Arabescato vs Calacatta: differences, prices and uses
Arabescato and Calacatta are both white marbles of the Apuan Alps, but they read very differently. In Arabescato the grey veins close into rounded, irregular shapes on a white ground, a graphic pattern that repeats over the slab. In Calacatta the ground is warmer and the veins are fewer, broader and move from grey to gold, so every slab is a single drawing.
By Fabrizio Musetti, Marmi di Carrara srl, quarry owners in Carrara since 1956.
Arabescato vs Calacatta
| Arabescato | Calacatta | |
|---|---|---|
| Stone family | Marble | Marble |
| Origin | Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy | Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy |
| Ground and veining | A white marble whose grey veins close into rounded, irregular shapes, the "arabesque" that gives it its name. | A warm white ground with bold veining that moves from grey to gold. |
| Starting price (polished 2 cm slabs) | from € 150/m² | from € 377/m² |
| Weight of a 2 cm slab | about 54 kg/m² | about 54 kg/m² |
| Typical finishes | Polished, honed, brushed, sandblasted, bush-hammered | Polished, honed, brushed, sandblasted, bush-hammered |
| Interior floors | Excellent | Excellent |
| Wall cladding | Excellent | Excellent |
| Kitchen worktops | With care | With care |
| Bathrooms and wet areas | Excellent | Excellent |
| Exterior paving and façades | Good | Good |
| Photos of real slabs and blocks | 79 | 80 |
Prices: polished 2 cm slabs, ex works Carrara, VAT excluded; list updated 8 October 2026. The final price depends on selection, thickness, finish and quantity and is confirmed in a written offer. Density, absorption and strength are indicative ranges for the stone family, not test results of this block. Certified values for a specific lot are provided with the offer.
Which one to choose
- Lowest starting price: Arabescato, from € 150/m².
- Highest starting price: Calacatta, from € 377/m²: rarer blocks and a stricter selection.
- Calacatta starts at about 2.5 times the price of Arabescato.
- They belong to the same stone family (marble): same weight (about 54 kg/m² at 2 cm), same finishes and same care. The choice is about look, availability and budget.
- Veined marbles change from block to block: before deciding, ask for photos of the slabs available now.
Full sheet of Arabescato → · Full sheet of Calacatta → · How much does marble cost per m²? Our Carrara price list
Questions and answers
Which is more expensive, Arabescato or Calacatta?
Arabescato: from € 150/m²; Calacatta: from € 377/m². Polished 2 cm slabs, ex works Carrara, VAT excluded (list updated 8 October 2026).
How do I tell Arabescato and Calacatta apart?
Arabescato: A white marble whose grey veins close into rounded, irregular shapes, the "arabesque" that gives it its name. Calacatta: A warm white ground with bold veining that moves from grey to gold.
Where are Arabescato and Calacatta quarried?
Arabescato comes from Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy. Calacatta comes from Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy.
Can Arabescato and Calacatta be used for kitchen worktops?
Typical uses of marble are flooring, wall cladding, bathrooms, vanity and kitchen tops, stairs, fireplaces, sculpture. For kitchen tops we recommend a suitable finish and sealing: tell us your project and we advise the right solution.