2024 Italy – Carrara

Carrara is a city in northern Tuscany, Italy, located at the western edge of the Apuan Alps and close to the Ligurian Sea. It lies within the province of Massa-Carrara and occupies a transitional zone between mountainous terrain and coastal lowlands. Carrara is internationally known for its marble quarries, which have shaped the city’s economy, landscape, and identity for more than two millennia. The urban area extends from the foothills of the Apuan Alps down toward the coastal plain, while the surrounding region is characterized by steep mountain slopes, narrow valleys, and rugged limestone ridges. Carrara functions as both an industrial center for stone extraction and processing and as a historical city with strong cultural and artistic significance.

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2024 Scotland – Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and one of the principal urban centers of the United Kingdom. It is located in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland on the River Clyde, approximately 25 kilometres inland from the Firth of Clyde. Glasgow forms the core of a wider metropolitan region that has historically functioned as an industrial, commercial, and transport hub. The city is characterized by a dense urban fabric, extensive post-industrial landscapes, and significant green spaces integrated into the urban environment. Today, Glasgow plays a major role in Scotland’s economy, culture, education, and transport infrastructure, while also undergoing long-term transformation from its industrial past toward a service- and culture-oriented urban economy.

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⛰️ Carrara, Italy | Inside the World’s Most Famous Marble Quarries

Cararra was not far from our house by the sea. A visit to the mines was therefore naturally on the agenda. The famous white marble has been mined in Cararra for over 2500 years. Everything in the area is about marble. Here we were in a stalactite cave in the mountains and in the mines of Cararra.

High in the Apuan Alps of Tuscany, I set out to visit one of the most extraordinary places in Italy: the Carrara marble quarries. For over 2,000 years, these mountains have been carved, cut, and shaped, producing the pure white marble that has built empires, adorned cathedrals, and inspired the world’s greatest artists. Standing among these gleaming cliffs of stone, I felt like I was stepping into both a natural wonder and a living piece of history.

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