Prato
Prato is a city of art and industry in the heart of Tuscany, the region's third largest by population
Updated 19 July 2026
This season · July · Summer
What to do in Prato now
The story
The story of Prato
The city of textiles
Prato owes much of its history and wealth to the textile industry, an activity rooted in the Middle Ages that still makes the city one of Europe's largest manufacturing districts. As early as the fourteenth century the merchant Francesco Datini, inventor of the bill of exchange and a key figure in European economic history, ran an international trading network from here. This productive, world-facing vocation has made Prato a dynamic, multicultural city, where the artisan legacy coexists with contemporary research and a population of many origins.
The Cathedral and its masterpieces
The city's spiritual heart is the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, famous for the unmistakable Pulpit of the Holy Girdle, an external work by Donatello and Michelozzo from which the relic of Mary's Holy Girdle is shown to the faithful. Inside, the Main Chapel holds one of the greatest fresco cycles of the Renaissance, painted by Filippo Lippi with the stories of Saint Stephen and Saint John the Baptist. The Cathedral Museum and the many churches complete an artistic heritage that often surprises those who do not know the city.
The Emperor's Castle
An unusual symbol for Tuscany is the Castello dell'Imperatore, an imposing fortress built in the thirteenth century by Frederick II of Swabia along the route linking Germany to the south of his empire. With its square plan and battlemented walls, it is the only example of Swabian-Frederician architecture in central-northern Italy and recalls the emperor's Apulian castles. Open to visitors today, it offers fine views over the city from its walkways and hosts events and exhibitions, testifying to the strategic role Prato held in the Middle Ages.
Museums and contemporary art
True to its dual soul, Prato pairs ancient art with a lively contemporary scene. The Textile Museum tells the thousand-year history of wool and fabric processing, while the Luigi Pecci Centre for Contemporary Art, the first museum in Italy built specifically for the art of our time, hosts internationally significant exhibitions in its futuristic architecture. Strolling through the streets of the centre, among historic palaces, squares and cafés, you discover an authentic, human-scale city still far from the great tourist flows.
Prato's flavours and traditions
Prato's confectionery tradition is famous worldwide thanks to cantucci, the almond biscuits to be enjoyed with Vin Santo, made by the city's historic bakeries. Among the savoury specialities are mortadella di Prato, a cured sausage scented with alkermes, and stuffed celery Prato-style. The city thrives on a genuine gastronomy that reflects its mercantile and popular history. Well connected to Florence and Pistoia, Prato is an ideal stop for those wishing to discover a lesser-known but surprising Tuscany.
Not to be missed
- The Cathedral with Donatello's Pulpit of the Holy Girdle
- Filippo Lippi's frescoes in the Main Chapel
- The Emperor's Castle of Frederick II
- The Textile Museum and the Pecci contemporary art centre
- Cantucci with Vin Santo in the historic bakeries
To see
What to see in Prato
Routes · Trovido Route
Routes in Prato
Jobs · JobFlow
