How many days do you need to visit Urbino?

One day is enough for the centre and the Ducal Palace. With two or three days you can add the surrounding area.

Where to park in Urbino?

Outside the walls, because the centre is a limited traffic zone. Borgo Mercatale is the closest car park to the Ducal Palace.

Is Urbino suitable for families?

Yes. The centre is pedestrian, but there are plenty of slopes and steps: with small children a baby carrier is easier.

What to do around Urbino?

By car from the house: Gradara 35 minutes, Pesaro 37, Fano 45, the Adriatic beaches 35–45 and San Marino about an hour.

How far are the houses from the centre?

About a 13-minute drive from the historic centre.

What to see in Urbino: guide and itinerary

Q: Where to stay near Urbino?

With us, in the hills just outside town. Casa Castelboccione sleeps up to 6 and Casa Ginesta up to 4; together they host up to 10.

Urbino’s historic centre sits compactly inside its walls and is easy to explore on foot. Much of it is still the town of the 15th century, when Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1422–1482) made it one of the most important courts in Europe. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

Raphael was born here in 1483, and Baldassarre Castiglione set "The Book of the Courtier" at the Montefeltro court. Then there is the University, founded in 1506: during term time the squares are full of students.

I.What to see

What to see in the centre.

Most of them are a few minutes’ walk from each other.

01
Ducal Palace
This was Federico da Montefeltro’s residence. From the valley you can spot it by its two Torricini towers. Inside, the Duke’s Studiolo is lined with wooden inlays.
02
Galleria Nazionale delle Marche
It is inside the Ducal Palace, so you see both on the same visit. There are works by Piero della Francesca and Raphael, and the "Ideal City" panel.
03
Raphael’s birthplace
The house where the painter was born in 1483 and spent his childhood.
04
Cathedral
The cathedral, right next to the Ducal Palace.
05
Oratory of St John the Baptist
The walls are covered in frescoes, painted by the brothers Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni in 1416.
06
Albornoz Fortress
The highest point of the town, inside the Parco della Resistenza. From here you can see the whole of Urbino.
07
The streets of the centre
Red brick, flights of steps and steep lanes. It is worth straying from the main streets now and then.
08
The hills around
From the walls and the higher points you can see the Montefeltro hills all around the town.

With more time, there is also the Oratory of St Joseph, with Federico Brandani’s life-size stucco nativity scene (16th century), and the Mausoleum of the Dukes in the church of San Bernardino, just outside the centre.

II.Itinerary

Urbino in one day.

A walk around town, starting from the car parks outside the walls.

Morning
Piazza della Repubblica
Leave the car outside the walls and walk up into the centre. Piazza della Repubblica is the easiest place to start.
Late morning
Ducal Palace
With the Galleria Nazionale you need at least half a day, so it is best to go in early.
Lunch
A crescia
A crescia sfogliata or a plate of passatelli. If you want a place to go, ask Simona.
Afternoon
Raphael and the Salimbeni
Raphael’s birthplace and, a short walk away, the Oratory of St John the Baptist.
Evening
Albornoz Fortress
Walk up around sunset. Then back to the hills: it is a 13-minute drive.

III.What to eat

What to eat.

Crescia sfogliata: Urbino’s speciality, a flaky flatbread eaten warm and filled.
Casciotta d’Urbino PDO: The local cheese, made from sheep’s and cow’s milk.
Passatelli: Breadcrumbs, cheese and egg, served in broth or dry.
Truffles: Acqualagna, not far from Urbino, is one of the best-known truffle towns.
Cured meats and wine: Prosciutto di Carpegna PDO comes from Montefeltro. Among the local wines is Bianchello del Metauro.

For where to eat, just ask Simona.

IV.Good to know

Before you go.

By car: From the house to the historic centre is about 13 minutes. Simona sends you directions before you arrive.
Parking: The centre is a limited traffic zone, so you park outside the walls. Borgo Mercatale is the closest car park to the Ducal Palace; from there you walk up the spiral ramp.
On foot: The streets are steep and partly paved with stone. Wear comfortable shoes.
With children: The centre is pedestrian but full of steps. With little ones a baby carrier is easier than a pushchair.
Events: The calendar changes every year. Ask Simona what is on while you are here.

V.Where to stay