Enjoy a good stroll? Love to eat? Want to plan a fall or winter getaway in a Tuscany villa that combines both? Then you should definitely head to the wonderful town of Prato for the Eat Prato festival! Starting on the 2nd of October 2022 and continuing right up to the 22nd of January 2023, this vibrant annual foodie festival perfectly combines thematic outings on foot – on which you are guided by knowledgable locals and told all about the area – with tastings of a truly extraordinary array of delicious food and drink from the region. Taking you to some of the most remarkable and fascinating architectural and historic gems in and around Prato, to visit artistic wonders, and into the beautiful countryside of the area, these brilliant walking itineraries are a wonderful way to get to know this part of Tuscany. If you decide to book a luxury villa in Florence but you want to delve into the countryside of Tuscany a bit more, a day in Prato attending one of these events would be just the thing!
The different itineraries will take place over weekends throughout October, November, December, and one date in January (the 22nd), with between one and two events organised for each day. Some of the subjects and themes that will be covered on these outings include a visit to the Cathedral and up to the bell tower, a guide to the traditional Feast of San Michele, a tour of the Monastery of San Vincenzo, a trek in the Monteferrato national park and a visit to a farm, a guide to the history of the women of Prato, and more. All of these events also culminate with tasting sessions or stop off at different shops or eateries to sample local specialities.
It is worth keeping in mind that these events are ticketed and must be booked in advance in order to secure your place. You can read more about the individual events on the website here and book your tickets. Tickets vary in price from between €13 to €30 per person with special rates for kids or for families also often offered.
There is also a good deal of variety in the length of time of the events and level of difficulty or exertion involved. As a rule of thumb, the events in and around town are less likely to involve long distances but the treks through the countryside are proper hikes, can last several hours, probably require proper walking footwear and other hiking supplies, and might be somewhat challenging.
Events are offered in Italian and while guides may speak other languages, this is not a guarantee. Of course, hiking through beautiful surroundings and tasting delicious foods are universal languages so, depending on the event in question, not being able to speak very much Italian may or may not be a problem!
Or, if you are merely thinking about spending a day during your vacation in Tuscany exploring Prato and want to do so through her culinary heritage, then you can easily just simply use the Eat Prato website’s guide to key Prato products and dishes to help guide yourself as you wander around town. While the website is offered only in Italian, most web browsers now offer reasonably good automatic translation services to get the gist of what is being said so that you can add each product to your list.
So, if you’re looking to enjoy some walks in the beautiful autumnal landscapes of Tuscany and to sample some culinary delights of the region, then head to Prato during your holiday in Tuscany as both can be perfectly combined thanks to the Eat Prato initiative!
