The neighborhood of Fano
Very near to Fano - on the Flaminia Consular Road - there is Saltara with the "Villa del Balì", an interactive museum of science and planetarium.
Already in 1165 this Villa was a property of the bishop of Fano, who wanted to build there four small towers for the observation of the celestial dome.
The name of the village Saltara comes from the Latin "saltus aeris",which means "wood of bronze": the Carthaginians abandoned in that wood their armours, after they were defeated by Roman soldiers in the battle of Metauro River in 207 b. C. .
The Patron - Saint of Saltara is St Sebastian, who is depicted in a canvas, made by the school of Federico Barocci: it is displayed in the Church of St Pier Celestino.
Then, there is Cartoceto, famous for the production of extravirgin olive oil ( guaranteed place of origin): they make this oil in old artisan oil mills.
The main square of Montemaggiore al Metauro is called Winston Churchill Square. Winston Churchill ate a dish of pasta (tagliatelle), prepared by a woman of Montemaggiore, while he conducted the manoeuvres of the troops of the Allies with the two Generals Leese and Alexander.
In Mondavio you could visit the fortress of Della Rovere family, built between 1482 and 1492: at the interior of this building the statues of the Museo Scenico di Rievocazione Storica show us moments of daily life in times very faraway from us There are life - size plaster figures representing people eating in the dining hall, the torture room and servants working in the stables.
If you follow the Flaminia Consular Road, you will arrive at the Furlo Passage (Passo del Furlo), a tunnel digged in the mountain at the times of the Emperor Vespasiano and still used by cars and trucks; the road will lead you to Acqualagna, the country of white and black truffle.
45 Km from Fano there is Urbino, famous for the Ducal Palace, built by Federico of Montefeltro. The Palace hosts the National of Marche region, where there are paintings by Raffaello and Piero della Francesca. Then there is Gradara with its medieval fortress castle, restored in 1920 by the engineer Umberto Zanvettori. This fortress witnessed the love affair of Paolo and Francesca, as it was narrated by the poet Dante Alighieri in the 5th Canto of his Inferno.
If you continue your tour over the border of the Province of Pesaro Urbino, you would arrive to Loreto, with its world - famous shrine for the Virgin Mary and the Caves of Frasassi (Grotte di Frasassi) with their splendid natural panorama.
We can assure you that for certain you will not be bored visiting these places: we are looking forward to meeting you!
