Massa Carrara in May - Colonnata and the marble caves of Carrara

The weather is very different the next morning, wet and rainy, and after two days of hiking we are happy to take it easy in the morning. I do some work, we go and do some shopping, fish, one or two things to take home - testaroli and lardo. 

In the afternoon it's still cloudy but the rain has stopped so we decide to go to Colonnata and to get a glimpse of the marble quarries above, the white blocks in the mountains above us have been a background to our days in the area.

Colonnata is submerged in low cloud and almost chilly, certainly damp. It's already a mountain village, 

at 532m above sea level in the Alpi Apuane, but just 8km from Carrara. Colonnata is famous for two white blocks: marble and lard.

We first turn our attention to the edible attraction. Most of Colonnata seems to sell lard, but fortunately the fact that most shops are closed whittles down the choice somewhat. Lardo di Colonnata is a product with a protected geographical indication mark (PGI), and is made with pork lard, seasoned and matured in Carrara marble containers. Extremely unhealthy and equally delicious. Nevertheless Colonnata is a very small village and there's no sight or smell of pig, so probably it is just the curing process which is still performed on site.

We continue our journey through low cloud up to the first of the marble quarries which are open to the public. Guided tours are available by Jeep into the heart of the quarries but we are settling for a more sedate mosy around.

Marble has been quarried here since Roman times but to find out more the Cava Museo Fantiscritti is a good place to start. The museum was set up after 40 years of research by Walter Danesi, who worked in the quarries himself and died aged 91 in 2017. It  provides precious insight not only into the mechanical processes involved in quarrying marble but also aspects of the incredibly hard life of those working in harsh environments dangerous in the past and not without risk even today, between 2006 and 2018 there were 11 deaths. After visiting the museum, which is really interesting and also free, and has some nice marble sculptures as well, 

we wander around the area and stop and stare in wonder at how modern sculptures are made....an enormous imitation of Michelangelo's David is being computer-sculpted....an amazing sight. 

After, by car we venture on a narrow road which gives some good views of the various quarries, the sheer scale and size is impressive. 

This road finishes a loop with the one we came up and takes us back to Carrara and then to the apartment. 

This was a very interesting afternoon, the cloudy and damp day also gave the quarries a melancholic yet awing atmosphere and it's a place we'll remember.