The area | How to get here | The natural environment | The food and wine offer

AMONG MARCHE, UMBRIA AND TUSCANY
"Castello della Pieve-La Torre" is a historic residence secured on a hill surrounded by greenery, in a fortified village built in stone in the 12th Century for defence. The ancient Castle has preserved its medieval plan and has a tower and small consecrated church.
The Country House faces the Alpe della Luna, in a particularly privileged position, in an area that borders on three splendid regions: the Marche, Umbria and Tuscany. It is the ideal place for visiting the neighbouring cities of art (Urbino, San Leo, Gradara, Fano, Assisi, Gubbio, Perugia, San Sepolcro, Arezzo and Anghiari….) and surrounding yourself with spectacular natural scenery (trekking paths andmountain biking in the Apennines, bathing and fishing in the clear river waters …).
The village lies in the municipal area of Mercatello sul Metauro, a town rich in carefully restored and well-preserved architectural treasures. Thanks to its outstandingly high standards of tourism and nature, the Touring Club has been awarding Mercatello the prestigious Orange Flag for years, a mark of quality for towns in the Italian hinterland.

OUR MUNICIPALITY
In 1400 Mercatello was incorporated into the Seigniory of Urbino after Federico from Montefeltro married Gentile Brancaleoni.
Over the centuries the area of Mercatello provided shelter to those from neighbouring Urbino, the homeland of Raffaello Sanzio, planning to cross the ApenninePass and the Alpe della Luna to reach the towns and cities of Umbria and Tuscany.

Even today the town is a privileged place to stay to visit the splendid cities of art: the most well-known being in the Marche (Urbino, San Leo, Republic of San Marino, Fano and Mondavio….) and also in Tuscany and Umbria: Arezzo, Siena, Perugia, Gubbio and Assisi, ….and to discover small cities and towns that are less well-known, but equally rich in environmental, artistic and historical testimonies, which represent true, unexpected treasures.

Among the narrow, stone alleyways, the medieval walls that surround Mercatello in a great urban oval contain extremely valuable architectural treasures:

  • in the heart of the town lies the spacious and sombre Piazza Garibaldi: it is overlooked by the Collegiate Parish Church, the Municipal building with its arcade, Palazzo Gasperini and the Sacro Monte di Pietà between Palazzo Donati and the former Palazzo Brancaleoni
  • the ancient architectural complex of San Francesco, with the Church in primitive gothic style (the first document that mentions it dates back to 1251) next to the evocative Piazza (ancient cloister) and the Convent, which today houses an important Museum with priceless works of art
  • the Ducal Building, which was designed by Francesco di Giorgio Martini at the request of Federico from Montefeltro
  • the Church of Santa Chiara with its three precious altars
  • Palazzo Stefàni, a family that gave men of power to Florence and ambassadors and chancellors to the Montefeltros and Della Roveres
  • the sixteenth-century Fabbri residence, called Palazzaccio
  • the Church of S. Croce, built in the fourteenth century
  • the Capuchin Church and Monastery, next to the House of Santa Veronica (born in Mercatello and patron of the town)
  • the Romanesque Bridge with its three arches over the river
  • the little Church of S. Maria del Metauro, rich in works of art and memorials.

Around the walls Mercatello continues to offer surprising treasures dotted over the countryside: Castello della Pieve and various little parish churches (in 1200 the Parish area included forty-seven churches or chapels), dovecots, mills, stone houses full of charm…

Mercatello has long been considered a “noble land”, also because of the characteristics of the natural environment, which richly embraces it with green woodlands and gentle hills.
The town is an excellent tourist destination for families, also because of its municipal gardens, which are equipped with children’s games.
Several events are promoted each year thanks to various associations. Among the most popular celebrations enjoyed by the people of Mercatello is the “Palio del Somaro”, accompanied by the Tagliatella Festival: in July, Mercatello is humorously split into four districts, which compete in games, tournaments, costume parades and shows. First to show the great rivalry and then for the celebrations of the winning district of the “Palio”, many events are organised to brighten the evenings all summer long.