Italy’s famous Carrara marble mines are located about an hour’s drive from Fezzano. They’re in the Apuan Alps, behind the Gulf of La Spezia’s eastern shore.

The precious Italian stone has been quarried in this part of northern Tuscany since ancient Roman times. For centuries, Carrara marble has been sought-after by architects and sculptors from around the world. Michelangelo created masterpieces from the region’s finest white marble. It’s said he spent months at a time at Carrara’s Raviccone quarry, selecting the specific marble he wanted for his work.

We were keen to see the famous quarries and found there were plenty of ‘marble tours’ to choose from. Most, however, lasted two or four hours and involved a lot of travelling up winding mountain roads in a minibus or jeep. With my propensity for car sickness, the thought alone left me feeling nauseous.

In the end, we opted for a 50-minute excursion described by the operator as ‘drive yourself.’ We weren’t quite sure what to expect but, as it turned out, the tour was great — and exactly as advertised.