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Pistoia

Pistoia

For the children and young people of Tuscany the name Pistoia is traditionally associated with two things: the zoo and the Pistoia Blues Festival. As well as these two high points Pistoia, like the other capitals of the provinces of Tuscany, has ancient origins with the first settlements being from the Etruscan era, and a marked development during the Middle Ages which enriched the city with many churches and Romanesque buildings.

The city of Pistoia is characterised by the encircling fourteenth century walls that are almost completely intact. They are dominated in the south east corner by the Santa Barbara fortress, which was built in the 16th century on very old foundations and connected to the walls by the architect Buontalenti.

The central part of the city sits on the earliest settlement of Roman origin and marked today by the Piazza del Duomo which itself is surrounded by Romanesque buildings; the San Zeno Cathedral, Baptistery, Palazzo del Podestà and the Palazzo dei Vescovi. There are also numerous other churches in Romanesque style, the church of San Paolo, Di Sant'Antonio dei Frati del Tau, San Giovanni Fuorcivitas, all of which are all more or less characterised by the typical horizontal stripes of two- coloured of marble. The exterior and interior decoration is the work of the most famous medieval artists: Taddeo Gaddi, Giovanni Pisano and Coppo di Marcovaldo.

Proceeding from the central piazza west but still inside the city walls, you can cross the part of Pistoia that underwent the most changes over history. Many of Pistoia's buildings have been re-modelled, adapted or entirely rebuilt during the Renaissance period. The Spedale del Ceppo was built in 1277 and then added to in the 16th century when an elegant portico quite similar to that of Florence's Ospedale degli Innocenti, was added.

For young people and music lovers, Pistoia is more famous for the Pistoia Blues Festival than for it's architecture. This international music festival, started in 1980, brings internationally aclaimed artists to Pistoia each summer. Over the years guests artists have included Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Mike Farrel and hundreds of other blues musicians.

For younger visitors to Pistoia and their parents, don't forget that you can also find one of the important places to children growing up in Tuscany - the Zoo of Pistoia. Created in the 1970s in the lush hills of Pistoia, the institute is becoming increasingly important to the study of the conservation of biodiversity. The zoo offers education to all it's visitors even the very youngest. All of the animals that live in the park were born in captivity, some in Pistoia, and others are from other European zoos and wildlife parks.

For adults and those who want to treat themselves, the charming spa town of Montecatini, Terme di Montecatini the most famous thermal centre in Tuscany, which is in itself rich in beneficial thermal springs.

Montecatini is a colourful and modern town that has grown up around the ancient centre that was already important in the 10th century. It is characterised by Liberty architecture that was built at the beginning of the 20th Century. There are nine thermal baths, developed by the Lorena family during the 18th century. The waters of Montecatini is famous for curative qualities for constipation and liver problems.

Pistoia is also an important area for garden centres and the commercial cultivation of flowers. Pescia is the heart of this delightful industry that rivals the production of Holland, and hosts the Biennale del Fiore. This fair is on a par with the Chelsea Flower Show, and is curated by architects who design fabulous stands.

Parallel to the Biennale the project Strada dei Fiori in Toscana which maps local plant varieties has been initiated. This is an excellent example of how commercial activity can fuel interest and research in the natural features of the territory.

And last but not least, winter in Pistoia sees the opening of Abetone, the most visited ski field of Tuscany. On the border with the province of Bologna, Abetone offers skiing and snow boarding facilities just an hour from Pistoia. During the summer the ski fields are transformed into beautiful fields perfect for trekking and mountain biking.

Impruneta 1112 Weekly Price: Min. € 450,00 Max. € 450,00 Number of Beds: 6

Montaione 1372 Weekly Price: Min. € 420,00 Max. € 1.421,00 Number of Beds: 182

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Murlo 217 Weekly Price: Min. € 945,00 Max. € 2.660,00 Number of Beds: 63