Abetone is the most important winter ski resort in the centre of Italy , it is known and appreciated all over the world not only for the beauty and testing feature of its slopes, but also for great champions such as Zeno Colo, Celina Seghi and Vittorio Chierroni who have taken its name to the heights of fame.
Efficient ski-lift systems and a vast range of accomodation are found in Abetone, Cutigliano, San Marcello Pistoiese and Maresca. The State forest , thick with firs, larches and cluster pines, with many avenues and trails, make the area an excellent place for summer holidays too. The nobility of Pistoia is due to the monuments and works of art with which the town adorned itself in the communal period and in the Renaissance.
The old part of the town is extremely interesting for the Cathedral (where the precious altar frontal of St. james is kept), the Baptistery, the great bell tower, the town hall and the church of St. giovanni Fuoricivitas (sculptures by Giovanni Pisano and polyptych by Taddeo Gaddi). The famous pulpit by Giovanni Pisano is kept in the church of St. andrea. A few kilometers outside the town, the visitor will find the zoowhich is set in a pinewood at the foot of a small hill.
