Urbino
Raphael's birthplace—a perfectly preserved Renaissance hill town that time forgot.
About Urbino
Urbino is the Renaissance in miniature. This hill town, birthplace of the painter Raphael, was transformed in the 15th century by Duke Federico da Montefeltro into one of Europe's greatest centres of culture. The Palazzo Ducale—his masterpiece—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche with works by Piero della Francesca, Raphael, and Titian. The town has barely changed since: steep cobbled streets wind between brick palazzi, students from the ancient university animate the piazzas, and views of the rolling Marche countryside stretch in every direction. Unlike Florence, you can have Urbino's treasures almost to yourself.
Best Time to Visit
April to October. Summer brings the Urbino Music Festival and lively student nightlife. Spring and autumn offer perfect light for the landscape and quiet museum visits.
Local Tips
- Explore the Palazzo Ducale.
Federico's palace is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and art. A local can reveal the studiolo (private study) with its incredible trompe-l'oeil inlaid wood panels and the rooms where court culture was invented.
- Visit Raphael's house.
The house where Raphael was born and raised is now a small museum. A local can explain his early training under his painter father and point out the fresco attributed to the teenage Raphael on the first floor.
- Walk the city walls at dusk.
Urbino's ramparts offer views over the undulating Marche hills that look like a Renaissance painting come to life. A local knows the best stretch for sunset and the wine bar nearby for a post-walk Verdicchio.