WELCOME TO THE PALACE

Tucked away in the hills of Le Marche, UNESCO-listed Urbino has changed little since the 15th century when, under the rule of the enlightened Duke Federico da Montefeltro, the town thrived and rejoiced in its golden age. Driven by the intention of rivalling and outshining prestigious Italian royal households, ambitious Federico established one of the country’s most illustrious courts here. He called upon the greatest artists and architects of the time and set about transforming medieval Urbino into a model city and perfect embodiment of humanist planning principles of balance and harmony.

Robust walls protect a beautifully preserved historic centre, crossed by winding streets and punctuated with a collection of charming palazzi. Your guide will meet you in Piazza Mercatale and lead you on a tour of Urbino’s best-loved landmarks. Take the very same secret route once used by the duke as you climb up a spiral staircase that leads to the old town. Here you will visit the sprawling Palazzo Ducale, described by its contemporaries as “a city in the shape of a palace”. Built at the request of Federico, the complex amply fulfilled its function as a stately residence whose sheer magnificence would affirm the duke’s unshakeable wealth and power as well as Urbino’s uncontested reputation as one of Europe’s major cultural capitals. We owe this masterpiece of civil and military engineering to Luciano Laurana and Francesco di Giorgio Martini, among the most talented architects of the Quattrocento. Although the interior today is mostly bare, grand halls and elaborate doorways and fireplaces are an indication of the splendour that must have reigned at court. Among guests’ favourites are the perfectly proportioned arcaded courtyard, the private apartments and exquisite studiolo, the duke’s personal study decorated with wooden trompe-l’oeil panels featuring cabinets filled with books, armour, musical and scientific instruments. The premises also house the National Gallery of Le Marche, showcasing a remarkable collection of paintings and sculptures from the 1300s to the 1700s. Your guide will point out famous Renaissance masterpieces, including The Last Supper by Titian, Piero della Francesca’s Flagellation and the Portrait of a Gentlewoman by Raphael, Urbino’s most famous son, born here in 1483.

A leisurely stroll through town, up and down its iconic piole, will allow you to discover many of Urbino’s picture-postcard sights. Highlights include the Neoclassical-style facade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Piazza della Repubblica, formerly the market square and today a favourite meeting spot with the locals who gather here for ritual evening aperitivi. Not to be missed is also the Oratory of San Giovanni, known as the “Sistine Chapel of Le Marche”. Step inside to admire the fresco cycle that adorns its walls, depicting a Crucifixion and Scenes from the Life of St. John the Baptist. The intricate detail of the compositions and the emotional intensity of the characters, together with the masterful use of a brilliant palette, attest to the skill and artistic heights reached by the Salimbeni brothers, fine exponents of the 15th century Gothic style.