Prato is a city and commune in Tuscany, Italy, the capital city of Province of Prato. The city lies 17 kilometres north-west of Florence, at the foot of Monte Retaia (768 metres, 2,520 ft), the last peak in the Calvana chain.

Population: Over 195,000 inhabitants, making Prato Tuscany’s second largest city (after Florence) and the third largest in Central Italy (after Rome and Florence).

Economy: Historically, Prato’s economy has been based on the textile industry. The renowned  Datini archives are a significant collection of late medieval documents concerning economic and trade history, produced between 1363 and 1410.

History: The city boasts important historical and artistic attractions, with a cultural span that started with the Etruscans and then expanded in the Middle Ages and reached its peak with the Renaisance, when artists such as Donatello, Filippo Lippi and Botticelli left their testimonies in the city. The famous cantucci, a type of biscuit invented in Prato during the Middle Ages, are still produced by local traditional bakers.