If a trip to Italy for you is above all about discovering it’s wonderful Art and History or if you would like to take a plunge back into Italy’s glorious past, Urbino and the surrounding area of Montefeltro are the perfect holiday destinations in Le Marche! This small town on the gentle hills of the region is a hidden jewel that anyone interested in discovering the authentic Italian culture should visit.

If you are looking to learn more about the famous Renaissance Art and want to discover how life was at that time, this is the right place for you! Urbino was one of the Renaissance capitals together with Florence, Ferrara and Venice, a little town that under Federico da Montefeltro became a beacon of light and culture, as reporters of that time described it. The historic centre has been preserved almost untouched throughout the centuries, a rarity that led the city to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. A visit of Urbino is an experience that will literally throw you back to the XV century!

A visit to Urbino should start with a tour of the famous Palazzo Ducale, the Ducal Palace which now hosts the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with works by Piero della Francesca, Luciano Laurana and Urbino’s most famous son, Raphael. Do not miss the chance to visit his birthplace and all the places that inspired him when he was still a child! Urbino is also the perfect start point for a fascinating tour thorough the ancient Duchy, the Montefeltro, which inspired many works by Piero della Francesca: the gentle hills and high mountains hide other gems as the town of Urbania or smaller villages such as Mercatello sul Metauro and Frontino, awarded as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.