The city of Prato lies in the centre of the plain stretching from Florence to Pistoia at the mouth of the Bisenzio river valley. The area had been inhabited since the Paleolithical age. It was colonized by the Romans (remains of they thipical agricultural divisions and rural dwellings have been found), but the first permanent settlement was made under the Longobards, around the church of St. Stephen, which is now the Cathedral.

Prato has been a free commune since the 12th century, developing considerably throughour the following century. The economics, artistic and cultural growth of the town was not limited when it was taken over by the Florentine Republic in 1351, or during the Renaissance period and the 18th and 19th centuries. Considerable economic, demographic and urbanistic expansion took place in the last century when the modern textile industry developed, and more recently after the Second World War.

Work did not, however, absorb all intellectual energy of the city, which - aside from its historical and artistic heritage - offers numerous cultural points of interest in its institutions, museums, theatres, etc. This is a further proof of its population's liveliness and inventiveness. Prato has about 180.000 inhabitants and is the third city in central Italy after Rome and Florence.

The territory of Prato districts extends from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines as far as Montalbano, running through the Valley of the River Bisenzio, the fertile plain and the mild hillsto the South of the city.

The seven township of the Prato area offer a surprisingly wide variety interests for tourists: historic settlements, a dinamic, modern city, Prato, with its medieval centre, wonderful villas, museums, farm holidays, folklore and festivities.

Every place havs its own historical characteristic and pecilarities, while cultural, economic and landscape differences are beld togeter thanks to a common denominator: the close connection between history, art, landscape, that with a fascinating evocative power, allows a more immediate approach in the local culture.

Paleolithic and neolithic remains have been found in various areas, particularly on the hills; however, Etruscan civilization (7 to 1 century B.C.) is the primary and prevaling influence in the entire territory, leaving splendid evidence in Artimino and Comeana (traces of settlements with impressive necropoli and remarkable handwork, much of which is on display at the Museo Archeologico in Artimino).

But the colonization and organization of the territory are of the Roman period (traces of land divisiono in the plain of Prato and Montemurlo). The Industrial textile archeology (the manufacturing of cloths since the Middle Ages has been the most important activity in Prato) offers a diffuse sedimentation of unique interest at a world level.

In Prato there is a wide range of choices, as far as museums are concerned. The prestigious historical museums, recently coordinated under a single management (the Town Art Gallery, the Cathedral Museum, the Wall-painting Museum) are evidence of the past wealth of churches, convents, holy places and public buildings. The art collection of the CariPrato (Tuscan Baroque), the Textile Museum and the Museum of the Figline Parish are all worth a visit.

In recent years the Contemporary Art Centre Luigi Pecci has been created, tangible proof of the bold livelyness of the town's cultural circles.
This same spirit has given rise to the creation of the open-air museum at Luicciana, the Quinto Martini Park Museum at Seano, the permanent Exhibit of material culture objects and techniques at Terrigoli, the Sacred and Renaissance Art Museum of Vaiano Abbey, all cultural entities of remarkable interest spread all over the territory.

Of the old fiefs belonging to the Cadolingi, Guidi and Alberti families only few castles and fortified towns (Montemurlo, Artimino, Vernio, Cerbaia), symbols of power and freedom remain. On the other hand, there are many Romanesque churches in the Montalbano, Bisenzio Valley and Prato plain: a network of rich parish churches (usually three-naved), single apsed suffragan churches, and powerful abbeys in Vaiano, Montepiano and Montalbano, which were centres of economic development for vast areas.

Two of the most spectacular Medici Villas, Symbols of a well estabilished power, are Villa Ambra in Poggio a Caiano and Villa La Ferdinanda at Artimino; they represent the two extremes, starting and ending point of the Renaissance villa style, nearby, in Montemurlo, are the imposing country residence belonging to the anti-Medici faction: Villa Strozzi and Villa del Barone.

Other villas, numerous and elegant, dot the slopes of the Calvana mountains (Giolica, Canneto, Filettole), the Bisenzio river valley and the Montalbano hills.

In our area natural attractions are connected to a rich historical-artistic network, and direct contact with nature is one of the more immediate ways of penetrating the local culture. The territory of Vaiano and Cantagallo is crossing by GEA (great Apennine Excursion from Umbria to Liguria), while the BIT (Bisenzio Trekking Itinerary) is being created as a link connecting the GEA with Monteferrato, Montalbano and Calvana hills from Luogomano to Montepiano, an area with a dense network of paths trough the greenery, medieval villages, past churches and strongholds. Many of these itineraries may be adapted to mountain-bikes, in varying degrees of difficulty.

In restored farmhouses, among the vineyards of Montalbano or in the upper Bisenzio valley (Sant'Ippolito and Luicciana), the contact with the local population, its work and traditions, in the quite of the countryside, permits a different sort of relation with the natural environment, rich in historical and artistic elements. There are many possibilities of sport activities such as riding, fishing, golf, tennis.

Troughout the year there is a wealth of local holidays and festivities to be found from the Bisenzio valley to Montalbano, many of which connected to religious celebrations. One of the oldest is the September Fair of Prato, culminating on September 8th with the exhbition to the public of the Sacra Cintola (the sacred Girdle of the Virgin Mary), followed by the Corteggio Storico - a procession in historical costumes which is an ample review of Tuscan folklore. Another unique festival is the Palio dei Ciuchi (donkey race), and also the richly staged pageant no the feast of St. Michael (September 29th) in Carmignano.

There are a number of typical festivities intended as means of exorcising the old fear of famine, such as the Polentina (corn-meal) feast at S.Quirico near Vernio on the first Sunday in Lent, and the Carnevalino at S. Ippolito on Ash Wednesday. May festivals known as Maggiolate, and festivities connected with wine making in Autumn are lively and enjoyable.

The summer season is particularly full of events often original and suggestive, organized in Prato, Poggio a Caiano, Carmignano, Montemurlo and Vaiano as well as in other small centres.

The cookery in the Prato area, still distinguishing itself by some local specialities, is an integrant part of the Tuscan ona and more widely refers to the Mediterranean cookingof the middle basin. The dishes that are noteworthy are bread soup, black cabbage pap, "tortelli" filled with potatoes, stuffed celery, rabbit with gravy.

Bound to the traditional backery speciality the sweets to taste with the Vinsanto of Montalbano hills are the biscuits with almonds of Prato, the sweet candied loaf, bruttibuoni (biscuits stuffed with minced hazel-nuts), mantovana cake (sponge cake covered with castor sugar), the sweets of Vernio.

The apperizing hors-d'oeavres consist in local sliced ham (pig head and mortadella of Prato) and chicken livers on croutons. The wines to choose are the DOCG of Carmignano, the white wines, the Ruspo and the Vinsanto of the neighbouring hills of Montalbano and the black Pinot of Bagnolo.