitant entrance fee of up to L50,000/?25.82.