Have you ever been to Pistoia, Italy? Pistoia is a city in Tuscany, Italy.
There are many people who have visited Tuscany many times, but not even 50 percent of the people who visited this place are aware about Pistoia.
This is a very small place, but very beautiful city. This place has got many things to see and enjoy, and it should get more attention than it gets now.
This place Pistoia may not be as popular as Florence, Siena or Lucca and its name also does not sound really impressive, but this place is considered as a gem in Tuscany.
These places Florence, Siena or Lucca has one or two things interesting in them, but when it comes to Pistoia, you will have all the ingredients in it like the striped churches, old walls, Medieval watchtowers, arcaded piazzas, frescoes and many more things.
Everything packed in a small city.
In spite of being very small, there are many hidden jewels in this place and you should definitely visit them.
This place can be a perfect destination for your holiday. If you are in Florence, Siena or Lucca, you should plan a good one or two day trip to this place and make your holiday memorable.
There is everything that you will look in a holiday spot.
So, it is now time to book your flight tickets to Tuscany or if you are already in Tuscany, then it is pretty easy to reach Pistoia by road.
Best time to visit Pistoia?
The climate in Pistoia is normally mild and does not reach extremes in any season.
If you are looking for the best months to visit this place, then you should plan your trip during the months of October and November as they are not too cold or too hot.
April and May are also having the same kind of climate like October and November.
If you are here in Pistoia in winter, then also you don’t have to worry much about the climate as it is not going to be too cold in the daytime.
But nights a bit cold compared to the daytime. So, you should always be prepared with warm clothes, while traveling in winter.
July and August are considered as the warmer months and January and February are the coolest months.
If you like to go for sightseeing during long sunny days, then you should visit this place in Summer.
If you like enjoying the lush of green vegetation, then has to be booked for the spring season, and Autumn if you like enjoying the cool breeze of Pistoia.
This is a fantastic place to spend a holiday with your close friends or family, but before you book your tickets, there is something else that you should do.
You should first check out the things to see and enjoy in Pistoia. This will help in making your trip more interesting and exciting.
Best things to do in Pistoia
These are my favorite things to do and beautiful places to visit on your next holiday to Pistoia.
Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia
Let us start the discussion with a spot in Pistoia, which is ideal for kids.
The kids are the very important part of your family and it is very important for them to be happy on the holiday.
Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia is a very interesting place for your kids and you will love it for sure. If not you, your kids will definitely love it.
There are many animals in this Zoological park, especially the play area for kids is something that your kids will love for sure.
You should make sure that you are taking the right transport to reach this place as there are not too many buses available during the zoo opening hours.
The animals in the zoo are taken care very well and also the staff of the zoo is very friendly. They are always ready to provide you all sorts of information that you are looking for.
All the signboards in the zoo are written in Italian and if you are not aware of this language, then you will not be able to understand even a single name of the animals.
This place is definitely worth visiting and you should not this place.
My favorite stuff to do in Pistoia
Wonder Park
If you have never been to Pistoia, then you have definitely missed a lot of things to see and enjoy in this place.
One of such interesting place for the entire family is Wonder Park.
Yes, there are many interesting games to play for kids.
Different kinds of games for kids from age 3 to 12 years. This is something very exciting for the kids and you will love spending some interesting time playing with your kids.
This place is really huge and very clean as well, the area for kids is very big compared to the area allotted for the parents.
You will enjoy too, along with your kids and you can also order a nice pizza as you have pizzeria and a nice restaurant as well inside this wonder park.
This place is small for so many things like kids games, a place for adults to relax and also a restaurant, but this is very interesting and entertaining to spend some peaceful time along with your family.
You can plan visits to this place in the afternoon, so that you can relax well while it is too hot outside.
Fun things to do in Pistoia
San Giovanni Fuorcivitas
Another interesting place to visit when you are in Pistoia is San Giovanni Fuorcivitas.
Many tourists who visit Pistoia, ignore this place as the exterior of this building is very interesting while the interior of the place is not really special.
A tourist who stops at this building after seeing the exterior, will find it really difficult to compare it with the interior.
Nothing inside is really clear as it is very dark and boring as well. If you are passing by this place, then do not ignore the place.
The entry to this place is absolutely free and it is worth visiting.
Do not forget to click a lot of pictures at the front of this building as it is very interesting and definitely worth visiting as well. Just spend a few minutes to explore this building.
Popular Pistoia tourist attractions
Piazza del Duomo
A great place in Pistoia, which is rich in charm and history is Piazza del Duomo.
Many tourists who have visited this place call this place as the gem of Pistoia and Tuscany. There are many interesting and beautiful buildings around this square.
This is having a lot of history associated with it and is also the most visited places in Pistoia. The name Piazza del Duomo means Cathedral square in English.
You should not forget to click a lot of pictures at this place and they are going to be in your memories.
If you are on a tour to Italy, then by the time you finish your trip in Italy, this place is going to be the most interesting place for you.
You will have to spend a lot of time at this place as it is going to take a lot of time for you to explore this place completely.
This place is closed in the afternoon and hence it is important for you to check out the timings before visiting this place.
What else to do in Pistoia?
Duomo (Cattedrale di San Zeno)
Another great place to visit in Pistoia is Duomo. This is also one of the most visited places in Pistoia and you will have a great time here.
This is one of the oldest churches in this place and you will love the architecture of this church building.
There are many artifacts displayed in this church and they are very interesting as well.
When you have a look at the interior of the church, you will be mesmerized by its beauty. This place is photography restricted and you should not click any pictures without flash as well.
The building’s beauty is still the same and you should not miss it for sure. It is definitely worth visiting, at least for a few minutes and a very peaceful place to spend some time.
You can click pictures from outside, so do not miss that chance to click a lot of pictures and enjoy it.
Is Pistoia worth visiting?
The answer is Yes. Pistoia is worth visiting. This is because it is such a magical place
full of beauty and adventours.
Make sure you visit the following stunning place:
Sant’Andrea
This attraction Sant’Andrea is an ideal place for all those tourists who would like to enjoy the medieval architecture.
When you visit this spot, then you may not be really impressed with the building, but when you enter inside the building, then you will be mesmerized with the architecture of the building.
You will get a chance to see many art pieces of medieval architecture.
The pulpit of the church is just amazing and you cannot compare it with any other church. You are going to have a great time here in this spot and it is something that you should not miss at all.
There is a lot of catholic history associated with each piece of art displayed in this church.
You can take a guide along with you to get more information about this building and about the things inside this building.
What else to see in Pistoia?
Ospedale del Ceppo
If you are on a trip to Pistoia, then you should not miss Ospedale del Ceppo.
This is an amazing place to visit and basically it is a hospital.
There is an underground gallery inside this hospital and you also have the smallest amphitheater of the world in this hospital. This is going to be very interesting and you should not miss it.
When you are visiting the underground gallery, then make sure that you are having the right guide along with you, else this trip to the underground gallery is going to be very boring.
The anatomy building of this hospital is the most interesting building in this hospital. The building is very small, but it is very beautifully constructed and it attracts the tourists.
In this place Pistoia, most of the attractions are the homes and the churches, but this place is something different from others and you will have a great fun here.
So do not miss it at all. Make sure to take a good guide along with you and take a guide who is comfortable in your language.
Popular places to visit in Pistoia
San Bartolomeo in Pantano
This place is a very old church in Pistoia.
If you are visiting Duomo, then you will not miss this place, but to make sure that you are visiting this place, mark the place as must see in your to do list.
This old church is very close to the Duomo and a very huge old church.
There are many churches in this place Pistoia, but you will not find any other church in this place which is as beautiful and peaceful as this church in spite of being such an old church.
All those people who love Romanesque architecture, then you and your heart are definitely going to miss one or two beats.
You will be taken back into the 1100’s and the church is not renovated for years and that is the best part of the church which is attracting so many tourists.
The two lions of the main portal are just amazing and you will love the architecture of this building for sure.
So, do not miss the place and also make sure to click a lot of pictures at this place.
Things to do around Pistoia
Church of San Francesco Pistoia
This place Pistoia has got many old churches and this Church is one of those wonderful churches here.
This place or this church is going to be more special for those who love to enjoy the stained glass window in old churches.
You will not be able to take your eyes off this place and the stained glasses. This is an amazing place and peaceful place to spend some lonely time with God.
If you are more lucky, then you can visit this church at the time of any special festival and rituals, then the church is going to look just amazing and you will be mesmerized by its beauty.
You should plan your visit to this place during the weekdays, else you will not be able to enjoy the church and its beauty.
The church is going to be overcrowded during the weekends and make sure to attend at least one mass if possible when you are visiting the church.
You will be able to get a different experience by attending a mass at a different church. All the churches in this place are just amazing.
Things to do in Pistoia with kids
Museo Civico di Pistoia (Palazzo del Comune)
The building of this place itself is very attractive. This is an interesting museum and you should not miss Museo Civico di Pistoia.
There are many interesting paintings and other things to enjoy at this place. When you are amazed with the design of the building, you will decide to enter inside the museum.
Many tourists feel that there is nothing much interesting inside, unlike the design of the building from outside.
The architecture of the building attracts you a lot.
But the paints displayed inside the building are definitely interesting as they are going to display the Italian art work of many years and you should not miss it for sure.
You are going to have great fun visiting this museum and the paintings inside are definitely a surprise for you.
The place is maintained very well and the staff at this place is very friendly and helps you in knowing a lot about all the paintings that are displayed here.
This place is just perfect for spending an hour or two.
Things to do around Pistoia
Sightseeing tours
There are many interesting things to enjoy in Pistoia, but there are many people are not aware of this place or there are people who combine their trip with other surrounding places, in that case you will need the Sightseeing tours.
You have just only one day or two for sightseeing and you may not be able to finish your trip in this short duration.
So, you should always book a tour package at any of the travel companies in this place and that will help you in enjoying the trip a lot, without missing any place in Pistoia.
All that you need to do is just give the details like how many hours you will be able to spend in Pistoia for sightseeing and based on that your sightseeing trip and its cost would be decided.
You will surely have a great time on this sightseeing trip as you will have a guide along with you, who is going to explain you everything about the history and culture of Pistoia.
There are many other things to enjoy in Pistoia like many interesting museums, churches, cathedrals and many other things.
It all depends on how you plan your trip, if you don’t want to miss anything in this place, then plan at least a two day trip to enjoy better, else you can plan one day trip as well.
But in that case, it is better to hire a guide or book a package at any of the travel companies.
Plan well and have a great trip to Pistoia, Italy.