Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents
Urbino | Loreto | Ascoli Piceno
An excursion from Umbria into the Marches region allows you to see a part of Italy rarely visited by foreigners. Not as wealthy as Tuscany or Umbria, the Marches has a diverse landscape of mountains and beaches, and marvelous views. Like that of neighbors to the west, the patchwork of rolling hills of Le Marche (as it’s known in Italian) is stitched with grapevines and olive trees, bearing luscious wine and olive oil.
Traveling here isn’t as easy as in Umbria or Tuscany. Beyond the narrow coastal plain and away from major towns, the roads are steep and twisting. An efficient bus service connects the coastal town of Pesaro to Urbino. Train travel in the region is slow, however, and stops are limited—although you can reach Ascoli Piceno by rail.
Urbino
75 km (47 miles) north of Gubbio, 116 km (72 miles) northeast of Perugia, 230 km (143 miles) east of Florence.
Majestic Urbino, atop a steep hill with a skyline of towers and domes, is something of a surprise to come upon. Although quite remote, it was once a center of learning and culture almost without rival in Western Europe. The town looks much as it did in the glory days of the 15th century: a cluster of warm brick and pale stone buildings, all topped with russet-color tile roofs. The focal point is the immense and beautiful Palazzo Ducale.
The city is home to the small but prestigious Università di Urbino—one of the oldest in the world—and the streets are usually filled with students. Urbino is very much a college town, with the usual array of bookshops, bars, and coffeehouses. In summer the Italian student population is replaced by foreigners who come to study Italian language and arts at several prestigious private fine-arts academies.
Urbino’s fame rests on the reputation of three of its native sons: Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1422–82), the enlightened warrior-patron who built the Palazzo Ducale; Raffaello Sanzio (1483–1520), or Raphael, one of the most influential painters in history and an embodiment of the spirit of the Renaissance; and the architect Donato Bramante (1444–1514), who translated the philosophy of the Renaissance into buildings of grace and beauty. Unfortunately there’s little work by either Bramante or Raphael in the city, but the duke’s influence can still be felt strongly.
Getting Here
Take the SS3bis from Perugia, and follow the directions for Gubbio and Cesena. Exit at Umbertide and take the SS219, then the SS452, and at Calmazzo, the SS73bis to Urbino.
Visitor Information
Urbino Tourism Office.
Piazza de Rinascimento 1 | 61029 | 0722/2613 | www.comune.urbino.ps.it.
Exploring Urbino
Casa Natale di Raffaello (House of Raphael).
The Casa Natale di Raffaello is the house in which the painter was born and where he took his first steps in painting, under the direction of his artist father. There’s some debate about the fresco of the Madonna here; some say it’s by Raphael, whereas others attribute it to the father—with Raphael’s mother and the young painter himself standing in as models for the
Madonna and Child. | Via Raffaello 57 | 61029 | 0722/320105 | €3 | Mon.–Sat. 9–2, Sun. 10–1.
Fodor’s Choice |
Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace).
The Palazzo Ducale holds a place of honor in the city. If the Renaissance was, ideally, a celebration of the nobility of man and his works, of the light and purity of the soul, then there’s no place in Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, where these tenets are better illustrated. From the moment you enter the peaceful courtyard, you know you’re in a place of grace and
beauty, the harmony of the building reflecting the high ideals of the time. Today the palace houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (National Museum of the Marches), with a superb collection of paintings, sculpture, and other objets d’art. Some works were originally the possessions of the Montefeltro family; others were brought here from churches and palaces throughout the region. Masterworks in the collection include Paolo Uccello’s Profanation of the Host, Titian’s Resurrection and Last Supper, and Piero della Francesca’s Madonna of Senigallia. But the gallery’s highlight is Piero’s enigmatic work long known as The Flagellation of Christ. Much has been written about this painting, and few experts agree on its meaning. Legend had it that the figures in the foreground
represent a murdered member of the Montefeltro family (the barefoot young man) and his two killers. However, Sir John Pope-Hennessy—the preeminent scholar of Italian Renaissance art—argues that they represent the arcane subject of the vision of Saint Lawrence. Academic debates notwithstanding, the experts agree that the work is one of the painter’s masterpieces. Piero himself thought so: it’s one of the few works he signed (on the lowest step supporting the throne). | Piazza Duca Federico | 61029 | 0722/322625 | www.comune.urbino.ps.it | €5 | Mon. 8:30–2, Tues.–Sun. 8:30–7:15; ticket office closes at 6.
Where to Eat and Stay in Urbino
Angolo Divino.
$ | ITALIAN | At this osteria (informal restaurant) in the center of Urbino, tradition reigns supreme: the menu is written in local dialect, flanked by Italian and English translations. Dishes range from the deliciously simple spaghetti col pane grattugiato (spaghetti with bread crumbs) to the temptingly rich filetto al tartufo (beef fillet with truffles). |
Average cost: €14 | Via S. Andrea 14 | 61129 | 0722/327559 | Closed Mon. and mid-Oct.–mid-Nov. No dinner Sun.
La Vecchia Fornarina.
$ | ITALIAN | Locals often crowd this small, two-room trattoria near the Piazza della Repubblica. The specialty is meaty country fare, such as coniglio (rabbit) and vitello alle noci (veal cooked with walnuts) or ai porcini (with mushrooms). There’s also a good selection of pasta dishes. | Average cost: €14 | Via Mazzini 14 | 61029 | 0722/320007 | Reservations essential.
Hotel Bonconte.
$$ | This classic hotel dating from the beginning of the 20th century is just inside the city walls and close to the Palazzo Ducale. Rooms are pleasant and include some antiques; those at the front of the hotel have views of the valley below Urbino, although they also face the street. A terrace in the tranquil garden to the rear of the hotel adjoins the cozy breakfast room and bar. Pros: some nice views; away from the bustle. Cons: slightly overpriced; service is sleepy. TripAdvisor: “great location,” “very charming,” “absolutely beautiful.” | Rooms from: €160 | Via delle Mura 28 | 61029 | 0722/2463 | www.viphotels.it | 23 rooms, 2
suites | No meals.
Loreto
31 km (19 miles) south of Ancona, 118 km (73 miles) southeast of Urbino.
There’s a strong Renaissance feel about this hilltop town, which is home to one of the most important religious sites in Europe, the Sanctuario della Santa Casa (House of the Virgin Mary). Bramante and Sansovino gave the church its Renaissance look, although many other artists helped create its special atmosphere. Today the town revolves around the religious calendar; if you can be here on December 10, you will witness the Feast of the Translation of the Holy House, when huge bonfires are lighted to celebrate the miraculous arrival of the house in 1294.
Getting Here
If you’re driving from Perugia, take the SS318 and then the SS76 highway to Fabriano and then on to Chiaravalle, where it merges with the A14 autostrada. The drive takes around 2½ hours. Trains also go to Loreto, but the station is about a mile outside the town center. Regular buses leave from the station to the center.
Visitor Information
Loreto Tourism Office.
Via Solari 3 | 60025 | 071/970276 | www.turismo.marche.it.
Exploring Loreto
Basilica della Santa Casa.
Loreto is famous for one of the best-loved shrines in the world, that of the Santuario della Santa Casa (House of the Virgin Mary), within the Basilica della Santa Casa. Legend has it that angels moved the house from Nazareth, where the Virgin Mary was living at the time of the Annunciation, to this hilltop in 1295. The reason for this sudden and divinely inspired move was that Nazareth had fallen into the hands of Muslim invaders, whom
the angelic hosts viewed as unsuitable keepers of this important shrine. Excavations made at the behest of the Catholic Church have shown that the house did once stand elsewhere and was brought to the hilltop—by either crusaders or a family named Angeli—around the time the angels (angeli) are said to have done the job.
The house itself consists of three rough stone walls contained within an elaborate marble tabernacle. Built around this centerpiece is the giant basilica of the Holy House, which dominates the town. Millions of visitors come to the site every year (particularly at Easter and on the December 10 Feast of the Holy House), and the little town of Loreto can become uncomfortably crowded with pilgrims. Many great Italian architects, including Bramante, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (1483–1546), Giuliano da Sangallo (circa 1445–1516), and Sansovino (1467–1529), contributed to the design of the basilica. It was begun in the Gothic style in 1468 and continued in Renaissance style through the late Renaissance. The bell tower is by Luigi Vanvitelli (1700–73). Inside the church are a great many mediocre 19th- and 20th-century paintings, but also some fine works by Renaissance masters such as Luca Signorelli and Melozzo da Forlì (1438–94).
If you’re a nervous air traveler, you can take comfort in the fact that the Holy Virgin of Loreto is the patron saint of air travelers and that Pope John Paul II composed a prayer for a safe flight—available here in a half dozen languages. | Piazza della Madonna | 60025 | 071/970104 | www.santuarioloreto.it | Apr.–Sept., daily 6 am–8 pm; Oct.–Mar., daily 6:15 am–7:30 pm. Santuario della Santa Casa closed daily 12:30–2:30.
Ascoli Piceno
88 km (55 miles) south of Loreto, 105 km (65 miles) south of Ancona.
Ascoli Piceno sits in a valley ringed by steep hills and cut by the Tronto River. In Roman times it was one of central Italy’s best-known market towns, and today, with almost 60,000 residents, it’s a major fruit and olive producer, making it one of the most important towns in the region. Despite growth during the Middle Ages and at other times, the streets in the town center continue to reflect the grid pattern of the ancient Roman city. You’ll even find the word rua, from the Latin ruga, used for “street” instead of the Italian via. Now largely closed to traffic, the city center is great to explore on foot.
Getting Here
From Perugia take the SS75 to Foligno, then merge onto the SS3 to Norcia. From here take the SS4 to Ascoli Piceno. There are also trains, but the journey would be quite long, taking you from Perugia to Ancona before changing for Ascoli Piceno.
Visitor Information
Ascoli Piceno Tourism Office.
Piazza Aringo 7 | 63100 | 0736/253045 | www.comune.ascolipiceno.it.
Exploring Ascoli Piceno
Piazza del Popolo.
The heart of the town is the majestic Piazza del Popolo, dominated by the Gothic church of San Francesco and the Palazzo del Popolo, a 13th-century town hall that contains a graceful Renaissance courtyard. The square itself functions as the living room of the entire city. At dusk each evening the piazza is packed with people strolling and exchanging news and gossip—the sweetly antiquated ritual called the
passeggiata, performed all over the country.
Where to Eat and Stay in Ascoli Piceno
Ristorante Tornasacco.
$ | ITALIAN | You won’t find nouvelle cuisine here, at one of Ascoli Piceno’s oldest restaurants. The owners pride themselves on meaty local specialties such as olive ascolane (olives stuffed with minced meat, breaded and deep-fried), maccheroncini alla contadina (homemade short pasta in a lamb, pork, and veal sauce), and bistecca di toro (bull steak). |
Average cost: €12 | Piazza del Popolo 36 | 63100 | 0736/254151 | Closed Fri., July 15–31, and Dec. 23–28.
Il Pennile.
$ | Look for this modern, family-run hotel in a quiet residential area outside the old city center, amid a grove of olive trees. Some rooms have views of the city. Pros: peaceful; a good budget option. Cons: distance from town center; basic rooms. | Rooms from: €70 | Via G. Spalvieri | 63100 | 0736/41645 | www.hotelpennile.it | 33 rooms | Breakfast.
Previous Chapter | Beginning of Chapter | Next Chapter | Table of Contents