Prato

Prato is a city and comune in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. Historically, Prato's economy has been based on the textile industry. The renowned Datini archives are a significant collection of late medieval documents produced between 1363 and 1410. The Textile Museum also reflects this history.

Prato is also a centre of the slow food movement, with many local specialities, including cantucci, a type of biscotti, sold by local speciality bakers. Since the late 1950s, the city has experienced significant immigration, firstly from southern Italy, then from other nationalities, the most notable being a large Chinese community which first arrived in the late 1980s. With more than 180,000 inhabitants, Prato is Tuscany's second largest city and the third largest in Central Italy, after Rome and Florence.

The nearest airport is Florence, however very few flights arrive in Florence. The largest nearby airport is Pisa's which many airlines serve. Getting to Prato can be tricky as the nearest large destination for most coach and train trips is Florence. Driving in Italy is not for the faint-of-heart and Prato is no exception especially in the old center of the city where the city walls, narrow streets, and ubiquitous pedestrian zones make navigating and parking particularly difficult.