Nice day in Montecatini Terme

The next city on the train from Pistoia towards Lucca is Montecatini Terme, a spa town.  We wanted to check it out.  We learned that the official season goes from May through October.  The tip we got is that Italians like to go in September, otherwise it is quiet during the week even during the season. 

There are about nine termes (thermal baths) that offer a plethora of treatments, one is open year round.  Judging by the state of some of them, I don't see how they'll be all open by May.  There are a few hundred hotels of different comfort levels.  I estimate maybe a quarter of them were open.  We had considered basing ourselves in Montecatini because of attractive hotel rates.  In fact, we talked to an American whose tour is based here, going to Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, etc. during the day!

We had our first warm-ish day, enjoyed looking for Art Nouveau buildings around town, and walked to Montecatini Alto, the upper medieval town.  In the end, we didn't walk as much as we had planned, we dawdled in the nice weather instead of marching.

It's going to be a beautiful day as we wait at the Pistoia Train Station for our train west (about 15 mins) to Montecatini Terme.


Montecatini has over 100 hotels and spas, plus 9 thermal baths.


We hit the very helpful and friendly TI and get a small booklet of all the Liberty (Art Nouveau) buildings in Tuscany. Wow! Perfect as there are 20 in Montecatini. Some are hotels, some are termes (thermal baths). Let's get started, beginning at the town square.








This small pavilion with bas reliefs caught our eye.






Terme Excelsior.


Terme Tettuccio can be "toured"; but in March (out of season) only on weekends. Bummer. It's splendid. It opens for "bathing" in May.






Terme and Hotel Torretta is under repair.


The termes are connected to each other and city center by several long tree-lined boulevards and parks. Perfect for strolling.


There is a funicular that connects Montecatini Terme with Montecatini Alto. We decide to walk up on a trail that parallels the tracks.


We can see Montecatini Alto above us.


Here comes the funicular.




The walk up is on a recently graded dirt road with good signage.




Great views from the top.




From the southern end of Monte Alto there is a view towards the Fucecchio Wetlands which we'll have to visit on our next trip to Italy.


And a view to the nearby town of Monsummano Terme. There is a comfortable bench at this viewpoint. We soak up the view and the sun and can hardly tear ourselves away.


And a view west - a splendid panorama. It's hazy today.


And looking back to Monte Alto city center where it's lunch time in the Piazza.




The old cinema.


The church interior.


Walking back down, we take a trail that starts a the nearby Convent.






The trail heads down among olive groves and grass, and soon becomes a stone road.








Back in town we check out the City Hall interior.






And the Terme Administration building.


And the Grand Hotel.




Hmmmm.

At home in Pistoia

Before this trip we had never heard of Pistoia, couldn't even find it in our Lonely Planet Italy book.  It is right on the train line between Florence and Lucca.  We made it our home base for exploring Northern Tuscany and it was a good pick. 

The way John puts it - there are two Italies, the First Italy where tourists outnumber Italians, the Second where Italians outnumber tourists.  Pistoia is a very good example of the Second Italy.  The historic center is mostly pedestrian, a steady stream of locals going to and fro on their quotidian routes.

To get from Volterra to Pistoia, we take a bus to Pontedera, then a train to Florence, then a train to Pistoia. Here is shot from Firenze Rifredi Station, the closest we will get to Florence (First Italy) on this trip.


Our first impressions of Pistoia are the Fiat 500 Club meeting, the stairwell railing in our apartment building, and the bike lane on the way to the Esselunga Supermarket.






The Presto Speza guns at the supermarket were very cool. You use the guns to scan/buy items directly into your digital cart. There are random "re-reading the cart" checks when you pay. Pretty cool. Note that we did NOT use the guns. Maybe I'll see this at Harris Teeter when we get back to Raleigh. ;-)


The streets are lively in the evenings between 5 and 7pm.




It's the Saturday evening before Palm Sunday. There's an informal procession to the Duomo and then a Mass to bless olive branches.






Our apartment is those three windows on the top floor.


Every evening we head out for the passeggiata.




And check out churches that may be open.


It seems we always end up passing the Duomo and its baptistry and campanile.








City Hall is adjacent to the Duomo


Pistoia is also home of the La Visitazione by Luca della Robbia. Sublime. Now displayed in a deconsecrated church.




And there are three 13th century carved pulpits. Here's one.


And this 16th century terracotta frieze.


Pistoia was a prosperous town in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so in addition to the Medieval and Renaissance art, there are more than several Art Nouveau buildings like this galeria.


And lamp posts.


And this abandoned factory facade.


And more.