Half a day in Urbino

At 8.35 we take the vehicle that takes us to Urbino, a coach that passes through many little villages. The weather is damp and rainy; on the bus there are many women, even elderly ones, who catch it from the strangest stops. We arrive at the Mercatale, the stop for all unauthorised vehicles, at 9.35. From a tobacconist we reach the IAT tourist information centre, where thanks to a map we find the way to L'Aquilone. The room is on the first floor of a small house. The weather gets worse; we reach the ducal palace with an 8-euro entrance fee; At last we make our way into the immense rooms of the palace full of splendid paintings. The visitors come from various places, Italians and foreigners. I don't visit the cellars, which are rather hard to reach. When we come out the rain has stopped, then we set off in search of a pizzeria.

We had been recommended the pizzeria Le tre piante but, because of the difficult access, we opt for Il cantuccio. Even though it's very early, customers are not lacking: families, women and a young German couple. We choose two pizzas with spinach, cherry tomatoes and speck, called tricolore, and a bottle of sparkling water. The weather is bad, cool and foggy, the fog's haze is clearly perceptible. We visit an endless book exhibition and then head back. The next day, before leaving, we stop by the botanical garden and Raphael's birthplace.