The monuments of Pistoia

That of the Cathedral is the main square, around which the most important buildings overlook: the Town Hall, the Cathedral of San Zeno, the Palazzo dei Vescovi, the Baptistery and the bell tower. To understand where you are, we recommend climbing the 200 steps of the bell tower: from up there you can admire the whole city from above.

Piazza del Duomo

The cathedral is a beautiful architectural mix: built mainly in the Pisan Romanesque style, it also includes Renaissance, Baroque, sixteenth and nineteenth-century elements. The most valuable piece that can be admired inside is a silver altar from the ancient chapel dedicated to Santo Jacopo. patron of Pistoia. The Palazzo degli Anziani is the seat of the Town Hall, but it also houses the Civic Museum, the first museum in the city, and the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte is considered among the greatest expressions of Tuscan Gothic.

The museums of Pistoia

For those who are passionate about art, Pistoia will find something for their teeth. Not for nothing, in 2017 it was the Italian Capital of Culture. There are several museums of the Pistoia Musei Foundation that offer a rich program of initiatives including exhibitions, conferences, educational activities, workshops for adults and events, such as the “Art happy hour”. Among these are Palazzo Buontalenti, Palazzo de ‘Rossi and Palazzo dei Vescovi.

The “Tuscan Chocolate Valley”

And for the sweet tooth, Pistoia is located within what is called the “chocolate valley”, an area that includes the Tuscan territory between Pisa, Pistoia and Prato. This valley of chocolate has become famous in recent years for the development of numerous high-quality chocolate industries and for the establishment of some artisans capable of making excellent cocoa and chocolate-based products, which have become famous throughout the world.

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Castagnaccio, a VIP among Tuscan desserts

Castagnaccio is one of the best known traditional Tuscan sweets. It was once considered a real street food, and its origins are presumed to date back to the 16th century. A legend about the famous chestnut cake It is said that Castagnaccio is also the keeper of a legend. In fact, it is said that the rosemary needles present inside are actually a filter of love. Anyone who eats a slice of chestnut, offered by the hands of a girl, will fall in love with it instantly. You just have to try!

Ribollita or Zuppa di Cavolo

The best known Tuscan dish based on black cabbage is the satisfying and appreciated Ribollita. It is a Tuscan recipe, which perhaps represents the symbolic example of recycled cuisine of peasant origin, which is the basis of our regional culinary tradition. Just think that the ribollita, it is said, was a dish prepared on Friday, the day in which all the leftover vegetables of the week were cooked together, with stale bread (which we remember, it was at the time, baked once a week).

Porcini mushrooms

Mushroom lovers look forward to the arrival of autumn, to give free rein to their culinary creativity. In fact, these fruits of the undergrowth, in addition to giving the dishes an intense, particular and delicious taste, are a very versatile food rich in properties. The Tuscan recipes with mushrooms are so many and varied, although the undisputed protagonists are the porcini, the kings of the Tuscan woods. However, you will also be able to appreciate other types of mushrooms, often underestimated, but absolutely fragrant and tasty such as sloe and champignons. Also not to be overlooked are the ease and speed of preparing mushroom-based dishes. We can summarize that, with minimal effort, absolutely delicious dishes are created.

The cecìna or chickpea cake

You should know that it has been told since the dawn of time, of an eternal diatribe between two enchanting Tuscan cities: Pisa and Livorno. So geographically close to each other, they share the same sea and the same area. At the same time, deeply tied to their origins and traditions, so much so that they want to distinguish themselves from one another. The cecìna is such a source of pride for the city of Pisa, that it has requested the attribution of the DOP denomination. The origins of cecìna and chickpea cake go back to distant times, there are evidence of recipes already among the Greek and Latin population. As is well known in the Arab world, the use of chickpeas had been cleared for some time. It is assumed that during the Middle Ages, thanks to continuous contacts with the Maritime Republic of Pisa, the use of this legume was introduced in our territory.

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The Cinque Terre represent a set of breathtaking landscapes and villages, forged by nature and man. Every year, this territory attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, representing one of the most visited territories in our country.

We are located on the Riviera di Levante, in the province of La Spezia. The Cinque Terre, in reality, are five municipalities that, precisely on the Riviera, find their most natural location: Monterosso, Vernazza, Manarola, Riomaggiore and Corniglia.

In these places it seems that man, for once, has reversed his relationship of strength with nature, making himself almost a mockery of it. Overlooking the sea are the colorful houses of the five villages, which give a very striking and almost surreal chromatic effect. The scenery is comparable to that of a fairy tale, so much so that, in 1997, UNESCO declared the entire territory as a world heritage site.

The beaches of the Cinque Terre

The steep and rocky coast, characterized by bays and inlets, although not too extensive, offers very different beaches. One of the most characteristic is the Fegina beach, in Monterosso. In 2007 the American magazine Forbes was proclaimed one of the 25 sexiest beaches in the world. The beach is characterized by the “giant” of Punta Mesco, a large sculpture in reinforced concrete that depicts Neptune, and the two picturesque stacks. It is one of the few sandy beaches in the area and is the ideal place for families with children.

Another historic beach is that of Guvano, in Corniglia, famous for being a destination for naturists from all over the world: especially in the 70s, hippies and nudists chose this place to live in perfect harmony with nature. The area today is difficult to reach and is subject to landslides and landslides. However, it remains one of the most beautiful and evocative beaches of the Cinque Terre.

Another place to spend absolute moments of relaxation immersed in the wild nature of the coast is Riomaggiore beach, very close to the pier of the town. It is a beach language composed exclusively of pebbles, set between the sea and the mountain above. It is sheltered from the wind and generally not very crowded.

The main activities to be carried out in the Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre represent a territory of a unique natural and scenic beauty of its kind. Thanks to the characteristics of the territory, the Cinque Terre offer visitors the opportunity to practice many sports activities, in direct contact with nature. In particular, sports lovers will be spoiled for choice, starting for example from Levanto, which is the gateway to the Cinque Terre: here, every year, in spring and summer, hundreds of surfers gather in search of the perfect wave. To many it will seem strange that you talk about surfing in an area like this, but the strong wind that characterizes the Cinque Terre creates the perfect conditions for surfing.
Also, you can admire the beautiful underwater scenery by practicing scuba diving or snorkeling.

Typical products of the Cinque Terre

What’s better, after so much sporting activity, than a tasty dinner based on typical products of the Cinque Terre? Even from the culinary point of view, in fact, this territory does not disappoint anyone, not even the most demanding palates.

Like every Italian geographical area, even this corner of paradise in Liguria can boast top-quality gastronomic delicacies such as anchovies in salt, among the typical dishes of the Cinque Terre for over 500 years. The same anchovies, then, are the main ingredient of other traditional dishes such as stuffed focaccia and the Corniolo sauce, which also includes tasty peppers.

To stimulate the palate, a good wine of the area is what it takes: one of these is the Sciacchetrà, made from raisin grapes and produced from terraced vineyards.

Among the desserts, highly recommended is the Stalin cake, a tart filled with fruit jam and dark chocolate. To end the meal, there is nothing better than a nice lemonita, a syrup prepared with lemons without peel.

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