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Urbino & the Court of Montefeltro - The Renaissance Duchy and its castles, in the spectacular scenery of Le Marche
7
days
from
£3,020
Book today with a deposit from
£453
20th - 26th September 2027
Tour highlights
- Explore the rule and the reach of Federico da Montefeltro, who built the wealthiest patronage and, in Urbino, the finest court, in Renaissance Italy.
- The duchy’s castles – San Leo, Sassocorvaro, Mondavio – show military architecture at its most inventive, in hill towns, valleys and a coastline most visitors never reach.
- Some world-class items, but for the most part the pleasures of this tour arise from the lesser treasures in remote and unspoilt communities in a kaleidoscope of breathtaking scenery.
By inheritance lord of a marginal patch of mountainous territory, by profession a mercenary soldier, by scale of expenditure the most important Maecenas of his day: Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, was one of the most fascinating and influential characters of Renaissance Italy.
His palace at Urbino is the finest Early Renaissance courtly residence in existence, a sequence of interiors of serene beauty which set the template for courts and palaces to come. He was also the paymaster for many other buildings, civil and military, throughout the duchy. Even more important for the subsequent history of civilization than the architecture was what took place within these buildings, for his court attracted humanists, artists and young noblemen from all over Italy and beyond. Two examples: Raphael spent his first twelve years here (his father was court painter), and for centuries the manners and demeanour in the upper echelons of European society were under the influence of Urbino court life as described by Baldassare Castiglione in The Courtier.
The Duchy of Urbino is located in the north of Le Marche, the Italian Marches, the name deriving from its tenth-century status as the borderlands between the Ottonian empire to the north and the papal lands to the south. Remoteness from the centre led to the emergence of local warlords, territorial fragmentation and de facto independence; this remoteness may be one reason such a rich historic region is so seldom visited by visitors today. The Buonconte dynasty had controlled Montefeltro for two hundred years before Federico II succeeded in 1444 at the age of 22. During his 38-year tenure he expanded his domains at the expense of his Malatesta and Sforza neighbours, but the source of his fortune was his generalship of the armies of the great powers of Italy: the Duchy of Milan, the Republic of Venice and the Kingdom of Naples, switching sides without scruple, and accepting tribute from lesser powers just to stay away. He was made a duke by the pope in 1474.
His son Guidobaldo and his Delle Rovere successors continued artistic patronage though on a much reduced scale. Stagnation set in after the duchy reverted to the Church in 1631.
One recurrent feature of this tour is military architecture, castles and city walls of huge variety and sometimes extraordinary beauty. There are also many fine paintings, in galleries and original settings.
Itinerary
Fly at c. 8.00am from London Heathrow to Bologna (British Airways). Drive along the Via Emilia and turn into the hills marking the northern border of the Duchy of Urbino and constituting the Montefeltro heart lands, to Urbino itself, Duke Federico’s principal residence and one of Italy’s loveliest hilltop towns, base for the first of four nights of the tour.
Unravel the building history and examine the interior of the finest Renaissance palace in Italy, built over half a century from the 1450s for the dukes of Urbino, with the loveliest of all arcaded courtyards, serene halls of state, beautifully carved ornament and exquisite study. The art collection includes paintings by Piero della Francesca, Raphael and Titian. An afternoon walk takes in the outstanding International Gothic frescoes by the Salimbeni brothers, cathedral and Diocesan Museum.
Drop down to the Metauro river and follow the valley to the foothills of the Apennines. The small towns of Mercatello sul Metauro and Sant’Angelo in Vado retain well preserved medieval and Renaissance centres and paintings from the 13th to 17th centuries. Urbania is a charming town with a fortified palace built for Federico and modified for the last Duke of Urbino, whose tomb is in the town.
One of the most beautiful hill towns in Umbria, with a hillside piazza overlooking the lower town, formidable mediaeval palaces and the Ducal Palace, best-preserved of Federico da Montefeltro’s residences outside Urbino.
Mountain drives lead to the castle of Sassocorvaro, and then onto the famously impregnable castle of San Leo. This tiny mountain town has a marvellously unspoilt Romanesque church and, atop a limestone cliff, one of the most dramatically sited castles in all Europe. Continue to Rimini, where the final two nights are spent.
Two of the most extraordinary and beautiful examples of Renaissance fortifications are seen today: the multifaceted brick castle at Mondavio and, in the coastal town of Senigallia, the sedate quadrangular fort and palace within. Also in Senigallia are a Neoclassical market place and arcaded waterfront. In Fano see an altarpiece by Perugino.
Some free time in the popular seaside town of Rimini, former stronghold of Duke Federico’s rival, the Malatesta dynasty. In the afternoon, drive to the Pesaro, a prosperous port and centre of ceramic production won successively by the Malatesta, Sforza and Delle Rovere dynasties before returning to papal rule in 1631. The art gallery contains Bellini’s great Coronation of the Virgin, perhaps his masterpiece. Fly from Bologna, arriving London Heathrow at c. 9.15pm.
Expert speaker
Dr Luca Leoncini
Art historian specialising in 15th-century Italian painting. His first degree and PhD were from Rome University followed by research at the Warburg Institute in London. He has published articles on the classical tradition inItalian artof the 15th century and contributed to the Macmillan Dictionary of ArtHe has also written on Mantegna and Renaissance drawings. Instagram: @lucaleonci
More tours led by Dr Luca Leoncini
Practicalities
Two sharing: £3,240 or £3,020 without flights. Single occupancy: £3,620 or £3,400 without flights.
Travel by private coach; hotel accommodation; breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners with wine, water, coffee; all admissions; all tips; all taxes; the services of the lecturer and tour manager.
Albergo San Domenico, Urbino: converted from a monastery building and the most centrally located hotel, opposite the Ducal Palace. This hotel is smaller and more rustic than its 4-star rating would suggest, and despite being the best available in Urbino, standards of decor and maintenance are lower than hotels in major cities. Grand Hotel Rimini, Rimini: An old-world 5-star hotel which has retained most of its comfort and style, perched on the seafront. Single occupancy rooms are doubles for sole use.
Many of the visits take place in hill towns, with very steep and uneven inclines on rough-hewn cobbles leading from the coach park to the centre. There is a lot of walking, and agility and sure-footedness are particularly essential on this tour. There is also quite a lot of driving along minor hill roads, which can twist and turn quite dramatically. Average distance by coach per day: 75 miles.
Between 10 and 24 participants.
Before booking, please refer to the FCDO website and Travel Health Pro to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting.
Dates & prices
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2027
Date
Speaker
Price
Date:
20th - 26th September 2027
Speaker:
Dr Luca Leoncini
Price:
from £3,020
(Based on two sharing)Testimonials
“Dr Luca Leoncini is superb. We have been on tours with him in the past and any tour with him in Italy will be excellent.
”
“Luca is the supreme professional, endlessly knowledgable, always open to questions and different views, and a brilliant, engaging lecturer.
”
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