Pistoia or Prato
 

Need help with a 3* hotel in the old part of either city. Also a nice place to have dinner. Thanks

Hi, Really need any help Thanks

ttt

Myra - The APT websites for both towns have hotel links:

http://prato.toscanaeturismo.net/

http://www.turismo.toscana.it/ius/ns-turismo/

Hope this helps ...

Steve

On the web sites the hotels all look ok. What I really would like is someone who has stayed there. Thanks

Still need help Thanks

Myra - Pistoia and Prato aren't on the general tourist trail, so you're not very likely to get recommendations from personal experience here ...

Steve

I live in Pistoia and can recommend Hotel Patria. I'm sorry but I don't know the hotels in Prato well.

Myra

I've also asked about these towns in the past and didn't get much feedback. I agree with Steve that since they are off the beaten tourist trail, there isn't much written about either.

Try tripadvisor.com for actual reports from hotel guests. Good luck.

Pistoia is a lovely town! It's true that we don't see many tourists here...although I kind of like that. (When I have to go to Florence to do errands sometimes, it's a nightmare making my way through the crowds and being hasseled by the street vendors.)

If anyone would like info on Pistoia, I am here to help! :) A visit to the Pistoia area is worth it just to dine at La Cugna up in the hills...it's my all-time favorite restaurant. (And I've eaten at loads of restaurants in the Tuscany area!) And no, I am not in the tourism industry trying to plug this restaurant or Pistoia, I am an American elementary school teacher working at an international school in tuscany.

Hello, Amy
Glad I found your post. I am planning to spend about 3 weeks in Italy in June/July 2007. Found a nice little place over the bakery in Pistoia. It sounded good.

Would like to talk to you about staying this long in Pistoia. We would take side trips. Can we rent a car there? How do we get from the train station to the center of town, etc, etc.

I just want to "be an Italian" for several weeks.

Hope to hear from you
Nanzz

When you're staying in Prato or Pistoia,if you like spa treatments, it a very short (15 mins) train ride to Montecatini Terme.

You should post this question in the http://www.slowtalk.com/ forum. Alice, one of the regular contributors knows the area very well and she will probably be able to help you.

As far as the city choice is concerned I would definitely go with Pistoia.
Gloria

hi, I leave next week for a month in prato. Have been booked into the Hotel Flora I can let you know what it is like. I plan to speak only italian for the month as it is away from main tourist areas.

hi Margaret thanks for the tip to visit spa at montecatini I will try it out

Hi Nanzz,

Sorry, I haven't been on Fodor's for a while and just saw your message.

The train station is basically in the center of Pistoia. So it's easy to catch a train and go to Florence, Lucca, Montecatini Terme, or Pisa for the day.

It would be a good idea to have a car to drive out in the surrounding countryside (especially chianti) or to drive to the many yummy restaurants in the hills around Pistoia, Montecatini, and Florence for dinner.

Let me know if I can help.

Amy