Acqualagna is surrounded by other towns that tell the story and culture of the Pesarese inland area. In this page you will find brief descriptions of all the tourist attractions of these places.
Piobbico
Just a few kilometres from the Truffle capital there is the town of Piobbico. There you can visit the Brancaleoni castle, a medieavel-Renaissance homage (1470-80), built by Count Guido Antonio I, captain of Duke Federico di Montefeltro di Urbino. Inside the castle tourists can visit all the affrescoed rooms and the “Museum of Ancient Trades”. Piobbico, in addition to its history, is known in the whole of Italy for its famous association “The Ugly” ,“I Brutti”, which during events in the town, entertain all present. From a food point of view, there is the delicious local “polenta” which the tradition of the territory has brought to the present times and the popular mushroom festival of October which brings typical local mushroom dishes to our tabes.
Urbania
Urbania, the ancient Casteldurante, is a few kilometres from Acqualagna. It is well-known in the national territory for its ceramic and majolica production. Tourists can visit the 15th century Ducal Palace built by the Brancaleoni family and then handed over to the Montefeltro and finally to the Della Rovere dynasties. Today you can visit the town library which is inside the Palace, as well as the historic archives, and see the Farm Museum and the Civic Museum which contains two rare Mercator Globes. Worth visiting are all the churches of the historic centre, in particular the Chiesa dei Morti with its beautiful Gothic portal. The church has been called the graveyard of mummies which reached their state of mummification due to a peculiar kind of mildew which dried out the bodies by absorbing all their bodily fluids. One of the most popular events taking place in Urbania is undoubtedly the Festa della Befana which is held during the period of the Epiphany.
Apecchio
Apecchio lies at the foot of Monte Nerone. It is a few kilometres from Piobbico. Its history witnessed the dominion of the Ubaldini until about 1700. Subsequently it was controlled by the Papal State and this control marked the destiny of this flourishing town rich in ancient traditions. The 14th century arched bridge, which leads to the town, is one of the most important tourist attractions the past has given Apecchio. The next significant structure is the Ubaldini Palace, a typical example of Renaissance architecture which has a large bell tower marking the entrance to the castle. Today the palace houses the Museum of Fossils of Monte Nerone and also houses the town hall. A few kilometres away in Colombara, tourists can visit the biggest globe on earth, built in wood and which, due to its particular size, has won a place in the Guinness World Records.
Cagli
Cagli lies at the foot of Mounts Catria e Petrano. It is not far from Acqualagna. Tourists can visit a number of historical buildings in the centre. The Palazzo Berardi Mochi-Zamperoli, the Felici, the Palazzo Pubblico and the Preziosi Brancaleoni, as well as the Palazzo Tiranni-Castracane are all open to the public. Cagli also offers historical findings in the Archeology and Flaminia Museum. In addition, there is a museum of contemporary sculpture Torre Mariniana and the CESCO, the Art Thread of Canova (Centre of Documentation of Design and Scale Models of Contemporary Sculpture). During the year there is a series of events and festivals tied to the traditions and history of Cagli. Distinti Salumi is one of the most awaited events due to its importance as a food and wine festival. The main attraction of the event is salt pork in all its forms and all its origins. After that there is the Pipe Festival and the Historic Goose Race, two well-known events which have brought recognition to Cagli on a national scale.
Foto © Antonio Scaramuzzino
