PISTOIA Culture Capital of Italy 2017

Pistoia, a new venue in Tuscany

Founded by the Romans, Pistoia is one of the provincial capitals of Tuscany, situated on the edge of the Apennines near the river Ombrone. This ancient city was founded in the second century BC by the Romans and was called Pistoriae. In the twelfth century it became a free council and a powerful military and commercial centre. In the fourteenth century, however, it lost its importance, submitting to the rule of Florence and Lucca. In the sixteenth century, Pope Clement VII founded the Grand Duchy of Pistoia, ruled by the Medici family, which was later annexed to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

Pistoia is one of the newest innovations of recent years in the Tuscan tourist landscape. After the more famous Florence and Siena, Pistoia, together with other attractions in the area, such as Lucca (30km from Pistoia), have been rising for some time now in the enjoyment index of Italian tourists who want to discover the wonders of Tuscany.

Pistoia stands out as a strategic starting point for the discovery of the pearls of Tuscany to be found just a few miles away, such as the artistic cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca. The sea, with the famous Versilia, the mountains, and the beauty of Abetone, are all less than an hour away by car.