From the main square of Lunano we’ll climb to the castle (the last 300 metres have to be covered by foot) and we’ll watch the remains of its main structural elements: the doors, the streets, the walls, the church and the tower. The castle arises in a panoramic position from where the visitors will enjoy a very good view and the guide will have the possibility to explain the history of the whole territory: from the Bronze Age to the Roman Age; from the Middle ages to the Renaissance.     
The castle of Lunano was founded after the 1000 and it arose on a hill near the confluence of the rivers Mutino and Foglia, on the border with the Massa Trabaria in the territory of Montefeltro. In the neighbourhoods of Lunano, the very interesting Franciscan Monastery of Monte Illuminato arises. According to the legend St. Francis stayed there in 1213 and carried out a miracle. Every year, at Lunano, on the third Sunday of October, it takes place the "Feast of Chestnut".

After climbing up the river Foglia for 5 Kilometres, in the neighbourhoods of the border with Tuscany, the tour stops at Belforte all'Isauro (344 metres above sea level). The first settlement at Belforte of Umbrian populations dated back to the 4th century B. C. The medieval castle of Belforte arises between the river Isauro and the stream Fossato and it was built on a six century Longobard settlement which was a very important bulwark to protect the Massa Trabaria, the valley of the River Foglia and the upper valley of the river Metauro.
As most of the town in the Montefeltro, Belforte all'Isauro suffered the historical events of the families Malatesta and Montefeltro; in fact, under the control of the duke Federico it was a sort of junction of Sassocorvaro and the towns in the Valley of the river Candigliano (as far as Gubbio). Federico da Montefeltro ordered to Francesco di Giorgio Martini to restore the Castle and then, during the war against the Malatesta, he turned the castle into a concentration place for the troops. Nowadays, the palace is divided into two main parts: the residence of the aristocrats and the residence of the subjects. One mile from the fortress the two guard towers: Campo and Torriola arise. It was in the very neighbourhoods of the Campo tower that the count Federico was seriously wounded in 1439; he was 17 years old and he was fighting for Niccolò Piccinini.  North-east of the town, near the cemetery, it arises the old San Lorenzo Parish church which has been known since the 7th century.

After getting down the river Foglia, the tour stops at Piandimeleto the town surrounded by the walls of the Counts Oliva’s Palace where the castrum and the Palatium are still visible.
The palace dates back to the 13th century and it was ordered by the Popes who were ruling the Massa Trabaria. The palace was built according new and rational structural features and it looks like a fortified residence. The castrum has been developed according to a general plan and it has an evident geometrical structure with blocks of flats, outdoor areas, churches, public streets and orthogonal squares; to sum up, the original plan, by proposing the Roman tradition again, has anticipated the rational idea for the modern towns.
By hiking through the old part of the town, visitors will have the possibility to visit the Monastery of St. Augustine, the gates, the walls, the squares and the old “gates of the dead”. Besides, thanks to some recent studies it has been identified the house Evangelista from Piandimeleto which was the guardian of Raffaello Sanzio from Urbino.
The Palatium (the Palace) is strictly linked with the Counts Oliva; a very important family which has been tied up the families of Malatesta, Montefeltro, Bentivoglio, Gonzaga and Medici.
The building of the Palace was ordered in the 15th century by the Count Carlo Oliva, a learned man of the Renaissance which had studied at the courts of Sigismondo Malatesta and of Federico da Montefeltro. In fact, he commissioned the building of the palace to some artists working for the Duke, like Francesco di Simone Ferrucci; the artist from Fiesole who has built in the monastery of Montefiorentino the graves of Carlo’s parents too.  However, it has to be said that in the 15th century it wasn’t built a new palace, in fact it was carried out the restoration of an old small fortress whose origins are still unknown.

For this reason the palace has both the features of a small fortress and of a luxury palace; in fact it has a quadrangular plant but is enriched with Ghibelline merlons, brackets and the rounds. The function of aristocratic residence of the palace is testified by the presence of two orders of large windows.
The external walls of the palace look quite insignificant while the rooms in the palace were decorated by drawing inspiration from the Ducal Palace of Urbino. Watching the details and the decoration of the palaces in the Montefeltro, it’s possible to understand the deep wish for changing which characterized the court during the renaissance; in fact the palace is the only one example of renaissance building in the Montefeltro.
Not distant from the Palace, a round tower arises; it dates back to the Renaissance and its round shape is probably due to the architectonical style of Francesco di Giorgio Martini. 
After the decline of the Oliva’s rule, the castle has always been the seat of the public life of the town.
In fact, nowadays it is the seat of the Museum of Natural science, of the Marches’ herbarium and of the Museum of Country life in the Montefeltro. The castle is a symbol of Piandimeleto and its population.

The tour stops at Pietraubbia too. Passing through the valley of the stream Apsa it’s possible to admire the Romanic church of Sant'Arduino (12th century), which is in a dominating and very picturesque position, and the houses of Mercato Vecchio which is the seat of the municipality of Pietrarubbia, whose districts are spread all through the valley.
Going on for 2 kilometres, it’s possible to enjoy very suggestive scenery by reaching the ancient Petra Rubea, the legendary rock which was turned into an inexpugnable fortress, and the houses of an old abandoned village. Nowadays, while hiking through the abandoned houses, it’s possible to see the sculptures of Arnaldo Pomodoro and the objects created in the T.a.m. centre (Centro di Trattamento Artistico dei Metalli – centre for the artistic processing of metals).
Going back to Mercato Vecchio, the tour stops at Ponte Cappuccini. It is the seat of a monastery which was built to remind the passing and the doctrine of St. Francis from Assisi. The monastery keeps the room where San Giuseppe da Copertino lived, some seventeen century pieces, a very beautiful wooden altar and some paintings of the School of Guido Reni. The hundred-year old park of the monastery has been turned into botanical gardens and repurposes the typical vegetation of the central Apennine.
Passing through the slope of the valley to go from Ponte Cappuccini to Carpegna, it’s possible to see the crest of Pietrarubbia again; from here you’ll enjoy a very charming view and admire the tower of Pietrafagnana; it’s a very particular rock which looks like a fortress built by men, but has been modelled by nature only.

From Pierarubbia the tour goes on toward Frontino, a village which arises on the slopes of the “Sasso Simone e Simoncello” and overlooks the valley of the stream Mutino. The old residential area is surrounded by the walls of the castle and the original medieval structure of the town is very well maintained. The town offers to the visitors a very pleasant mix of history, art, landscapes and welcoming atmosphere. In a panoramic little square which overlooks the public gardens of Frontino an important sculpture by Franco Assetto is there. The sculpture is called Scultura d'Acqua and it is dedicated to the teachers and their role; other pieces of the world famous artist from Turin are kept in the Art Museum of Frontino. Near the square the Vandini Palace arises; it has very beautiful cellars with arched ceilings and an underground gallery which anciently connected the palace with a fourteen century water-mill.
We also recommend visiting the church of San Pietro e Paolo which keeps a “Madonna and son” of the School of Barocci and a very beautiful wooden Tabernacle which dates back to the 17th century.
People who want to enjoy the landscape of Frontino have to visit both the town centre and the country. In fact, all around the town beautiful farms, mills and monasteries like the picturesque hermitage of San Girolamo and the monastery of Montefiorentino are there.
The thirteen century Monastery of Montefiorentino keeps very interesting works of art and the famous Renaissance chapel of the counts Oliva which has been attributed to Francesco di Simone Ferrucci. On the altar, a painting (The Holy Virgin with Son and the Saints) by the Raphael’s father Giovanni Santi is there. Besides, in the monastery two beautiful seventeen century wooden choirs and kneeling-stools inlaid by Zucchino (1493) are there. Every year, at Frontino a world famous literary event takes place; it is the National Prize for Culture “Frontino-Montefeltro” and it was founded by Carlo Bo.

Information:
Tourist office ++39.0722.721 528;
Email biblio.piandimeleto@provincia.ps.it;
Web Site www.comune.piandimeleto.pu.it