| Pesaro - Urbino Province |
| The
natural starting point for a tour of the province is the
Adriatic Coast. From Gabicce Mare to Marotta,
the coast is the focus of summer tourism but thanks to
its fascinating and beautiful hinterland visitors have so
many possibilities of wandering into another world. Gabicce Mare is a major tourist resort boasting fine sand beaches, small bays and rocky coves fronted by stretches of deep sea through which can be seen remains of the legendary Valbruna - an ancient port and Roman city. At Easter, hundreds of cycling visitors from across Europe make daily excursions into the province on pre-planned tours. On a hill above the town, at Gabicce Monte, stand the ancient Castellum Ligabitii and the furnaces of Lanfranco. |
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| Immediately inland is the village of Gradara encircled by impressive 14th century walls with 22 towers and dominated by the famous Malatesta castle which centuries ago was the setting to the tragic love story between Paolo and Francesca, immortalised by Dante. In the town hall is the painting "Madonna con Bambino e Santi" by Giovanni Santi, father of Raffaello. |
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on the coast, at the mouth of the Foglia river, Pesaro
is justly proud of its talented and famous son
Rossini, born here in 1792. Naturally the city is a
centre of musical appreciation with symphonic
performances and concert season at Easter and the Rossini
Opera Festival in August. It is a city of ancient and
modern with some significant historic buildings - a 12th
century cathedral, the 15th century Ducal Palace whose
curiosity is the bathroom of Lucrezia Borgia, until
recently the prison was housed in a 14th century example
of military architecture. Modern hotels, an exhibition
centre, a busy port, pottery and copper workshops,
elegant shops and beaches clad in colourful parasols, all
tempt visitors to this bustling city. Seven miles to the south is Fano, once a important Roman town mentioned by Caesar in his "De bello civili". Its Arco di Augusto is a triumphal arch dating from the 1st century A.D. built of sandstone and covered in travertine. The powerful Malatesta family endowed the town with great buildings between the 13th and 15th century including the Fortress which hosts first rate theatrical and musical presentations during the summer months. |
| But apart from its nearby beaches, it is probably for its traditional festival that Fano is best loved. At Carnival, tons of sweets are thrown to the crowd from elaborate and colourful floats. There are two regional parks in the province, San Bartolo between Gabicce Mare and Pesaro and Sasso Simone e Simoncello in the Montefeltro hills. |
