New Year's Eve Pistoia

The Pistoia town becomes particulary charming during the Christmas and the New Year period, when in the old city centre streets you can breath a true Christmas atmosphere.
The city has very ancient origins, dating to the Roman period, precisely in the IInd century B.C..
Very important was the period of the Lombards domination, then in the XVth century, the city went under the Mediceo domain, other flourishing period in Pistoia, during which were built many of the palaces that embellished the city.
Today Pistoia has a very lively centre, where there are numerous successful initiatives, such as, for example, the Pistoia Blues festival, or the Opera Festival, both during the summer; or, another type, the event known as the Bear Joust, which is held on 25th July, to celebrate the patron of the city, namely Saint Jacopo.
We start the visit of the city from the Duomo (cathedral): in the same Duomo square there is a series of important historical buildings, as for example the cathedral, in Romanesque style, dedicated to Saint Zeno; and, adjacent to the cathedral, we can admire the bell tower, even this in the Romanesque style and 68 metres height.
In the same square we can visit the baptistery, 1300, in Gothic style.
Other important buildings are the former Vescovi Palace, and the Pretorio or Giustizia Palace, both in Gothic style.
Still, the Giano Palace or of the Municipal Palace.
If you are in Pistoia you cannot miss to visit the famous vegetables market, which is held in the Sala for centuries, decorated with a famous well, called "The Leoncino". Then, the city walls are still preserved, 1300, and they had four doors, destroyed around 1900: Porta Carratica, Porta al Borgo, Porta San Marco and Porta Lucchese.