Carrara marble is one of the most prestigious marbles ... Last year, 1.2 million tons of blocks crossed the Italian border to China, the United States, and Germany as the top 3.

there is room for more exploring beyond the marble quarries. The Duomo di Carrara is an architectural masterpiece, and visiting a town's duomo is simply a rite of passage in any Italian town.

And calacatta is one of the world's most expensive types of marble. It's more than double the price of carrara marble, yet mined in the same mountains. But the key to calacatta's price is its rarity.

Everything about the hotel is over-the-top opulent, from the palatial, marble-clad lobby to the lavish rooms, individually appointed by top Italian decorators and decked out in Carrara marble and ...