Liberty style

Since 1900, the greatest Tuscan artists used to come to Versilia for their holidays wishing to enjoy its beaches, the coolness of its pinewoods and the sea breeze. Ideal place to be regenerated and find the right inspirations for new works of art. There are in fact several architectural works, rich in spires, domes and small towers, decorated with flowery subjects typical of that period.

With the arrival of squires and borgeoises who were fleeing from the hot cities of Florence, Lucca, Siena, the bathing establishments in the typically Libery style were "born" in Viareggio and all this worldly pleasure contributed to augment the value of artists who availed of the local manpower/craftsmen to accomplish their works of art.

The Grand Caffè Margherita, the "Balena" Bathing Establishment, the Caffè Concerto Eden and various palaces are all decorated with enamels, lacquers and ceramics typical of the Twenties and Thirties.

Galileo Chini, the painter, having worked in Bangkok and having founded the society "Arte della Ceramica" (Ceramics Art), gave his contribution adding an "oriental" touch to lounges and walls of the luxurious Palaces in Viareggio. Some of those building have today been turned into expensive hotels and still managed to keep intact many of those works of art. Among those, the holiday Home of Galileo Chini, in Lido di Camaiore, which still maintains originally hanging paintings and frescoes in a gallery-museum, dedicated to the painter.