From Gubbio to Urbania travelled by Leopardi's country and the house of Duke D'Urbino

January 1, 2013
Finally a few days off! Celebrated New Year's Eve with friends and children, the first day of the year we are ready to go. The route is already more of an idea through the work of our wives and resources are loaded and operational. We are moving up early taking advantage of the half-empty streets after partying the night before, the direction of Gubbio.
We arrive in a couple of hours the Umbrian town and parked the camper near the sports facilities via del Bottagnone. The parking area is slightly ahead but in the parking lot is full and there are other campers, so we decide that the place is good and, taking advantage of a free bus service links, we reach the center.
The weather did not help us and few drops of rain accompanies our travels but does not prevent us to enjoy the beautiful Gubbio. With a couple of lifts we reach the Piazza Grande, where we admire the Palazzo dei Consoli and Palazzo Pretorio. After a good meal in one of the downtown restaurants conclude the ride back to our cars, just in time to see the giant Christmas tree light, designed on the hill on which stands Gubbio.

in Recanati

January 2, 2013
We leave early enough and head to Recanati. Thanks also to the fortuitous meeting with the president of the local Camper club, we find the best rest area via Peruzzi, free connection with the power supply and load / unload, all close enough to the center.
Visit Recanati through its places Leopardi, from the birthplace of the poet to the hill of the Infinite with its charming landscape. The city speaks of poetry, but we very prosaically we are drawn by a delightful shop where beer squander a significant portion of our budget (.. will be the theme of this trip)


January 3, 2013
After a quick load / unload tanks we head towards the coast. The weather is gray, but the desire to show the children the sea is great. We come to Numana and we can park their vehicles on the seafront and spend the morning to entertain the little ones on the beach. At lunch we move and facing a winding climb that embarrasses my McLouis, we reach the summit of the Conero.
Unfortunately, we do not find the view we had hoped, but we are surrounded by greenery and already this we can rejoice lunch (any excuse would be valid while eating)
With a full stomach descend the mountain and return to the sea, destination Sirolo. The town for campers only offers a daily parking comunquer a few meters from the center. 5 minutes and we, well-kept streets and pleasant sea views are the main feature though probably at its best in the spring and summer. From the top we can see the beach below the village (not accessible with our means, even in winter) a must try in the summer months.
Off again reach Senigallia where risk to put in the center, this time is the Adriatic Stefano to suffer its increased size. Dodged the danger, there is parking and give us a walk downtown, shopping and relax.
The climate is pleasant and it is definitely a nice surprise the city center, but we have to move, we set to spend the night at the Agriturismo Sbraga, near Fano. We get that it's time for dinner and we only have time to arrange transportation, tomorrow we will look around.

January 4, 2013
We wake up with a bright sun, the place is very nice and the owner very kind with us and see the farm animals, clearly the kids are excited. The place is much to recommend, for 16 euro a day you will have a spacious pitch, electricity and water on site, spacious bathrooms and clean and all in a beautiful environment. We complete the morning by playing children in freedom and walking in the surrounding countryside. Time gives us even outdoor dining, something quite rare in this season. Withdrawn table and chairs we go to the next half Corinaldo.
We park near the sports field where we come to the center with a short but challenging climb. The medieval town is very charming and keeps almost intact the outer walls, but, as often see in these places, there is no life, there are very few activities and a visit to these places is likely to become monotonous.
We leave for the last stages of our journey and arrive in Urbino in the late evening. Follow the signs and parked in a parking area not exactly close to the center, but it's late and we're tired, we'll see tomorrow (sleep with an average slope of campers between 7 and 20% argggg)

January 5, 2013
We soon realize that we have to move to visit Urbino, there is a car park next to the Palazzo Ducale with convenient access to the center. We find that it would be possible to stay here for the night, of course fee (1.20 € per hour).
The tour of the center allows us to discover a beautiful city: the church of San Francesco, Palazzo Ducale, The Duomo, the Piazza Rinascimento and Piazza della Repubblica. Circulate so few cars that children can play with a certain tranquility. Among the many things to see we can find the time to taste us a delicious meal of meat and find a shop selling new and delicious beers.
With the camper loaded as an Oktoberfest walking we reach the final and decisive stage: Urbania, the city of the Epiphany!
They are many who chose this place to spend the Epiphany, but the parking area at the Barco del Duca is great and the view of all those campers is a good show. A convenient shuttle service, free of charge, however, brings us to the center of the party. Dozens and dozens of witches greet us full of candy for the delight of children, wherever there are stalls full of all good (we can find craft beers here too!). The clock tower two acrobats dance hanging by a thread and in the afternoon from the bell tower of the Duomo launched four witches riding their brooms amid the cries of the crowd and two happy fathers with their young shoulders. In the end, tired but happy, we return to our homes waiting for the old furniture fills our stockings.

What are in the glass?

January 6, 2013
Last day, we take one last around Urbania, which undoubtedly offers easy parking and a natural environment and child, and after lunch and tidied means we start the return trip.

Beauty of place : 7
Distance : 7
Catering : 6
Accessibility children : 7,5
Ease of parking : 8
Total cost : 8

Barco del Duca - Perfect Camper Area

Overall assessment : 7.16 (43 su 60)


 

Spello, Assisi, Bevagna and Montefalco

Friday 16/11/12
Finish ed work and made the final preparations we are ready to go, we take the Calenzano motorway which are just 18, direction Umbria.
Blame a little traffic, we come to our first destination, Spello, which are already 21.
The site is well signposted and is located a few hundred metres from the centre, close to the sports ground (coin-operated parking meter, 8 euro for 24 hours, minimum payment 5 euro) time to dine and settle down for the night and everyone in bed.

Saturday 17/11/12
The night was cold, but a good stove and quiet allowed us to rest. To get to the centre need to travel a short distance uphill.
Spello appears immediately in its beauty, medieval streets and alleys lead us through the ancient stone buildings, offering an enchanting panorama that has inspired an artist like Norberto Proietti. Visit the Gallery of the artist in via Cavour and continue the tour, noting, however, that many businesses are closed and that, in general, Spello doesn't shine for vitality, however, does not mean that the visit is less palatable, but we intend to go back on the occasion of the infiorata, the competition of flowered balconies typical of the country, that normally takes place in early June (next should take place on the first weekend of June 2013)

After lunching in camper we move in Assisi, the parking here is more complicated: after countless laps, continually blocked by access restrictions for motorhomes, we find a  parking. The fare is not cheap (2 euro for hour) but mostly we realize not just neighbors. We park too and ask directions, in fact there is no signage for the centre and the bar, which should also work as a cashier, is currently closed. Luckily the people we meet are very polite, which will be repeated everywhere, and the way we are moving. Here the path is decidedly uphill and having to push the stroller doesn't help. Huffing and pushing come on top and we must now admit that despite the effort is worth it: Assisi is truly magnificent. In every corner there is the link that this city has with its saint well with its origins. Maybe you see even the most travel propensity, but never so heavy and without absolutely charm penetrate a bit mystical. The short day of early winter we just a little when turning, but also gives us spectacular views that you are unlikely to forget.

Back to the camper and, after paying our contribution to the parking machine (the bar continues to be inexplicably closed), we move to the night in Bevagna. The staging area is well-marked, peaceful and free.
 The country and really close and, after having dined on sliced pizza base, we are going to spend the second night in Umbria.

Sunday 18/11/12
 A dense rain accompanied us throughout the night, but fortunately the morning we reserve a time forgiving and good, now, we are going to visit Bevagna. The country is very beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful for now, will be smaller than in Assisi, or maybe the continuous flow of people, maybe the two wonderful squares, but we immediately fascinated. Despite being Sunday, most of the shops are open, people are really helpful and we stop several times to talk with people we meet. "Angiolino 'o pustino" tells us that the best time to visit the village is the end of June, for the market of the Gaite, medieval event involving the entire Bevagna, so we have a good excuse to go back.
 We stop for lunch at Osteria Scottadito. Perhaps for the season but the Club is full and we serve with diligence, homemade pasta and a spectacular cut, pity that the choice of the house wine was equally apt.
 Back to the camper to relocate in Montefalco. There aren't many kilometres and landscape and really spectacular: the vines that turn to red colour the hills that surround us and almost sorry when we arrive.

  We leave the medium into the staging area at the foot of the town, free of charge but with a steep access. Montefalco is probably what keeps most of all the characteristics of the medieval: narrow cobblestone streets, steep slopes and stairways everywhere. Not that this isn't appealing, but try to move with the stroller is truly daunting. Will this or a bit of tiredness but after little more than an hour we decide to get back on the road to home.

Conclusions
 The route that we did not quite linear, we made choices based on the areas where we would sleep.
 Maybe it's not the best time to visit these areas, but even so we enjoyed the beauty of a region that welcomed us with its bold flavors but cordial. In case we reported, together with a good bottle of Sagrantino, a great desire to leave again

Beauty of place : 9
Distance : 8
Catering : 8
Accessibility children : 6
Ease of parking : 8
Total cost : 8

Overall assessment : 7.83 (47/60)