3733 Montefeltro Tour

A tour of the Montefeltro area is well worth the effort. A trip back in time, where modern day tourism hasn't yet spoiled the area.
Visit:

SASSO CORVARO with it's castle dating back to 1475. Built by Francesco di Giorgio Martini (very similar to the one in Mondavio) and considered one of his finest works.
The old theatre inside with its frescoed ceilings is well worth a look.
The rocca was used to hide some of Italy's most precious art works during the war, amongst them The Flagellation by Piero della Francesca.

MONTEGRIMANO: A pleasant little spa town famous for it's sodium, bromide and iodine waters and where a modern spa centre is very popular.
The remains of the old city walls can be seen in places.

CARPEGNA: Takes its name from the mountains surrounding it. This is a popular holiday centre for trekking and winter sports.
The climate lends itself to the production of the famous Prosciutto di Carpegna which has become well known and considered high quality amongst ham lovers.
The advert says Carpegna Ham-----leg, salt, time and nothing else!!!!

URBANIA : The original name was Castel Durante but renamed Urbania in 1636 by Pope Urban V111.
The Palazzo Ducale is worth a visit. Once home of The Duke of Urbino, it was given a major facelift by Martini.
Houses a large collection of old maps and globes and also majolica for which Urbania was famous.
The Chiesa del Crocifisso is where the last Duke of Urbino is buried.
For a much more interesting visit go to the Chiesetta dei Morti (Church of the Dead).
Here 12 corpses are presented in glass cases in the Cimitero delle Mummie.
Found in 1813, they are conserved in an unusual protective mould.
The caretaker takes a morbid pride in pointing out various gruesome details.
Not for the faint hearted.

Category
Do & See

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/23/2006 - 09:31

[LEFT][FONT=Verdana]I agree. The Montefeltro is an area of rare natural beauty as well as being a treasure chest rich in history. I particularly enjoy it this time of year and from September to late October.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The Montefeltro first emerged around 1154 and initially included parts of Romagna, the Marche and San Marino. The territory consisted mainly of two rival and powerful fiefdoms: The Montefeltro of Urbino and the Malatesta of Pesaro. Members of the noble Montefeltro family were noted patrons of the arts who opposed the papacy in the struggle between the Guelfs and the Ghibellines, but perhaps the most famous was the Lord of Urbino, Federigo da Montefeltro, the one time mercenary general who commanded the Florentine army to defend Florence from invading Venetian forces in 1467.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Mustn’t forget places like Sant’Agata Feltria, Pennabilli (already mentioned) Monte Cerignone, San Leo (already mentioned) or the Sasso Simone and Simoncello national park.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]Sant’Agata is one of my favourite villages with its noble Rocca Fregoso perched precariously on a rock right on the edge of the village, the Teatro Angelo Mariani (one of the oldest in Italy) and its Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Bianco Pregiato which takes place in October.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]To the east surrounded by mountains is Monte Cerignone and is another village that stands on a rock. Its 15th century layout is still very much intact and is overlooked by the Fortezza Feltre.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]The area’s largest natural attraction is the Sasso Simone and Simoncello national park, particularly noted for its rare orchids, red lilies and wildlife. The park takes its name from the rocky crags called Simone and Simoncello. The park still reveals traces of an interesting past where you can see the remnants of the odd crumbling wall and paved areas near the summit of Simone, where the Malatesta's and the Medici’s attempted to build a stronghold in the 15th and 16th centuries respectively. Theres' also evidence of a military garrison and a site of a 12th Century Benedictine monastery. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT][/LEFT]

Sant'Agata