Prato, Tuscany’s second largest city, is home to the Textile Museum and is an important centre of the Italian textile industry. Close to Florence, and thereby overshadowed by it, Prato is an open and engaging city that shouldn’t be bypassed when visiting Tuscany. Art treasures abound in the city’s many museums and galleries, as well as outstanding historic churches such as the Cathedral of Santo Stefano and Santa Maria delle Carceri. Due to its nearby location to Florence, many of that city’s influences can be seen in the art and culture of this wonderfully friendly city.