Urbino
Urbino remains one of the most important towns in the Marche for the tourist in search of great Italian art and architecture and its beguiling streets well reward the curious traveller. Its centro storico now boasts the honour of being included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. For the best first impression approach the town from Arezzo to see the fairy-tale twin towers of the palace that give Urbino its unmistakable skyline; already you will see that it was built by a benevolent and secure ruler who had no need to intimidate or brag.
Federico da Montefeltro
For the second half of the 15thC its windy hill was the setting for one of the most illustrious courts in Europe. Duke Federico da Montefeltro gathered around him the greatest painters, poets and scholars of his day and housed them in one of Italy's most beautiful Renaissance palaces, a palace that still stands as an eloquent memorial to this quintessential Renaissance man.
For the second half of the 15thC its windy hill was the setting for one of the most illustrious courts in Europe. Duke Federico da Montefeltro gathered around him the greatest painters, poets and scholars of his day and housed them in one of Italy's most beautiful Renaissance palaces, a palace that still stands as an eloquent memorial to this quintessential Renaissance man.
Palazzo Ducale
The hub of the town is the animated triangle of Piazza della Repubblica that lies in a dip between the twin humps of a hill. From here follow the signs up to the Palazzo Ducale. None of the rooms of the palace were designed to oppress with grandeur but were built on a human scale and decorated with glad-hearted sobriety. Nowadays they house the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche - a remarkable collection of paintings including one of the world's greatest and most enigmatic images, Piero della Francesca's Flagellation of Christ. The summer opening times are 9am to 7pm Tues-Sat, 9am to 2pm Monday and 9am to 10pm on Sundays.
Raphael
Giovanni Santi was a court painter at Urbino who might have been consigned to the lumber room of art history if he hadn't been the father of the divine Raphael. Few can doubt that Raphael's childhood at the court helped mould his genius. The house where he was born is now a delightful little museum - a simple fresco of the Madonna and Child in one of the rooms may have been one of his earliest works. You will find it in Via Raffaello that runs up from Piazza della Repubblica.
Festa del Duca (each year in August)
The city of Urbino comes to life as dancers, musicians, artists and artisans fill the streets during the highly anticipated Festa del Duca. All of this is done to invoke life during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. See elaborate Renaissance costumes and taste foods prepared from authentic Renaissance recipes. During the festival, the bustling energy in the streets of Urbino creates a cheerful, yet surreal atmosphere.
The city of Urbino comes to life as dancers, musicians, artists and artisans fill the streets during the highly anticipated Festa del Duca. All of this is done to invoke life during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. See elaborate Renaissance costumes and taste foods prepared from authentic Renaissance recipes. During the festival, the bustling energy in the streets of Urbino creates a cheerful, yet surreal atmosphere.