San Girolamo Monastery
We begin the tour at a sight which will take you back centuries: the San Girolamo monastery.  Begin by taking in the superb panorama of Carpegna and Sasso e Simone national park.

The church and convent of San Girolamo were built in the early years of the 16th century - the church was finished in 1503 and the convent opened in 1507.  The local people wanted the church and convent to be built and they were funded by wealthy benefactors.  The complex was destined to the Order of the Girolamini (the order was founded in 1420 and suppressed in 1933), who in turn dedicated the church to Santa Maria delle Grazie, as was their custom with the first church built.  A few years later the dedication of the Monastery to San Girolamo was made official.

The nuns and monks of the order lived an ascetic life, tending to the fields.  They received donations up until 1810, when due to the "napoleonic suppression" they had to abandon the convent, which, after the transfer of ownership to the church of San Girolamo of Frontino, became the property of the town council.

Inside the church, which is spacious and of a simple layout, there is some interesting decor in the refectory, including a painting of "The Last Supper".

S. Francisco Convent in Montefiorentino, Frontino
Now we return to the main road and after about 4km come to the Montefiorentino hill. 
Built in the middle of the 13th century, as can be seen from the gothic antique portal built in stone and also the gothic  window in the apse, the Convent has been subject to huge expansion and restoration works.  The 15th century chapel is of particular interest, willed by Carlo Oliva in 1484 in memory of his parents Gianfrancesco and Marsibilia.  The architecture of the chapel follows the typical Brunellescan style and the tombs of Gianfrancesco and Marsibilia are in Florentine style, so much so that one could almost believe that they were constructed as replicas of the funeral monuments of Bruni and Marsupini in Santa Croce in Florence.  But if we think that the creator was Francesco di Simone Ferruncci from Fiesole, we understand immediately how the Florentine from the Renaissance could have been this near to these parts.  Another work of art adorning the chapel is the altar piece by Giovanni Santi, father of Raffaello Sanzio.  Signed by the Urbino artist and dated 1489, the painting portrays the Madonna with child, angels and saints.  The work of art was restored in 1927 and it is for this reason that today it is in almost perfect condition, still in the original beautifully carved wooden frame.  Finally in the chapel there are the two wooden kneeling-stools, inlaid by Maestro Zocchino in 1493.  The inlays, portaying false gaps and wickets open ajar, resemble closely the Study of the Duke Federico in the Ducal Palace in Urbino.

The Castle of Count Oliva of Piandimeleto
After having seen these little architectectural jewels, almost hidden away in the silence of the hills, we come to an impressive building in the heart of the pretty village of Piadimeleto.  Going down into the Mutino valley for about 12km you can enjoy the wonderful view of the tiny settlements of Monastero and Cavoleto.  In Piandimeleto the castle offers many ways of retracing history - whether you want to visit the castle of Count Oliva itself - a splendid noble residence built between the 13th and 14th centuries, or go back to the life of the farmers or learn about the fundamental geological structure of the territory.

The farming museum, on the ground floor of the castle, was established in 1982 as an initiative between the local towm council and the Institute of History of the University of Urbino, is divided into sections:
the wheat and hemp cycle, master trade workshops (blacksmith, shoemaker, rural artisan, carpenter, rope maker, stone mason); there is also a section on the Montefeltro farmhouse.

On the first floor is the reception hall of the castle which is almost in tact, with its ornaments, rosettes, fireplace and the adjacent room with its engraven fireplace  and beamed ceiling with ancient decor can still be seen. 
Next to the reception hall is the "Herbarium of the Marche", created by the Botanic Institute of the University of Camerino which has 240 plant, flower and grass exhibits from the Marche.  From here you reach a room which contains woods of Montefeltro.

The Museum of Earth Science was founded from donations from the heir of Prof. Renzo Pieruccini and currently contains around 5,000 exhibits, organised in sections including: the Earth, Classification room, a multimedia presentation, photographic exhibition of "Montefeltro farmhouses" and a well-stocked library with 3,500 publications on geology, geography and earth science in general.

Mount Illuminato Convent
Continuing 3km along the road towards Lunano, once you reach the ridge you have a wonderful view of the chestnut woods, which are characteristic of the countryside.

The Convent of San Francesco is on Mount Illuminato in Lunano.  It is said that San Francesco passing through this pleasant countryside, coming from Massa Trabaria, met a blind person who he cured by bathing his eyes with water drawn from the well which is still in the courtyard of the Convent today.  The Convent dates back to the 13th century and was subjected to many alterations, up until the complete restoration, which was carried out by the Lunano town council over the last few years.  Today the Convent houses a community for minors and an Italian language school for foreigners.  You can visit the church annexed to the Convent (with bell tower from the same period).  It houses interesting reports and testimonies about the Convent and a picture portaying San Francesco in adoration of the Virgin with child, by Carlo Maratta.