Happy Holidays from Pistoia!
Pistoia has spent all year celebrating their title for 2017: The Italian Cultural Capital, a special honor that recognized their cultural heritage and the rich artistic patrimony that is ever present in the city. But that doesn’t mean they have forgotten about the holidays! Though many activities have yet to be confirmed, here are some highlights that you should consider adding to your itinerary while in Pistoia this December and January.
Gliding into Christmas
A new addition to the holiday festivities in Pistoia this year include the opening in Piazza San Francesco of an ice skating rink. Starting on the 5th of December 2017, visitors of all ages can slip on a pair of skates and twirl around on the the ice in the middle of this central square. The rink will be open until the 7 of January - however, the word is if the weather stays crisp and cool it just may be open until the end of February!
Credit foto: archivio gonews.it
In addition to the large pine tree reigning in the Piazza del Duomo, the entire city center will be decorated and illuminated with warm colors and the perfumes of the holidays - chestnuts and more. The festive calendar for Pistoia has something happening everyday from exhibitions to theater shows, religious concerts to holiday music in the streets, Christmas markets and of course there will be several ideas and activities that will include the kids.
Art During the Holidays
In the prestigious church of Chiesa del Carmine you will find PresepiAmo open everyday with around 200 nativity scenes on display made from interesting objects - this is sure to capture the attention of all ages. The 3rd edition of this event will open its doors on December 3 and remain open until the 7th of January.
For this event, the museum is open to the public from Monday to Thursday from 10 til 2pm and Friday to Sunday from 10 to 6pm. It will even be open on Christmas day and New’s Years Day from 4pm till 7pm. The exhibition of this artwork goes until the 7th of January.
This year a spectacular display just in time for the holidays at the Civic Museum featuring the artist Anton Domenico Gabbiani and his piece “The Presentation at the Temple”.
The painting was originally placed in the Benedictine church of Santa Maria degli Angeli di Sala and was commissioned in 1709 but delivered only in August 1719.
This is just one of many great art shows open for the holidays. For more ideas, click here for Tuscany and in Florence.
Venturing Outside the City Walls
WIthin the province of Pistoia, at the thermal town of Montecatini, the Christmas program starts on the 8th of December to an already sold out concert by the Leoncavallo Academy. But no worries you are still in time for the Christmas Eve Concert at the Excelsior! The atmosphere will be even more exciting with the young talent: Ruggero Leoncavallo, featuring pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Schumann and Satie.
And, as tradition will have it, on Monday, January 1 at 11 am the new year will be greeted by the 14th edition of the New Year concert, with the flutist Arcadio Baracchi and pianists Angela Avanzati and Giuseppe Tavanti, who will perform a program featuring famous pieces by Verdi, Brahms, Bizet, Prokofiev, Rota.
New Year’s in Pistoia
On December 31st, Pistoia will say good-bye to 2017 with music and fun. The stage for these events will be at Piazza del Duomo starting with a musical concert, the details have yet to be published.
Top Photo credit: lavocedipistoia.com, last update: November 2017
