First stop San Leo, gateway to Montefeltro

San Leo is the gateway to Montefeltro: the fortress at over 600 metres dominates the valley and guards the events of Cagliostro, while the Romanesque parish church and cathedral tell more than a thousand years of history amidst stone and silence. Walking through the village means moving through one of the places believed to have inspired Dante's Divine Comedy.

Second stop Novafeltria and Perticara, heart of the valley and memory of mining

Novafeltria, a young municipality but central to the valley, revolves around Piazza Vittorio Emanuele with the Palazzo dei Conti Segni and the Romanesque Oratory of Santa Marina. In the hamlet of Perticara, the Sulphur museum recounts, with reconstructed rooms and documents, the long history of the sulphur mines and the life of the miners.

Third stop Sant'Agata Feltria, fairytale castle and truffle scent

In Sant'Agata Feltria, the Fregoso Castle dominates the village like a fairytale castle, while the Mariani Theatre, one of the oldest wooden theatres in Italy, is a small 17th-century jewel.

Nearby, porcini mushrooms and prized white truffles have made the autumn fair dedicated to forest products famous.

Fourth stop Petrella Guidi, the village of Roses

Petrella Guidi is a tiny fortified village, gathered around the remains of the fortress and a few stone houses, silently overlooking the valley. The small square, the small bell tower and the view of the Montefeltro hills invite you to take a slow, almost timeless pause.

At the foot of the tower is a tribute by the poet Tonino Guerra to Federico Fellini and Giulietta Masina. In 2024, the 'Petrella delle Rose' project was inaugurated in Petrella Guidi, a widespread rose garden, a unique open-air museum in Italy containing more than 100 specimens of roses.

Tips for true professionals

• Dedicate at least a whole weekend to this itinerary: organise a night between San Leo/Novafeltria and one towards Sant'Agata Feltria to avoid turning the route into a race.
• Alternate culture and nature: always combine a 'sightseeing' stop (fortress, museum, theatre) with a short walk or scenic spot, so the pace remains light.
• Plan tasteful stops: mushrooms and truffles in Sant'Agata are obligatory stops; between Novafeltria and the nearby villages, look for mountain cuisine trattorias for fresh pasta, cheeses and local cured meats.