Frontino

Nestled among the rolling hills of the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, Frontino is the smallest municipality in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, but one of the richest in charm and history. Listed among Italy’s most beautiful villages and awarded the Italian Touring Club’s Orange Flag, this jewel of the Montefeltro area offers an atmosphere of times gone by, where the silence of the cobbled alleys and the smell of freshly baked bread reveal the authentic soul of a timeless village.

Surrounded by the Sasso Simone and Simoncello Natural Park and dominated by Mount Carpegna, Frontino opens onto the picturesque valley of the Mutino River, whose stones—used to pave the narrow streets and build walls, towers, and fountains—make the village a small open-air museum. Here, art is in the air thanks to the Franco Assetto Museum, dedicated to the great Turin artist who left many of his sculptures and fountains to the village, among the most characteristic symbols of the historic center.

Among the must-see places is the Convent of Montefiorentino, one of the most important Franciscan complexes in the Marche region, founded according to tradition by St. Francis in 1213. Inside, you can admire the Renaissance chapel of the Oliva counts and works of extraordinary beauty, including the altarpiece by Giovanni Santi, Raphael’s father. Also worth visiting are the Monastery of San Girolamo, now a period residence surrounded by centuries-old oak trees, and the Mulino di Ponte Vecchio, dating back to the 14th century, which now houses the Bread Museum.

The historic center, known locally simply as the Castle, is like a stone living room suspended in time: flower-filled alleys, terraced houses, towers, and walls that recall the village’s defensive past, contested many times between the Malatesta and Montefeltro families. Symbols of its medieval history are the Torre Civica, which with its American vine offers spectacular shades of red every autumn, and the Torrione di Ponente, now an exhibition space and venue for civil ceremonies.

Inside the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, there are paintings attributed to the school of Federico Barocci and recently restored frescoes, testimony to the artistic fervor that has animated Montefeltro over the centuries.

Frontino is also a village to be experienced: among its most popular events are the Frontino-Montefeltro National Culture Award (September/October), the Black Truffle Festival (August), the International Scarecrow Festival (late July-early August), and the Bean Festival (September).

There is also a touch of sweetness thanks to bustreng, the typical Frontino dessert made with eggs and milk, a symbol of rural tradition.

With its nature, art, history, and flavors, Frontino is a small treasure trove of authenticity, a place where every stone tells of the devotion, ingenuity, and tenacity of those who have lived there for centuries.