Sitting quietly and tucked between hills of central Italy, Urbino is one of the most underrated places in Italy that has gone unnoticed by many tourists. Perched on a hill on the southern area of Montefeltro, this old city still remains in its Renaissance era.

Because of the city’s exceptional preservation, it was given a UNESCO World Heritage tag and described to be “preserved in its Renaissance appearance to a remarkable extent”, as reported by CNN, making it one of the best historical cities in Italy that is still alive today.

Urbino’s residents of today occupy the same 15th century beige bricked buildings, street roads made for horse-carts, old stairways, and houses, that were built in the Renaissance era. The only modern appearance the city has are its people, dressed in today’s clothes and carrying modern day electronics.

Once a powerhouse of the Renaissance, Urbino is one of the most historical cities in Italy and has a lot to offer in terms of sight-seeing and history lessons. It’s a one-of-a-kind place that is truly a time machine into the past and where you can touch and feel the era hundreds of years ago.

While you can certainly visit this renaissance city by yourself, a tour guide is highly recommended as you can easily miss some of the best places in the city where a renaissance story hides in every corner.

How Urbino still remains in its Renaissance Era

Six hundred years later, Urbino remains identical and stays unchanged from its Renaissance beauty and the biggest attribute that preserved the city completely in this manner is its location.

It’s tucked between two hills in the Marche region, causing it to be cut off from main roads with no access from trains or bus stations, which is very unlike Italy as the country doesn’t fail to connect its cities with rails and buses. Yet Urbino’s nearest train station is 45 minutes away at Pesaro and the nearest airport is 1 and a half hours away from Ancona.

The only way to reach the place is by car and outsiders are not allowed to park inside the city. Travelers have to park outside the city walls and climb the hill to Urbino, which means that navigating the hills on snow days can be tricky and an experience that might take you 600 years back.

Best hotels in Urbino

This lack of access means Urbino was excluded from all types of modern development, even the 18th, and 19th-century ones, and remains untouched today to the point that modern repairs of any buildings in the city use Renaissance-era methods to preserve its state. Which is why the city doesn’t have modern-day architecture, making it one of the still living renaissance cities in Italy.

Another reason for the city’s preservation is that its ruling royal clan, Montefeltro, died out in the 16th century leaving the city without a heir to take it forward, leaving Urbino in it’s current architectural style.

The city’s source of revenue also plays a big role in its old-style look. The town gets its cash flow from its universities and students. Without a need for tourism, it didn’t bend to modern demands and helped the city keep its historic charm.

The Birthplace of Famous Artists and Engineers

Urbino was once a hotspot for talented and innovative scientists to meet. Under the rule of Federica da Montefeltro in the Renaissance era, famous artists and scientists of the 15th century like Piero Della Francesca, Paolo Uccello, Botticelli and Francesco di Giorgio Martini came to work for him.

Federico was said to be Urbino’s most powerful leader and it was his vision that made the city a cultural hub then and now.

Others who also paid visits to the city and were hosted by Federico were mathematicians, astronomers, astrologers as well as humanists, authors, and architects like Leon Battista Alberti, who designed the Santa Maria Novella church in Florence.

But the number one thing Urbino takes pride in wasn’t the brilliant minds from outside, but the ones born inside the city gates.

Raphael, one of the most famous Renaissance artists, was born in Urbino. In fact, his birthplace still stands today and travelers as well fans of the artist can visit his home today. Donato Bramante, who designed St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, was also born in Urbino.

Things to Do in Urbino

While this Renaissance city is fun to experience just by walking around and seeing the gorgeous Urbino architecture that stands from the 15th century, there are a certain number of things that you can see here that will make you live in the Renaissance era.

Visit Raphael’s Home

As mentioned above, Raphael’s home still exists today and it’s every bit worth your visit. A fresco painted by a teenage Raphael is still preserved in his bedroom and you can also look out through the kitchen window to see exactly what Rapahel saw as he grew up.

The Palazzo Ducale

Home of Federico and the 28th most visited museum in Italy, Palazzo Ducale in Urbino is a National Gallery of the Marche region. Paintings commissioned by Federico and done by Raphael, Giovanni Santi, Titian, Paolo Uccello, and Piero della Francesca hangs on the walls.

To make sure that you visit all the incredible rooms and see what is there to see in the Ducale palace, get yourself a tour guide to make sure that you don’t leave anything unseen.

The palace floors, Botticelli-designed doors, and ceramics made by Florentine della Robbia were built during Federico’s time and remain after centuries of use. The fireplace and doorways still have Federico’s initials carved into them.

One of the most famous rooms is the Studiolo of Federico da Montefeltro, a small study lined with exquisite intarsia woodwork depicting scholarly and philosophical themes, reflecting the Duke’s intellectual pursuits and his patronage of the arts and sciences.

The Palazzo Ducale also houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, one of Italy’s most important art collections. The gallery features works by renowned artists such as Raphael, Piero della Francesca, and Titian.

Climb the towers

To see the magnificent site of nature surrounding Urbino and the entire city, climb one of the towers. The view from these towers is like an Assassin’s Creed’s scenario and standing in these towers could make you feel like Ezzio Auditore who is about to explore the old streets.

The old library

Housed within the Palazzo Ducale, the Urbino library is an architecture marvel, featuring ornate woodwork and frescoes that embody the grandeur of the Renaissance era. Founded during the 15th century under the patronage of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, the library is known for its vast collection of manuscripts, incunabula, and early printed books of that era, many of which visitors can still see today.

The library’s collection reflects the intelligence of the folks that lived during the Italian Renaissance with their works on philosophy, science, literature, and the arts still on display.

Stroll Through the Historic Center

Wander the narrow, cobblestone streets of Urbino’s historic center, admiring the well-preserved Renaissance architecture and soaking in the town’s time-travelish atmosphere.

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