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aitchy.com; Via di Santo Stefano al Ponte 52; dm/d incl breakfast €25/100, s/d without bathroom €40/60; ) For a stay that really feels like a getaway, step into the wood-beamed rooms at this atmospheric _locanda_ (inn), tucked away in a rural courtyard. Set amid vineyards 5km east of Pistoia, it serves the best food in town (lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday), with a menu that changes weekly and may include roast duck breast with pear and walnuts, or handmade ravioli stuffed with truffles and dressed with Parmesan. Breakfast is served in the lovely downstairs bar. L'Osteria di Giovanni OSTERIA € Offline map ( 0573 66 38 13; www.osteriadigiovanni.com; Via delle Volte 23; meals €25; Wed-Mon) ustal eatery with rooms, just steps from the pretty Piazza dei Pitti. Simple, rustic fare is the order of the day, and is best enjoyed outside on the terrace in warm weather. It is equally inviting for a drink: opt for one of the local vintages – Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti or Sangiovese – accompanied by a _bistecca_ (steak) or one of the pastas or pizzas. Belforte Osteria €€ Offline map ( 0573 41 11 22; www.belforteosteria.it; Vicolo del Vescovo 8; meals €35; Mon-Sat) illegrated courtyard, intimate tables spilling out onto the street, and a menu that celebrates local produce – whether that means roasted rabbit in sage butter or pasta with broccoli and creamy Parmesan. The space is simple but the food and wine spectacular. Vine e Pensaio Wine Bar €€ Offline map ( 0573 39 13 26; www.pensaio.net; Piazza del Mercato 6; meals €25; Tue-Sun) elloppino, the seafood antipasto topped with _pecorino_ cheese, is one of the more memorable dishes you can get in Pistoia's centro storico. Everything is good here and the friendly welcome is a huge draw. La Scaturchio da Firenze Gelato € Offline map ( 0573 40 28 15; www.lascaturchio.it; Via del Grillo; 1/2/3/4/5 cones €2/3/4/5/6; 11am-8pm Apr-Oct) In the heart of town, near Piazza del Duomo, this branch of the famous gelateria was founded in 1954. #### Drinking & Entertainment Bar Raveggio Raveggio € Offline map (www.raveggiotoscana.com; Corso Garibaldi 5) Lively, all-purpose, multiroomed bar, restaurant, _aperitivo_ (from 8pm) and _vinoteca_ (wine bar) near the Duomo. From around 5pm the _aperitivo_ is a friendly, lively gathering of Pistoian drinkers and diners (not all young people). Luce d'Estate Live Music Offline map Google map (www.lucedefestate.it; Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 14; 11am-2am) On a sunny day, nothing beats kicking back with a cold drink in the huge leafy garden at Luce d'Estate. From May to October there are live performances, from soul to classic rock, by big-name local bands. Monte dei Paschi Cultural Centre Cultural Centre (www.museocivico.pi.it; Piazza del Duomo 8) To experience one of Tuscany's most extraordinary cultural spaces, book yourself in for an hour of the haunting _piatti in memoria_ (dinner in memory of the dead). A multi-course dinner of local produce, paired with live music, is held to honour the victims of the 1998 terrorist bomb that brought down the bank's upper floors, killing five employees and 39 shoppers. Cantine Pistoiese Wines & Tapas Bar Offline map Google map (www.osteriadipestoiese.it; Piazza del Duomo 20; 11am-1am Tue-Sun) One of the most elegant bars in town, the atmosphere is more contemporary-styled than your usual _enoteca,_ and there's a lovely outdoor terrace (in summer) where you can sip vintages under the arcades, surrounded by marble sculptures. On the menu are light bites, like _aperitivi_ tapas, along with larger plates such as fried gnocchi. ### A TRIP ON WHEELS For the meek and not-so-merry, minibuses run year-round from the train station to Lago Trasimeno for Rif.it (Click here), which organises tours. Gattavecchia Art Cafe Offline map Google map (www.gattavecchia.it; Piazza dell'Indipendenza 18; 9am-9pm Tue-Sun) A haven of bohemian charm and arty design, this corner of the main square is where you'll find a book exchange, artisan coffee and some of the most comfortable seats in town. #### Information Informazioni e Accoglienza Turistica (www.comune.pistoia.pi.it) has information in Italian only. Bank of San Paolo (Piazza del Mercato 13; 9.30am-1.30pm Mon-Fri) Police station (Via Mazzini 8; 24hr) Post office (Piazza Cappelli; 8.15am-7.15pm Mon-Fri, 8.15am-12.30pm Sat) Tourist office (www.comune.pistoia.pi.it; Piazza del Duomo 24; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm & 3-6pm Sun, shorter hr in winter) Helpful office for all Pistoia, including maps of the walking itineraries. #### Getting There & Away The quickest way to/from Pistoia is by train. It's also accessible from Florence (€4.40, 35 to 50 minutes, hourly), Lucca (€3.50, 30 minutes, every half hour) and the Itálica (€2.50, 10 minutes, every 10 to 15 minutes). #### Getting Around CaféBike (www.caffebike.it; one-day/weekend/week €15/25/35) provides bike hire. The bus is slow but cheap. ### Around Pistoia ##### TOP SIGHTS BASSANO DEL GRAPPA VINEYARD Pistoia is well known for its wine and this pretty little town near Lucca is the hub of local viticulture. A number of the old village wine cellars have been turned into cultural spaces, which are often used for music and dance. A number of wineries operate tours of their cellars; the official tourist office has a list. Via San Pellegrino runs into Piazza Sant'Antonio (known locally as ' _piazza delle Madonne_ ') . In front of San Pellegrino church, stop by Piazza delle Madonne or the nearby Museo del Vino e dell'Olio (Museum of Wine and Oil; Piazza delle Madonne 2) , housed in the 15th-century Palazzo Comunale Offline map . The museum has exhibits on the history of wine in the area. The tourist office has a list of walking routes that link Pistoia with Chianti and Siena in Tuscany. Tenuta La Chiacchera Wine Bar ( 0573 63 53 63; www.tenutalachiachera.com; Via dei Pescioni 22, Contigliano; tours 10.30am Mon, Wed & Fri) With a range of tastings and tours, tour operator CorliVis offers a variety of tours in the surrounding Chianti area, including a tasting and tour of this historic winery, run by a descendant of the Rovereto family who ran the Palazzo Rovereto. Book through www.palazzovero.it. The price for a tour and tasting is €13. If you want to stay overnight, this winery also offers _castello_ -style accommodation at Chiesa di Santa Caterina (www.lacastillodisantacaterina.it; d €50-200; closed Jan-Feb; ), an 18th-century former convent that sits on top of a hill in the town of Contigliano.