01Urbino at a glance
Urbino is the city of Federico da Montefeltro and Raphael, a Renaissance old town that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, and just right for a day of art in the hills of the Marche.
From Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini, it's 65 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes by car: set off after breakfast and you'll be back by the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. For more ideas, see our villages to visit in the hills page.
| Where | Palazzo Ducale di Urbino (Ducal Palace) – Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, Piazza Rinascimento 13, 61029 Urbino (PU) |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 65 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes |
| When to go | spring and early autumn; August for the Festa del Duca |
02History
- In Roman times it was the municipium of Urvinum Metaurense.
- From the 13th century the city came under the influence of the Counts of Montefeltro.
- Federico da Montefeltro came to power in 1444, and in 1474 Pope Sixtus IV made him a duke: under him Urbino became one of the centres of the Italian Renaissance.
- In 1483 Raffaello Sanzio (Raphael), son of the painter Giovanni Santi, was born in a house on Via Raffaello.
- After the Montefeltro the duchy passed to the Della Rovere. When Francesco Maria II died in 1631 it became part of the Papal States, and much of the ducal collection ended up in Florence.
- Since 1998 the old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a high point of Renaissance art and architecture in harmony with the landscape.
03What to see
The Palazzo Ducale is the heart of any visit. Baldassarre Castiglione described it as "a city in the form of a palace". You can spot it from far off by its two Torricini (little towers) looking over the valley. Inside, you cross Luciano Laurana's Cortile d'onore (Courtyard of Honour), with inscriptions in Roman capitals celebrating Federico, and reach the duke's Studiolo, panelled in wooden inlay.
The palace rooms house the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (National Gallery of the Marche). Here you'll find Piero della Francesca's Flagellation and Madonna of Senigallia, the famous Ideal City in the Sala degli Angeli, Raphael's Portrait of a Gentlewoman known as La Muta (The Mute Woman) and works by Titian.
The Casa natale di Raffaello (Raphael's birthplace), at Via Raffaello 57, is the 14th-century house where his father Giovanni Santi lived and where the painter was born in 1483. You can see rooms furnished with period pieces, the little courtyard with its well and the room with the Madonna di Casa Santi, a fresco attributed to the young Raphael. It has been home to the Accademia Raffaello since 1873.
On Via Barocci there are two oratories side by side. The Oratorio di San Giovanni Battista has frescoes by the brothers Lorenzo and Jacopo Salimbeni under its wooden ship's-keel ceiling. Finished in 1416, they are one of the finest examples of International Gothic in the Marche. The Oratorio di San Giuseppe has a life-size 16th-century stucco nativity by Federico Brandani.
At the top of the hill is the Fortezza Albornoz, built between 1367 and 1371 and strengthened by Cardinal Egidio Albornoz. Around it is the Parco della Resistenza, with one of the best views of the Palazzo Ducale and the rooftops of the city.
Heading down towards Borgo Mercatale you come to the Data, the old ducal stables that could hold up to 300 horses, and Francesco di Giorgio Martini's Rampa elicoidale (spiral ramp), the tower that let the duke and his court ride from the palace down to the stables. It's also worth stopping at the neoclassical Duomo, which has paintings by Federico Barocci.
Sources: gndm.it · it.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · finestresullarte.info · sharry.land Information checked in October 2026.
04Festivals and food fairs
- Festa del Duca (Duke's Festival), August; in 2026: 11–14 August: A Renaissance re-enactment in the old town, with a jousting tournament at the Mercatale and the gioco dell'Aita, a contest between nobles and commoners.
Dates change every year, so always check before you set off. Sources: ilrestodelcarlino.it
05Visitor information
Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (Palazzo Ducale), Piazza Rinascimento 13: open Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-19:15, with the ticket office closing at 18:15. On Mondays that are not public holidays it opens only in the afternoon, 15:00-19:00, but the official website gives these hours only up to 14 September. Closed on 25 December and 1 January. Full ticket €12, reduced €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 25, free for under-18s and for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. There's also a combined ticket with the Rocca di Gradara, valid for 5 days: €16 full, €4 reduced. Information: +39 0722 322625, galleria@gallerianazionalemarche.it. Casa natale di Raffaello, Via Raffaello 57: from 1 March to 31 October, Monday to Saturday 9:00-13:00 and 15:00-19:00, Sundays and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00. From 1 November to 28 February, Monday to Saturday 9:00-14:00, Sundays and public holidays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing; closed on 25 December and 1 January. Tel. 0722 320105, segreteria@accademiaraffaello.it. If you're driving, there's the multi-storey car park at Borgo Mercatale, below the Torricini of the Palazzo Ducale.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: gndm.it · gallerianazionalemarche.it · casaraffaello.com · it.wikipedia.org Information checked in October 2026.
06How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 65 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes. At reception we'll suggest the best route and where to park, and we can make you a packed lunch if you ask.
Your space back at the hotel stays free in our private car park, which is fenced and has CCTV. You'll find other places to see on the same day below.
07Nearby
All the villages on one page: villages to visit in the hills. For more ideas, see things to do in Rimini.
08What our guests say
What our guests say about their day trips.
Day trips
«You can book trips inland with the help of the reception staff»
Sea and hills
«great view from the balcony, towards the sea on one side and the hinterland on the other»
09FAQ
How much does the Palazzo Ducale in Urbino cost, and when is it open?
The Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, inside the Palazzo Ducale, is open Tuesday to Sunday 8:30-19:15 (last ticket at 18:15). A full ticket costs €12, and a reduced ticket €2 for EU young people aged 18 to 25. It's free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of the month.
How long should I allow for Urbino?
A full day is ideal. Allow at least two or three hours for the Palazzo Ducale and the Galleria, then add Raphael's house, the oratories on Via Barocci and a walk up to the Fortezza Albornoz for the view.
Where can I park in Urbino?
The easiest place is the multi-storey car park at Borgo Mercatale, right below the Torricini of the Palazzo Ducale. From there you walk up into the centre.
Can you visit the house where Raphael was born?
Yes, the Casa natale di Raffaello at Via Raffaello 57 is a museum run by the Accademia Raffaello. From November to February it opens Monday to Saturday 9:00-14:00 and on Sundays 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-18:00. For information you can call 0722 320105.
Are there any festivals or events not to miss in Urbino?
In August there's the Festa del Duca, a Renaissance re-enactment, which in 2026 ran from 11 to 14 August. In early September there's the Festa dell'Aquilone, first held in 1955, when the city's contrade compete at flying kites.
How far is Urbino from Hotel Viking?
65 km, about 1 hour 20 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
Where should I stay to visit Urbino?
Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini is a 3-star hotel 150 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year and well placed for day trips.
