Urbino, a picturesque hill town in central Italy’s le Marche region, is famous for its Ducal Palace, the first in Italy, and as the home town of the painter Raffaello (Raphael). The palace holds one of Italy’s top collections of Renaissance paintings.

In the 15th century, Duke Federico da Montefeltro established Urbino as one of the most influential places in Europe, making it an important center for art, culture and learning. Its university was founded in 1506. Urbino’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site.