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Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Pistoia
Spend a half‑day in Pistoia’s historic centre, then use the town as a base for a day‑trip to Montecatini Terme or the nearby Tuscan towns.
Pistoia is a compact Tuscan town about 40 km from both Florence and Lucca. Its medieval centre is walkable, with a cathedral, baptistery, market square and a free museum. One half‑day covers the main sights; a full day allows a spa visit or a short excursion to nearby attractions.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, some market closures)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–45 excl. bed · Mid €45–70 excl. bed · High €70+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €1–2 |
| Panino or focaccia | €3–5 |
| Bottle of local wine | €5–10 |
| Regional train ticket | €4–7 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FLR · Florence Airport, Peretola
- Regional flights; about 45 km (28 mi) by train to PistoiaRegional flights; about 28 mi (45 km) by train to Pistoia
Typical fares
- Pistoia ↔ Montecatini Terme (regional)
- about €8 return (check)
- Pistoia ↔ Florence (regional)
- about €12 one‑way (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is pedestrian‑only. Use the main Pistoia railway station (East‑West line) for regional trips; walk or bike within town.
See and do
Known for
- Cathedral of San Zeno
- Baptistery of San Giovanni
- Piazza della Sala market
- Marino Marini Museum
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Montecatini Terme | Regional train from Pistoia station, about 15 min | ≈30 min total |
| Monsummano Terme | Regional train, about 20 min | ≈40 min total |
| Florence | Regional train, 35 km (22 mi), ~45 minRegional train, 22 mi (35 km), ~45 min | ≈1 h |
| Lucca | Regional train, 42 km (26 mi), ~45 minRegional train, 26 mi (42 km), ~45 min | ≈1 h |
Sleep
- Hotel Villa Cappugi
- Central, close to the Duomo; good for short stays.
- Residence Arte Mura
- Near Viale Adua, convenient for train station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Scusiskoo-zee |
| Thank you | Graziegraht-see-eh |
| How much is it? | Quanto costa?kwan-toh koh-sta |
| Where is the bathroom? | Dove è il bagno?doh-veh eh eel bah-nyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Check train schedules for regional services; some may be limited on weekends.
- The museum is closed on Mondays; plan visits accordingly.
Pistoia is generally safe; petty theft is rare but keep an eye on belongings in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pistoia yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cathedral of San Zeno
- Baptistery of San Giovanni
- Piazza della Sala market
- Marino Marini Museum
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Pistoia: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Pistoia, revision 5036661 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5036661
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pistoia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.