This medieval Tuscan town centers around its pink-and-white marble Duomo Cathedral. Local artisans still practice traditional textile crafts, while restaurants serve regional specialties.
Prato, 13 kilometers northwest of Florence, is Italy's primary textile manufacturing center and Tuscany's second-largest city. Walk through medieval streets to find artisans still working traditional looms, see Filippo Lippi's vivid frescoes in the striped marble Cathedral, and explore Italy's only Swabian castle with its eight original towers. At the Pecci Center, you'll find cutting-edge art installations in a circular modernist building designed by Maurice Nio.
Getting to Prato
Trains run every 30 minutes from Florence's Santa Maria Novella station to Prato Centrale, taking 20 minutes. If you're driving, take the A11 motorway connecting Florence and Pistoia, with exits at Prato Est and Prato Ovest.
Cathedral of Santo Stefano
The Cathedral's green and white marble stripes stand out in Piazza del Duomo. Step inside to see Filippo Lippi's frescoes covering the chapel walls, depicting the lives of Saint Stephen and John the Baptist in rich detail. On the exterior, look for Donatello and Michelozzo's marble pulpit, where priests display the Sacred Girdle - said to be the Virgin Mary's belt - five times annually.
Emperor's Castle and Medieval Center
Walk along the stone walls of the Emperor's Castle, built between 1237 and 1248, and climb its eight towers for views across Prato's medieval rooftops. The surrounding streets contain 13th-century tower houses and the red-brick Palazzo Pretorio, now an art gallery displaying works from local artists. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-19:00.
Contemporary Art and Textile Production
The Luigi Pecci Center's circular building contains rotating exhibitions of international artists, with installations ranging from video art to large-scale sculptures. The center's permanent collection includes 1,000 works from the 1950s to present day. In the Textile Museum, located in a restored factory building, you can see fabric samples spanning 15 centuries and watch demonstrations of traditional weaving techniques.
Local Food Specialties
Try Prato's unsalted bread with Mortadella di Prato IGP, a local cured meat flavored with spices and alchermes liqueur. Local bakeries make cantuccini (crisp almond biscuits) and pesche di Prato - peach-shaped cookies with custard cream filling. Many bakeries offer tastings and demonstrations of traditional baking methods.
Cultural Events
Watch experimental theater performances during the contemporanea festival each May. On September 8th, join locals for the Corteggio Storico, when hundreds of participants in historical costumes parade through the streets celebrating the Sacred Girdle tradition.
Surrounding Area
Visit the Medici Villa in Poggio a Caiano to see its Renaissance loggia and rooms decorated with 16th-century frescoes. Take a walk through the Cascine di Tavola park or follow the marked trails along the Bisenzio river. The nearby hills produce Carmignano DOCG wines, and local vineyards welcome visitors for tastings.
