"Breathe, come on. A deeply. " Had a decent intuition Maria Luisa of Bourbon, Duchess of Lucca, Junoesque woman over there still calls her "popputa". It was she, at the beginning of the 'nineteenth century, to understand first the healing qualities of the sea. And from Viareggio he gave way to an 'activity hitherto unknown, the' seaside industry. The c 'ingredients were all: vast coastline, timber, a middle class that was beginning to appreciate the joys of the holiday. Thus was born in 1865, the plant that still is called Neptune. In its long history it has hosted Puccini and Leoncavallo, Vittorio Gassman and Walter Chiari.
Times past: in the 'summer of 2011 there are more characters than once, the crisis is being felt, the beach fills up on weekends only and the restaurant has been transformed into self service "to meet the pockets of families." But the old king of the sea still retains its haughtiness. Quell 'noble air of Versilia' s she was born. Bathroom transgressive Neptune. Open to men and women, from scandal stuff for the times. In Viareggio, first, there 'was nothing like that. Only two huts: the Dorians, reserved for the ladies and nuns, and the Whale (Nereo, according to other sources), for gentlemen and priors. At Nettuno no, it was all together, wool costumes, stilts and carved scenes from d 'ax masters of the place. art nouveau and deco, to embarrass the British Brighton and their arrogance.
Here came doctors and notaries from Lucca and Florence, actors, musicians. Prince at the bar, the most famous of the walk, Oreste Giannessi, great grandfather of that Graziano that today manages the Neptune, secretly preparing spaghetti for Ruggero Leoncavallo, diabetic and luscious. And in Viareggio c 'was the Giacomo Puccini Villa: "But he establishments preferred the solitary huts, to go with the fans." An early twentieth century to be framed, with Neptune which offered salsoiodiche therapies, concerts, telegraph service, interpreters, hairdresser. Then two fires, in 1913 and 1917, and two wars. But the Viareggio, you know, is proud and competitive. It has invented the Carnival ("To show that we could do the noble party we") and likewise has taken over the sea. So did Oreste Giannessi (namesake of 'grandfather and father Graziano) that in 1950 he managed to buy all' auction on Nettuno.
Private and public sectors: Versilia felix boom. Ciak from a 'summer of more than forty years' ago: twist, Piper, Alberto Sordi on the beach and just steps away from him, Fred Hammond. "A unique season," continues Graziano. But Neptune remains a landmark of the Tuscan coast. Also today. Of about 180 wooden cabins, the 250 umbrellas, of 10 tents, the always perfect sand, the two pools, the beach volleyball court, the covered patio from which to enjoy the breeze. The water aerobics classes monopolize the ladies, the defibrillator is the feather in 'eye of the plant, the baby club is open all day. Many services for vacationers of the second house, the real "hard core" of Neptune. Mothers and grandmothers with children and teenagers, Milan, Parma, Piacenza. "For the rest - explains Giannessi - the clientele is made up of middle-class families who stay for a maximum of a week."
Different speech for foreigners: Scandinavians, Russians, Dutch landing at the airport of Pisa. New customers changing needs and lifestyles: for them the holiday is "hit and run", the pizza at the table goes well without the white tablecloth. Yet the famous people still arriving: Davide Lippi celebrated the Neptune on his eighteenth birthday, here we go see (separate) Denis Verdini and the president of the region of Tuscany, Enrico Rossi. Nobody talks about it, though. In Viareggio conquer the 'understatement and Giannessi no names even under torture. Look at its beach, she smiles and says, "Forte dei Marmi attracts more because they have realized that the little place works, and in this they are very good. Besides, if we fail them they are cavaioli .... "
