Shopping & Parking

In underrated Pistoia you can sometimes find shops as glamorous as those in Florence or Lucca. The main shopping area (embracing via Cavour, via Cino, via Ateo Vannucci and via Orafi) is an inviting place for browsing for clothes, shoes, leather and jewellery. 

The main square, the Piazza del Duomo, becomes a bustling market on Saturday and Wednesday. In addition, the daily fruit-and-vegetable market is next-door on car-free Piazza della Sala, set out around an old well. This market has been serving pistoiesi customers since the 11th century, with produce piled high on benches beneath shady canopies. At night the square is home to a number of lively bars. The street names leading off the square illustrate the trades and foodstuffs that sheltered under these canopies. Look out for Fabbri (blacksmiths) and `Caccio’ (cheese) and let your nose lead you to tempting bakeries and pastry shops.

Founded a century ago, this small but celebrated pastry shop still wows the sweet-toothed locals with traditional biscuits, pastries, chocolate, sugared almonds and cakes, including the Pistoian version of panforte. In particular, come for panforte glacé, also known as panforte pistoiese, a rich chocolate and candied fruit cake which was invented here. On request, you can even watch the cakes being made.


Address: Piazza San Francesco d’Assisi 42, 5100 Pistoia


Tel: 0573 20138

This is a long-established pastry shop which has been serving the sweet-toothed locals since 1948. Come for pastries of every sort, including festive Pistoian Easter treats or Carnival biscuits.

Address: Via Curatone e Montanaa 38, 5100 Pistoia


Tel: 0573 2312

For quality cookware and stylish kitchen gadgetry at decent prices come to this trusted, friendly, family-run Pistoia shop. The kitchenware and cutlery also make good presents.

Address: Viale Adua 67, 51100 Pistoia
Tel: 0573 1935744

Parking:
Pistoia provides easier parking options than do many Tuscan towns. In particular, it offers a `park and ride’ service, which lets you park in various car parks on the edge of town and then take the cheap city shuttle. The most convenient (paying) car park for the centre is Parcheggio Misericordia on via Nemoreto, reached from Piazza della Resistenza and via Ducceschi. From the car park, it’s a short stroll to the Centro Storico (historic centre). Also convenient is the (free) Parcheggio Cellini and the (paying) Parcheggio Lingottino.

Park and ride (by shuttle bus):

Parcheggio Cellini (free car park) is close enough to walk into the city centre (around 850 metres) and is convenient for Santa Barbara Fortress and the Piazza d’Armi park. If not walking, catch line "M-il Micco" between the car and the town centre, or take the inexpensive shuttle service (navetta).
Parcheggio Stadio is just over 1 km from the centre, with a shuttle bus (navetta) which whisks you into the city. Or take line 1 or "M-il Micco" between the town centre and the car.
Parcheggio Pertini is a good-value paying car park (open 8.30am-8pm) virtually in front of the train station and is most convenient should you be planning to do some rail journeys as well. Otherwise, it is usually pretty full and no closer to the centre than Parcheggio Stadio or Parcheggio Cellini.

Most Tuscan towns operate a strict ZTL system, a Limited Traffic Zone. This means that the Centro Storico (historic centre) is essentially closed to traffic, particularly for non-residents. Cars will need to be left outside the walls. Advice on ZTLs: You may see other cars crossing the ZTL boundary (Limited Traffic Zone) and assume you can proceed. Not so. The drivers crossing into the ZTL zone will probably be locals and have residents’ permits. Visitors do not so are liable to fines. Zones are monitored by cameras, so tickets are issued immediately and automatically, as soon as (and each time) the car crosses the ZTL boundary.

Getting there: Pistoia sits snugly at the foot of the Apennines on the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno. From Florence, it’s only a 40-minute drive (35 km); Pistoia is around 42 km from Lucca and 67 km from Pisa.

By car: take the A11 "Firenze-Mare" motorway and leave it at the Pistoia exit, then follow signs for “Pistoia centro”. This leads to the ring road (Raccordo Autostradale) from where you should take the “Viale Europa” exit towards one of the free car parks outside the centro storico, the historic centre.

By train:  Pistoia is on the Florence-Lucca-Viareggio line and well-connected. By train, Pistoia is around 45 minutes from Florence; 50 minutes from Pisa Central Station and Pisa Airport Station; 20 minutes from Prato; 45-60 minutes from Lucca; and around 50 minutes from Viareggio.