The pleasures of this area remind us of the Italian phrase “the best wine comes in small bottles.” After the grandeur of Rome or Florence, many of the experiences in this region may seem small-scale, but they are personal, memorable and relaxing. Some of the experiences that come to mind include: dining in San Leo on home-made pasta followed by a plate of local cheese that has been aged under a layer of oak leaves; hiking up to the medieval tower to watch the sunrise over the hills; cooking hand-made sausages from the butcher shop in Sestino on a camp fire in the yard of the Mulino; and listening to a cloistered choir singing evening vespers in a convent outside Urbania. The relaxed pace of the region also makes it a safe, easy place to vacation with children. Our young children love to go hiking, berry picking, fossil hunting, and boulder-hopping in the dry creek. The beach is an hour away, and there are numerous old fortresses and other sites to explore in the area. Planning Your Itinerary Visitors who do not want to travel very far from the Mulino can enjoy the following activities within 30 km: Hiking, biking, touring cultural sights, shopping for traditionally made ceramics (in Urbania) and local antiques, and attending local festivals celebrating local foods (beef steaks, truffles, honey, chestnuts and potatoes). Exploring the Local Villages There are many quaint villages nearby. The best of these include Frontino, Mercatale sul Metauro, and San Angelo in Vado. Here is a short tourism itinerary for some of the towns closest to il Mulino: http://www.montefeltro.info/CMDirector.aspx?id=2670 Several towns in the region host “Palio” which are reenactments of medieval and renaissance festivals. There are Italian language schools in both Frontino and Urbania that can accommodate visitors who want to study the language and become immersed in the Italian culture. Frontino language school: http://www.roccadeimalatesta.it/centrostudi.php Urbania language school: http://www.centrostuditaliani.org/default2.htm Urbino is the home of the Ducal Palace of the Duchy of Urbino, one of the finest collections of Renaissance art and architecture in all of Italy. Urbino is about 45 kilometers from the Mulino and should not be missed by any visitor. A bit further away, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, are other sites of interest such as San Leo, San Marino, and Pesaro to the East. To the west, in Tuscany and Umbria, are San Sepolcro, Arezzo, Anghiari, Gubbio, Perugia and Florence, all within 45 minutes to 2.5 hours by car. Outdoor activities are plentiful The Parco di Sasso Simone e Simoncello has mountain bike and horseback tour itineraries on its Web site (below). A local guide is available to give you an ecological tour of the park. For information on these activities, contact the Sestino tourism office by e-mail: centro.visita@comunedisestino.it. Both the tourism associations of the Metauro Valley and of the Macerata Feltria area have published hiking and biking maps that allow you to hike or bike on trails and country roads through the region while staying at bed and breakfasts (“agroturismo”) along the way. The “HappyBike” company in Urbania arranges bike tours of the region and rents bicycles. Planning Your Visit We are happy to help our guests plan itineraries for their stays at the Mulino. We also have found local tourist offices to be quite helpful. In smaller towns, the staff of the tourism offices may be the best English speakers in town, and they are eager to help you discover all that the region has to offer. They can even assist you in making hotel reservations and providing other assistance by e-mail or by phone, so making contact with them by e-mail when you begin planning your trip can be a good idea.Links to Local Attractions and Regional Tourism Web Pages
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