The Cava Gioia of Massa, located south of the famous Colonnata di Carrara hamlet, known for its precious white marble and lard, hosts an imposing work of the Brazilian artist Kobra on its top, a mural of about 11 by 10 meters depicting the David by Michelangelo.
The David can be reached directly from the center of Colonnata, precisely the CAI 195, marked as “David / Croce di Gioia”. The path, very simple, passes from the woods to the crest and to the "Cima Gioia", where we find the white cross, for about 500 meters in altitude and a duration of 1 hour and a half / two.
For the more adventurous, it is also possible to pass by Cava Gioia (when it is not operational, i.e. on weekends and in the winter months).
The route is very beautiful, but not suitable for everyone: the climbs are steep and the ground is full of marble dust, so if it has recently rained we will find many puddles and the marble dust will form thick muddy layers, while for the climbs and descended it slips quite easily. Shoes with a nice grip are a must. A change of shoes and trousers in the car is recommended, as on your return you will be full of marble dust.
The panorama observable from the quarry is very scenic and particular, from there we can observe the types of marble extracted: the Venato Gioia, the Brouillé and the Venié Brouillé.
To pass from Cava Gioia, you can leave your car in the parking lot above the Casette sports field and continue on foot, or, for those with an off-road vehicle, you can continue for a first stretch along the road to the quarry. The route takes about 1 hour and a half, and the difference in height is about 400 meters.
