Pistoia… the Tuscany you are looking for!
Pistoia is halfway between Florence and Lucca, more precisely 40 km from both locations, and is a city rich in attractions and things to see. Easy to reach by any means, Pistoia’s historical centre is perfect to experience and discover without hurrying. Being closed to traffic, it is perfect to be visited with a short walk revealing many historical and artistic beauties.
Piazza Duomo and the Cathedral of San Zeno, its bell tower with its 200 steps offering a fascinating panorama of the city. The ancient Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte, of Gothic architecture and octagonal plan in bichromatic marble with its baptismal font.
The Ospedale del Ceppo, built in the 13th century, which played a key role in 1349 when the city was hit by an epidemic of the Black Death. It cannot be visited inside, but guided tours are organised of 650 metres of renovated underground vaults through which centuries of the history of Pistoia and the hospital itself are explained.
