Urbino
once a major center of humanism
The Italian city of Urbino, once a center of humanism, is located on two hills in the center of a lovely hilly landscape in the Marche region. Duke Federico da Montefeltro, who lived from 1444 to 1482, realized his ideal of a Renaissance city in Urbino. The place, whose buildings have been almost completely preserved over the centuries, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998. Many tourists book a study trip to visit Urbino. Numerous educational institutions and the over 500 year old university with over 20,000 students shape the image of the city today.
The Palazzo Ducale is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Italy
A trip to Urbino is worth it just because of the magnificent Palazzo Ducale, the outstanding building of the city. The palazzo is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in all of Italy. The complex building, which took around seven decades to complete, is grouped around several inner courtyards. One of the highlights of the tour of the palace is a visit to the Duke’s study. Almost as impressive, however, are the throne room, the main courtyard and the staircase. Outstanding works of painting from the Renaissance period can be viewed in the Galeria Nazionale delle Marche, which is housed in the Palazzo Ducale. The most famous is probably the portrait of a woman “The Mute” by Raphael.
Raffael spent the first ten years of his life in Urbino
One of the sights of Urbino is the cathedral, which adjoins the Palazzo Ducale. It was rebuilt in the classicism style between 1789 and 1801 after being badly affected by an earthquake. In the interior, among other things, pictures by the baroque painter Federico Barocci can be seen. The cathedral museum, which is integrated in the Duomo, is also worth seeing. The most popular meeting place for locals and students is the Piazza della Repubblica, which is located below the Duomo and the Ducal Palace. Urbino is also known for the house where Raffael was born, who lived here until he was ten.
Lucca
If you are on holiday in Tuscany, in northern Italy, you should definitely pay a visit to the city of Lucca. The small town impresses, among other things, with a historic city center that is well worth seeing with narrow medieval streets and numerous small and large sights. The city center is surrounded by a twelve meter high city wall. The city can be entered through a total of seven city gates. In the heart of the city center is the impressive Piazza San Michele, which is the interior of a large Roman amphitheater. On the edge of the square are the Church of San Michele in Foro and the Cathedral of San Martino, among others.
Birthplace of Giacomo Puccini
Lucca is famous far beyond the Italian borders, especially as the birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, one of the most famous Italian composers. His birthplace, which is now a museum, still attracts numerous tourists from all over the world and locals. There is a large monument to the composer in front of the well-preserved birthplace. A hotel and a small restaurant still bear his name today. For relaxation, there are also large parks in Lucca with many shady trees and countless plants.
Extremely popular excursion destinations for nature lovers and adventurers in the city of 90,000 are the “Canyon Park” and the Grotta Turistica Antro del Corchia.
San Francesco
The city of Arezzo in eastern Tuscany is more than just an insider tip for an excursion. The most famous attraction of the city is the Romanesque church of San Francesco from the 14th century. The church has also had a bell tower since the 17th century.
World famous fresco cycle “Legend of the True Cross”
The biggest attraction of this second oldest church in the city, which looks rather simple from the outside, is the radiant fresco cycle “Legend of the True Cross” in the main chapel with a total of ten parts. The world-famous frescoes with an impressive total size of 300 square meters, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, were painted in the Renaissance style by the Italian painter Piero della Francesca in the 15th century. In addition, the interior of the Church of San Francesco also houses the grave of Francesco Rosselli, one of the most important Italian engravers. The large organ of the church and the golden cross above the altar are also extremely worth seeing. The Church of San Francesco is not only one of the most important sights, but also one of the most popular photo opportunities in the city. There are also numerous sights in the vicinity of the Church of San Francesco. In addition to the large Cathedral of San Donato and the Medici Fortress, you shouldn’t miss the Archeology Museum in Arezzo
