Pistoia and surroundings...

never crowded, but very interesting art city, with its Ospedale del Ceppo, an hospital founded in 1277, reference pont during the plague oin 1348, famous for its wonderful glazed terracotta reliefs on the façade...

...or even the wonderful, touching statues of the Visitation, representing Mary and Elizabeth, freestandig human size statues completely made of glazed terracotta by famous Renaissance sculptor Luca della Robbia...

...or the armonious Piazza Duomo

But in the surroundings of Pistoia there is an unexpected Villa, another property of the medici, in very bad confitions actually, but the garden is  fascinating and so is the Limonaia:

these are some of the hidden treasures. Pistoia deserves a visit, and it is easily reachable from Florence. We would be glad to share this with you!