Discover the Best of Pistoia Italy
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PLANNING A TRIP TO PISTOIA, ITALY?
Pistoia Italy (pronounced Puh – stoy- uh) is a lesser-known Medieval city in Tuscany surrounded by rolling green hills, olive orchards, and plant nurseries. We spent a few months here in Pistoia, so we got to know the lay of the land a bit better than your day visitors.
Given it is a bit off the typical tourist track (one of the reasons I love it), I wanted to share the best things to do in Pistoia, our favorite organic farms, restaurants, day trips, wellness, grocery stores, where to stay in Pistoia and more!
Pistoia Hotel Recommendation: Check out Palazzo 42, which would be my first choice for an updated nicer hotel in the perfect location at the center of the old town.
Planning a Trip to Pistoia, Italy?
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Is Pistoia, Italy Worth Visiting?
If you are looking for a Tuscan town with a lot of amenities of a city, surrounded by the picturesque rolling Tuscan hills, a local feel and not packed with tourists, Pistoia is absolutely worth visiting.
Pistoia also makes a great base to see more of Tuscany. If you have already been to Tuscany and are looking for a less touristy city with amenities, Pistoia is a perfect option.
Where is Pistoia Italy located?
Pistoia, Italy is located between Florence and Lucca, about 40 minutes west of Florence. You can easily take a train from Florence to Pistoia. Alternatively, you can rent a car and drive to Pistoia.
Arriving in Pistoia, you’ll notice a lot of plant nurseries. A LOT of them! According to a local here, Pistoia supplies plants all throughout Europe and is known for its nurseries.
⭐ 14 Things to Do in Pistoia ⭐
The lists of things to do in Pistoia that I found when researching were all quite boring. Some of the things weren’t even in Pistoia, Italy. So my list, per usual, is a bit different.
Yes, you’ll get some of your interesting walk-about church and architecture highlights. But really, the more interesting things to do are the lesser-known experiences.
Personally, I think some of the best things to do in Pistoia are the Olive Oil Tasting & Cooking Experiences with Podere Macolo! I would also highlight Teatrino Gatteschi as something that not many people know about and it would be really cool if you could catch a performance there!
1. Olive Oil Tasting in Pistoia + Organic Farm
This is one of those special places that we happened to find and that I get excited to share. I just love supporting organic farms and small businesses!
We went looking for a biological farm to buy organic Olive Oil in Pistoia. (bio = organic) I contacted Podere Macolo farm owner, Gaetano, who was super responsive (believe me, not all the farms are this way). He set up a free olive oil tasting at one of his apartments in Pistoia’s historic center, as his farmhouse is being renovated (should be done by Fall 2023).
It was such a lovely experience, that I asked him to do a tasting for all of the Boundless worldschool families we were with. We all bought olive oil, herbs, salts, honey, and more—his products are delicious! And he will deliver in Pistoia.
Also, check with Macolo Farm in the Fall, as you may be able to set up an experience to harvest the olives in Pistoia!
Gaetano also has a chef that works with him, which leads me to …
2. Cooking Class in Pistoia
Podere Macalo’s Chef Daniel has wonderful cooking classes for kids, adults, or families in Pistoia. Contact Gaetano at Macolo to set up cooking classes.
While the farmhouse is being renovated, the classes take place at an apartment they own in the heart of Pistoia. This actually makes it super convenient, as you don’t have to arrange transportation, which can be quite a pain in Pistoia.
Chef Daniel will work with you to come up with the menu you are interested in cooking, and any allergies or food preferences as well. Plus this uses high-quality ingredients and organic flour from a local family farmer outside of Florence!
3. Wednesday & Sunday Markets
The streets of Pistoia turn busy each Wednesday and Sunday from around 9 am – 1 pm. Vendors line every piazza and street of the historic center to sell everything from fruits & veggies to shoes and underwear. You’ll find a few flower vendors, home goods vendors, and lots of clothing vendors.
Every single one of them is packed with people doing their bi-weekly shopping!
4. Wednesday Organic Market at Monteoliveto Park
Located at Monteoliveto Park in Pistoia, Italy is a little organic farmer’s market every Wednesday from about 15:30 – 18:30 (3:30pm-6:30pm). You’ll see it just behind the restaurant with about 10 vendors, all of who carry craft food products or locally grown fruits and veggies from their farms.
You’ll find fresh organic bread, raw honey, local cheeses, yogurts, chestnut flour products, eggs, oil olive, spreads, dips, and more. Plus, my food favorite find that I became a bit addicted to is this Vinegar – it’s the best I’ve ever had!
5-6. Theaters
🏛️ Teatrino Gatteschi
Teatrino Gatteschi is a secret gem in Pistoia. I had heard about it being the smallest theater in Italy (maybe even the world, but not sure how true that is).
One day there was a kids’ program in the courtyard at Vicolo Malconsiglio. One of the wonderful women there offered to show me the theater. I couldn’t believe it’s not more of a must-do in Pistoia. It’s amazing!
The theater, known as Puccini Gatteschi, was built in 1707 and given as a wedding present to a Pistoian couple. Only in 2021 was it opened to the public. It holds maybe 15 people max and is one of the most beautiful little gems!
🏛️ Theater Manzoni
Theater Manzoni is a nice theater that offers various productions and plays throughout the year.
7. Underground Pistoia
Located in the historic center of Pistoia at the old Pistoia hospital, this archeological museum has underground tunnels that used to be part of a riverbed system.
💡TIP: They offer tours in English, but it is best to plan and book ahead if you want an English tour.
8. Piazza del Duomo
This is the main square, where you will find a lot of vendors for the Saturday and Wednesday markets (although really they are spread out all over the city).
You’ll also find some religious and historic sites, such as Cattedrale di San Zeno, Town Hall (go inside if it is open!), Baptisterium (Battistero di San Giovanni), and some monuments from the pilgrimages in Pistoia.
9. Basilica: Our Lady of Humility
This is the dome in Pistoia that we had a view of from our apartment!! It was gorgeous!
Step inside and admire the paintings and architecture of the dome! It’s visible when you are away from the city center. But it’s actually quite hard to see the dome when you are walking around the town.
10. Fortezza di Santa Barbara
This is a cool fortress to check out with kids. It is located right at Resistenza Park. However, the hours are a bit ad-hoc, I think depending on the time of year.
11. Zoo of Pistoia
I’m not a huge fan of zoos, but this one apparently is really well-reviewed and is only 10 minutes from the historic center by car. My kiddos went here on a field trip and enjoyed it.
12. Parks & Playgrounds
What is nice about so many of the parks and playgrounds around Pistoia is that they have a restaurant at the park. Very helpful to grab a drink or food and still keep an eye on your kids while they play.
🛝 Monteoliveto Park
We frequented Monteoliveto Park often as it was around the corner from our apartment in Pistoia. The park has a playground, green space, a little pond, a basketball court, and a restaurant.
On Wednesday afternoons, there is also a small little Farmer’s Market with bio and local vendors!
🛝 Piazza della Resistenza Park
This park has a playground, a carousel, green space, a restaurant (which sits a little off from the playground, making it a bit harder to eat while watching the kids), and also a fort called Fortezza di Santa Barbara.
🛝 Parco della Rana
This park is near the local futbol stadium, as well as a tennis club. The playground is nice and has a little restaurant onsite as well.
Where to Stay in Pistoia Italy
You can choose to stay in the historic center of Pistoia in order to walk to all the restaurants, cafes, shops and train. Or, you can choose to stay in a villa on the outskirts of the city (usually just a 10 minute drive) to enjoy the sprawling views of Tuscany, have more green space and possibly a pool.
Recommendation #1 Historic Center: Palazzo 42
This boutique hotel is located right in the heart of the cute historic center of Pistoia. You can walk to everything, including the train station which is a 15-minute flat walk. You can’t beat the location and updated rooms!
Recommendation #2 Sprawling Villa: IL GAMBURLACCIO
This updated Pistoian villa is located just a 10 minute drive from the historic center. It has an amazing pool, 5 bedrooms, Air Conditioning and beautiful views! Plus it gets great reviews!
Looking for something else? Check out these other Accommodations in Pistoia!
Where to Eat in Pistoia Italy : Restaurants
There are so many restaurants to choose from in Pistoia. Below, I’ll give you an overview of where I would eat if I had a day in Pistoia. However, check this out for a more comprehensive guide to eating in Pistoia Italy!
- MORNING: Rise & Shine! Grab a croissant and coffee at Armando’s Bakery (Pasticceria Armando Pistoia) and sit outside to enjoy some people-watching!
- LUNCH: Lunch at Caffe La Corte and enjoy their homemade dishes of the day.
- GELATO: Afternoon Treat calls for finding the best gelato in Pistoia. I would recommend Taba Dolce or Gelateria Artigianale Cipriani Pistoia (vegan options too!)
- DINNER IN PISTOIA: For a local authentic Italian experience, we love Locanda del Capitano. (Make sure to make a dinner reservation.) If you prefer an easy pizza dinner, try Osteria Fratelli!
Day Trips in Tuscany from Pistoia
There are many day trips in Tuscany that you can easily do from Pistoia. Endless towns and villages to visit by train or car. Here are a couple more unique day trip experiences in Tuscany.
🍷 La Pia Organic Farm & Winery
Shout out to my friend who found this farm outside of Florence. She told me that when she was there, all she could think about was how much I would love it. Needless to say, I had to go!
Not the easiest place to get to, but worth it. Taxis or car rental is really the only way to get there. Although we did meet a family who biked from Florence.
We arrived, greeted by Marta and her son, who were both fabulous and passionate about their farm. They walked us around and told us the history of the farm and showed us the artifacts they found from WWII. We then sat down to enjoy their delicious food, olive oil, wine, and homemade gelato!
🌲 Ponte Sospeso di San Marcello Pistoiese : Suspension Bridge
You’ll need a car to get here. Drive about 45 minutes north of Pistoia and you are in the mountains with cool fresh air. The bridge itself is super cool and just a fun bridge to cross.
We didn’t find much hiking on either end of the bridge. However, we did spot a couple of hiking trails on our drive from Pistoia that you could stop off at for hiking along the way.
💦 Molino del Pallone River Swim
The train from Pistoia, Italy opens new routes into the mountains during the summer months. One of these routes is to Molino del Pallone, about a 45-minute train ride from Pistoia. The train ride itself is slower and picturesque through the mountains.
There is a river right off of the stop at Molino del Pallone where you can enjoy the fresh cool mountain air and go for a swim. It makes for a really easy relaxing day trip from Pistoia.
What makes this trip so nice is how convenient the river is from the train station. Literally a 3-minute walk. When you arrive at Molino del Pallone train station, walk out and then take a right down this little street.
You’ll arrive at the river within a couple of minutes and see a little shack on the right (which looks like it may be open for food and drinks at certain times during the season but I’m not sure of this). You may see some people gathered and sunbathing just beyond the shack.
However, continue another 150 meters and you’ll find a spot at the river where you can easily dip in for a cold swim. We were the only ones at this spot and it was really relaxing and fun. The water is COLD but there is nothing quite like a good cold plunge to make you feel rejuvenated. It’s also quite nice on a hot summer day.
TIP: There aren’t many trains, so plan roundtrip accordingly. Also, we didn’t see one single shop open in town when we went on a Sunday, so make sure you pack enough food and drinks.
✨ Spider Park
A treetop course park that is about a 30-minute drive from Pistoia and a fun activity to do with kids.
➰ Adventure Park II Gigante
Friends of ours went to this rope course and loved it. This adventure rope course park is located closer to Florence, about a 45-minute drive from Pistoia.
You can find many more Tuscany Day Trip Ideas coming soon!!
Shopping in Pistoia
Grocery
There are actually quite a few grocery stores to choose from around town. Esselunga is the largest one that is closest to town, followed by Conad. Both have an okay Bio (organic) selection.
I can’t say that I found my perfect go-to grocery store in Pistoia. Although, I’m sure I would have frequented NaturaSi more often if it was easier to walk to.
🛒 Le Cotte In Citta
Le Cotte In Citta is located right in the heart of the historic center. It’s a little organic shop that carries some good packaged items but doesn’t have a big selection.
🛒 NaturaSi
NaturaSi is a larger organic grocery store with a great selection of healthy and bio products. It was too far to make it an easy grocery store stop. However, it is possible to order delivery from NaturaSi’s Florence store.
🛒 SaladelGusto
SaladelGusto is a locally owned little store in the heart of the historic center in Piazza della Sala. The two ladies (who I assume own the store) are just lovely.
We stop here at least once a week to pick up some fruits, veggies, yogurt, salad, and some prepared food. They also have big barrels of pour-your-own bottles of wine for only 2 Euros.
🛒 Podere Monaverde Organic Farm Store
This lovely little side-of-the-road farm store carries quite a variety of local products. It is about a 10 minute drive from the Pistoia city center. You can find cheeses, meats, yogurt, craft beer, wine, bread, pastries, olives, jam, honey, specialty items and more. It’s a fun little stop if you have a car!
Gift Shops
🛍️ Radici Italiane
Fantastic place for hand-picked, small-production regional products from all the various regions of Italy. Wine, Olive Oil, Grappa, Pasta, Sauces, Biscotti, and so much more!
🛍️ I Giardini di Marzo Erboristeria
They have a wonderful selection of more natural personal care products. I purchased many of my haircare, personal care, and baby products from the lovely owners.
Toy Store
🛍️ Citta del Sole
This is a wonderful little toy store in Pistoia with quality and innovative toys.
Look, I’m not much of a toy person. There is a lot of junk out there and we are full-time travelers with little space in our suitcases. But, the toys at this store are such high quality and unique that I actually enjoyed going in and picking out a few things a few times!
Wellness: Spas, Gyms, Pools
I was pleasantly surprised to find some good wellness options around Pistoia. There are a couple of great pilates studios in Pistoia, gyms and a pool. I didn’t find a yoga studio as I had hoped for. However, GreenFit offered yoga classes and the worldschooling program had yoga twice a week!
🏊 Pool: Acquarama
This is a popular pool and gym, which also offers swim lessons for kids.
🏋️ GreenFit
This is the gym that I went to often. It was the closest to the historic center of Pistoia, was clean, large, had lots of natural light, and offered a variety of classes.
🧖♀️ Asmana Wellness Center
A MUST!!! Truly, make the time for a visit to Asmana Wellness World Spa. It is about a 30-minute drive from Pistoia, close to Florence. This Tuscany spa is like nothing I’ve ever been to before.
It is a massive wellness complex with pools, saunas, relaxation rooms, meditation rooms, napping rooms, Hammans, juice bar, cafe, massages, spa treatments, and so much more. They even had a room with hay from the Alps that has a lot of healing properties.
How much does it cost to go to Asmana Wellness?
You could spend a whole day there and not have enough time for everything. And it is not expensive! For daytime hours, the cost is €28 for 3 hours, €34 for 5 hours and € 43 for the day. This includes access to all the spa rituals, pools, saunas, Hammons, cold plunge, lazy river, meditation rooms, etc. This includes a locker as well. Extras would be food, drinks, towels, robes, etc.
Note that you do need to have flip flops, a towel & robe, though you can rent them. You’ll also need to bring a swimsuit and spf stuff if you plan to spend time outside.
What to Expect at Asmana Spa
I was lucky to go with a friend who had been to Asmana many times before and knew the lay of the land. We started in the grotto, then into the outdoor pools and lazy river before heading back inside to the Indian Sauna, followed by an outdoor cold plunge (not really that cold). We then went to a Hamman Salt Ritual, a relaxation napping room, grabbed a green juice and snack before going into the wine sauna, a quick dip in another cold plunge, a waterfall sauna and then the Hawaiian Ritual sauna!!
TIP: When you arrive, there will be a schedule posted on the screen outside of the changing rooms. Take note of the ritual times – these are really cool and included!
For the Rituals, you line up outside of the location/room where it will take place. A staff member will then describe what will happen. You can ask them to describe it in English too. (Note, this is not a tourist attraction as much as it is a wellness center for locals.) Each ritual takes about 10-15 minutes.
We did two rituals. For the Hamman Salt Ritual, we went into the large steam hamman where they had essential oils, and then gave everyone salts to scrub their bodies. Your skin will feel amazing afterward. The other ritual we did was the Hawaiian Ritual in one of the saunas had lively Hawaiian music with the lady performing the ritual doing a dance to spread the aroma of the essential oils, along with a spray of lavender on each person.
It was just an overall amazingly relaxing day. I’m a spa girl. I’ve been to more spas than I can count around the world. Asmana is really unique in so many ways.
Note before you go to Asmana
Apparently the mornings and daytime are really relaxing and spa-like atmosphere. However, the late evenings & nights can be really lively and a party-like atmosphere. Plan according to what you’d like to experience!
Visiting Italy FAQs
Here are a couple of key things to note when visiting Italy, and in particular Pistoia!
How to get around Pistoia?
You can arrive to Pistoia via train or car. From the train station, it is an easy flat 15-minute walk to the historic center. Everything is quite walkable from the historic center. There are also buses that can bring you around Pistoia.
However, if you plan to stay in a villa or visit other Tuscan towns that aren’t on the train line, you may want to rent a car.
🚗 Renting a Car in Pistoia
You can rent a car in Florence and drive to Pistoia. This is helpful if you plan to stay at a villa or plan to take day trips from Pistoia via a car instead of train.
It is quite hard to rent a car in Pistoia. Mainly because the car rental places aren’t open on Saturday or Sunday.
Therefore, if you want to rent on the weekend, you need to rent Friday through Monday. With that being said, it’s also not that difficult. We rented cars for many long weekends in Pistoia to drive out to some of the smaller Tuscan villages and places not reachable by train.
From what we were told, when parking in Pistoia note that white lines are free, blue lines are payable, and yellow lines are for residents only (you need a permit for yellow).
💡NOTE: You are NOT ALLOWED to drive a rental car into any historic centers of any Italian town. You also need to be aware of which areas you are allowed to park in and which you aren’t.
Should you travel to Pistoia?
The short answer is Yes, but here are the pros and cons about Pistoia to help with your decision!
What We Love About Pistoia
👍 It has a great local vibe with a lot fewer tourists (= less crowded) than Florence and Lucca.
👍 The train station in Pistoia is a quick 10-minute walk from the historic center. This makes it easy to travel around Italy and beyond.
👍 There are lots of restaurants, shops, grocery, gyms, and amenities that you can’t always find in the small villages.
What we don’t like about Pistoia
👎 Renting a car—see above!
👎 Smoking. There is just a lot of it. Everywhere in Italy, not just Pistoia. The worst is when you are trying to enjoy a lovely cafe and all you smell is smoke. However, I’ve also asked a time or two for people to move while we were eating with our baby and they were more than willing!
👎 Mosquitos. This is really all of Tuscany actually. Luckily, we remembered the mosquitos surprising us the last time we were in Tuscany. So, we were prepared this time with this Mosquito Net and The Bug Thing!
It’s just not a place you expect to find mosquitos—even when it is cold outside. So be prepared!
Conclusion: Should I visit Pistoia, Italy?
Yes, visit Pistoia, Italy. Enjoy all the things to do in Pistoia that make it more attractive than some of the popular tourist destinations.
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About the Author
Michelle Schomp is the co-founder and main writer of Passport Explorers.
She loves to explore new places together with her husband and three kids. And as they travel the world and gain new experiences, she loves to share everything she’s learned with all of you!
You can find more of her and her family’s adventures on YouTube.