The Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia.
The zoo in Pistoia, near Florence (30 minutes away), is one of the largest in Italy and one of the oldest – it has been in existence for fifty years.
When the zoo first opened its doors to the public, people came here to see rare exotic animals. At the time, there were no documentaries or magazines about the planet’s biodiversity, and education was the main goal of the zoo’s founder, Raffaello Galardini.
Today, the Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia is a place where you can easily spend an entire day. And even at night, as night tours are also part of the programme of activities offered to visitors.
The zoo covers an area of more than 70,000 square metres and is constantly expanding. It is home to 400 species of animals, including some very rare and exotic ones.
An important principle of the zoo is that no wild animals are captured in their natural habitat. All animals are born in captivity and the staff makes every effort to create the best possible conditions for them.
The Pistoia Zoo is especially interesting for the youngest visitors. Many of the enclosures have themed attractions for them, such as going inside an animal’s burrow. In other cases, children can use a special small tunnel that leads them to a viewing window that allows them to observe the animals at close range. Adults usually can’t follow them – the tunnels are narrow.
Every weekend the zoo holds all sorts of events that will be of interest to children and adults alike.
You can pick up a programme at the entrance and participate in any of them for free. These include animal feeding demonstrations, lectures, education on care and even information on choosing the right pet for your family.
One of the aims of these lectures is to stop the capture and smuggling of animals in their natural habitats.
The zoo also offers an opportunity to learn how to photograph animals by attending a masterclass from an experienced animal photographer.
Night tours are held during the summer. They provide a unique opportunity to observe the behaviour of lynx, tigers and other animals that are active mostly at night.
Open all days
