Good morning from Pistoia. The city celebrates its patron saint today, while the wider local agenda includes new investment in school safety, institutional changes, a major debate over waste infrastructure, strong summer demand in the mountains and an unsettled weather outlook.
San Jacopo Day reaches its traditional climax. The candle procession is scheduled to leave Piazza San Francesco for Piazza del Duomo at 9:30 a.m., followed by Mass in the Cathedral of San Zeno at 11 a.m. The historical procession begins at 7 p.m., the horses are blessed at 8:30 p.m. and the Giostra dell’Orso starts in Piazza del Duomo at 9:15 p.m., bringing the four city districts together for Pistoia’s signature patronal contest. Sources: Comune di Pistoia and La Nazione – Pistoia.
Civic museums open free of charge. To mark the city holiday, the Museo Civico d’Arte Antica, Museo dello Spedale del Ceppo, Palazzo Fabroni and San Jacopo in Castellare offer free admission from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors can also see the exhibitions devoted to Giovanni da San Giovanni, Marino Marini and Mario Carnicelli; capacity limits apply at San Jacopo in Castellare. Source: Comune di Pistoia.
Roncalli school moves toward a major fire-safety upgrade. The municipality has opened the tender for work at the Angelo Roncalli middle school in Via delle Pentole. The €380,000 project is backed by €300,000 from Italy’s education-focused recovery funding and €80,000 from municipal resources. Bids are due through the regional Start platform by August 4. Source: Comune di Pistoia.
Pistoia begins creating an equal-opportunities commission. Councillor Elena Sinimberghi has started the institutional process for a consultative body focused on equal treatment, rights and social inclusion. The commission is expected to involve associations and civil society, develop data and policy guidance, and identify gaps in existing rules. The proposal must still pass through committee scrutiny and the City Council. Source: Report Pistoia.
Montale waste-to-energy plan intensifies the political debate. Local authorities are discussing an ATO Toscana Centro scenario for a renewed plant capable of treating up to 100,000 tonnes a year, compared with roughly 50,000 at the existing facility. Supporters present it as part of a regional waste solution, while opponents and regional opposition figures are demanding broader planning, environmental guarantees and clarity on local impacts. Sources: La Nazione – Pistoia and Report Pistoia.
Summer stays return strongly to Abetone. Tourism operators report renewed demand for longer mountain holidays, with visitor numbers estimated to be around 20% higher than last year. The search for cooler temperatures is supporting traditional multi-week stays as well as shorter breaks, reinforcing the Pistoia Apennines’ appeal during periods of intense heat in the cities. Source: La Nazione – Pistoia.
Possible Sunday storms before the heat returns. Forecasts indicate an uneven spell of rain and thunderstorms across Tuscany on Sunday, with rainfall totals likely to vary sharply from place to place. The respite may be brief: forecasters expect another hot phase from next week, with peak temperatures potentially reaching 38–40°C in parts of the region. Residents and visitors should continue checking local alerts. Source: Il Tirreno.
This original English briefing was compiled on July 25, 2026 after reviewing Report Pistoia, Il Tirreno – Pistoia, La Nazione – Pistoia/Montecatini and official Comune di Pistoia updates. Overlapping and previously covered stories were removed or materially updated.