If you're in Prato, grab a seat outdoors, get a drink and soak up the scene during la passegiata!…read more We came towards the beginning of la passegiata, which is my absolute favorite time to sit at an outdoor cafe in Italy, especially in smaller towns. It's a chance to get a glimpse of families, younger people, older people, lovers in love, and just everyone enjoying life and enjoying being with each other. And of course, "fare la figura bella!" It's the epitome of the Italian lifestyle and something that I fell in love with well over 20 years ago. It's that, and so much more that continually lures me back to Italy over and over and continues to fuel my dream of living here for at least a year.
The outdoor seating here is fairly large and elevated, easily giving you a nice view of everyone passing by. It's also next to the Comune Di Prato. Service was nice and friendly and the drinks were well made and reasonably priced.
Don't miss out on the pastries, which aren't obvious when you first walk in from the upper outdoor seating area. The selection looked good.
We took the train out to Prato from Florence, just to experience a less touristy spot. As an aside, Prato has the second-largest Chinese population in Italy, and a Chinatown (very different from the ones in the U.S.), which we visited. I wouldn't necessarily recommend going out of my way to come to I Frari, but it's a fun stop if you're in Prato. Nonetheless, it was a very pleasant experience outside on a beautiful early evening with perfect weather and all!
