The construction of Carrara's port has interrupted the flow of sand south from the Magra, and the beaches are thin. However, the town is bustling, with lots of hotels, and if you have a car this is a good base from which to visit Pietrasanta , or the Lunigiana, with its ethnographic museum . The coastal scenes of The English Patient were filmed here, and the town is posh, with exclusive boutiques and fine restaurants. This is where Florentines come to spend the weekend, though during the week it's deserted until August. Lots of hotels.
Some sections are very elegant, and others somewhat run-down.
Lots of nightlife, however, and dynamic. Is sandwiched between Lake Massaciuccoli and the sea, which makes it more humid. The beaches are sandy, but that's all I know. Livorno is a port city. Continuing south the coastline becomes rocky, with lots of bays and coves that are fun to snorkel in when the water's calm.