Urbino and truffle hunting – experiences in the Italian Marche

Writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré

Below Bologna, along the Adriatic coast, lies the Marche region. The area is known for its rich history and culture from Roman times to the Renaissance. There are many small picturesque towns to visit as well as abundant vineyards and small-scale farms.

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Marche, one of 20 regions in Italy

The capital of Marche is Ancona, which is also the largest city with around 100,000 inhabitants. The region is less well known than the great classics of Italy but it has both charm and character, although the towns are smaller there is plenty of history.

The area is slightly larger than Örebro County, around 9,000 square kilometres, and consists mostly of hills. Prices are considerably lower than in other regions, so you can find both food and wine at really good prices here. If you want to fly to Marche, the easiest way is to land in nearby Florence or Bologna.  

Renaissance town of Urbino in the Marche & Palazzo Ducale di Urbino

Urbino is a small town of just under 15,000 inhabitants, with a centre that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main castle, the Duke's Palace, is known as the Dukes Palace in English and is a striking 15th-century castle.

The famous mercenary Federico da Montefeltro drew inspiration from his campaigns in Tuscany and many other areas of Italy. He was a victorious commander who also became the ruler of Urbino from 1444 to 1484, where he was later given the title of Duke by the Pope himself. Inside the castle there is a sculpture of Federico and also a painting in which he is portrayed with his only son who, after his death, ended the family dynasty in 1508.

There is much to tell about both Urbino and Duke Federico, but if you get the chance to visit the Marche, make sure you have plenty of time in Urbino. Just walking around the small cobbled streets of Urbino feels like a historical experience.

Many castles are built with limestone or other convenient stone for moulding and masonry but in the area there was no good stone to build with. The whole castle is built with bricks made locally in the second half of the 15th century using either clay or lime mortar as a base and it took around 40 years to build the castle with its walls and all the driveways.

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The castle's courtyard is typical of the Renaissance period, when symmetry, balance and order were the watchwords of architecture. Urbino was just two villages, each on a neighbouring hill, but it grew into an important trading centre thanks to the castle and walls built by Duke Federico.

It is also home to the region's art museum, although Ancona is the capital of the region, Urbino has the historical context and setting to accommodate National Gallery of the Marche. Each region of Italy has its own gallery of selected art and history. Urbino was also the birthplace of the famous artist Raphael, in 1483, who later ended up in Rome where, after his death, he was given a place in the Pantheon temple alongside some of Italy's most honoured personalities.

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Marche is famous for its truffles

During the trip, lots of food was enjoyed truffles in various forms and we started with a seemingly light lunch at the shop Acqualagna Tartufi Company. Acqualagna is a village located in the truffle area so if you want to taste truffles you should go there. Truffle butter, truffles in salami and then fresh truffles over it all with a white wine from Marche was like butter on popcorn - a real hit.

We then travelled on to a seemingly simple restaurant in Acqualagna, La Tana del Lupo with truffles on the menu, when we arrived, a group of road workers were having lunch. As the truffle does not last very many days as fresh, it is of course rare and expensive in Sweden so take the opportunity to enjoy it fresh on site in Marche.

One of the classic combinations is an omelette with truffles on top, as well as warm bread with melted cheese and truffles, all served with the house wine of course. Very good and inspiring for our upcoming truffle hunt.

Truffle hunting in the Marche

The expensive mushroom comes in several varieties but is often referred to as a white or black truffle, with the black being the most common and costing around €300 per kilo, while the white can cost ten times as much. The truffles are hidden a few centimetres underground and are found with the help of specially trained dogs.

We got to go up among the hills and join in when a truffle hunter and his dog showed how to find truffles. They thrive around oak trees so we went to an oak-dominated woodland where the dog managed to sniff out some smaller mushrooms. The truffle hunter told us that he can find up to a kilo on a normal day and most of the truffles are 10-20 grams but can occasionally approach the kilo.

Hotel Tenuta Santi Giacomo e Filippo

We stayed a little outside Urbino among fields and soft hills in a really cosy hotel with large gardens and its own vineyards. It felt wonderful to be able to sit outside and eat overlooking the rolling landscape of Marche. The hotel consisted of several old stone buildings that have been restored and tastefully decorated, surrounded by lovely lush greenery.  

Their restaurant is of a high quality and they always have regional wines to match the food. In the Marche region, the light-coloured Verdicchio and Bianchello grapes are the most widespread, and the red wines are often made from Sangiovese and Montepulciano. More on the wines and food in the next article.

Famous people from Marche

In addition to the famous painter Raphael, the composer Rossini also comes from Marche, his most famous work, The Barber of Seville has been performed at all the operas in Sweden, most recently in Stockholm in June 2025. Rossini was born in Pesaro, which is located in northern Marche right next to the Adriatic Sea.

It might be suitable music for your road trip in Marche or why not the music style italodisco or classics like Albano & Romina Power. But to match the beautiful landscapes and the delicious food and rich culture, they will probably have to be something grand next time I visit Marche.

READ MORE: On a wine tour in Marche – and a visit to the Frasassi Caves

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Jonathan Gharbi De Maré

Jonathan has lived abroad for about 10 years but now lives in Stockholm and runs jbwtravels.com with a focus on craft beer and wine and there you will find a collection of all his publications. Jonathan opened the first craft brewery in Burkina Faso and wrote the book Beer guide to Vietnam. He is a reporter for the beer promotion magazine Maltesen. Besides beer, he has a keen interest in nature and unusual travel destinations.

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