Spring weekend: two days of art, taste, and nature

Explore the medieval city, visit an international art exhibition, savor delicious local dishes, and immerse yourself in unspoiled nature: during the Easter weekend and the spring holidays in April and May, Pistoia offers the perfect opportunity to spend two days enjoying art, flavor, and nature—discovering the very best the city and its surroundings have to offer.

Day 1

Dedicate your morning to discovering the striped medieval churches, so named for using Carrara marble and Prato’s green marble, whose alternating patterns create striking visual effects. The journey begins in Piazza del Duomo, where you’ll find the Cathedral of San Zeno and the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte. Enter the Cathedral to discover, housed in the first chapel of the right nave, the Silver Altar of San Jacopo, a stunning piece of goldsmithing (1287-1456), and the Ghiberti reliquary, which contains a relic of San Jacopo (or James), the patron saint of pilgrims and the city. Don’t miss a visit to the Church of Sant’Andrea, to admire the pulpit by Giovanni Pisano (1298-1301), and to San Giovanni Fuorcivitas, which will surprise you with its bicolored side façade. It’s worth stepping inside and taking a moment to contemplate the Visitation by Luca della Robbia, a moving monochrome glazed terracotta sculpture.

For lunch, enjoy a break “on the Sala”, as the locals say. This area is home to several restaurants offering excellent traditional Tuscan cuisine. Be sure not to miss the maccheroni with duck, a typical dish of the Pistoia holiday tradition, always present on the table on July 25th, when the Patron Saint is celebrated. The star of this dish is the “mute” duck, typical of the area, used to prepare the ragù that is served with freshly hand-rolled maccheroni.

Spend a good portion of the afternoon visiting the Daniel Buren. Fare, Disfare, Rifare. Works in Situ and Situated 1968-2025 exhibition at Palazzo Buontalenti, one of the Pistoia Museums hubs. The exhibition offers a journey through the works of Daniel Buren, the renowned international artist, focusing on his connection with Italy and Tuscany. If you began your visit in Piazza del Duomo, you likely noticed the black-and-white striped curtains on the facade of the Old Bishop’s Palace: this installation, curated by Buren, is an integral part of the exhibition route.

For your aperitif and dinner, continue exploring the historic center and don’t be afraid to wander through the narrow maze of streets that reflect the city’s medieval past.

Day 2

On Easter Monday, it’s tradition to enjoy a day outdoors. Just a few kilometers from the center of Pistoia, the foothills of the Pistoia Mountains stretch out, and in the territories of Sambuca Pistoiese, Marliana, San Marcello Piteglio, and Abetone Cutigliano, the landscape increasingly takes on mountain characteristics, reaching altitudes of up to 2000 meters. In just a 30-minute drive from the city center, you’ll reach the Orsigna Valley, an oasis of peace and tranquility in the heart of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. It will be a pleasant experience to take a walk up to the “Albero con gli occhi” (Tree with Eyes), a picturesque meditation spot cherished by journalist Tiziano Terzani, who created his “little Tibet” in these very places.

Find out more

The museums of the area will take you on an intriguing journey through local history

Culture, taste, outdoors: all the Experiences