What you think is snow on top of the mountain is actually Carrara marble. An hour long tour gives you the highlights of this ancient mountain and the beautiful stone it holds. If you do not plan to go into the caves or take a guided tour, the visit is free. There are signs (in Italian) explaining how the marble is removed from the mountain and brought down to the city. Once you leave the mountain, pay attention to the city, the doorways, windowe and facades. The entire city is covered in Carrara marble and there are several majestic buildings worth closer inspection.