Urbino: The Story of a Renaissance City

Sometimes coffee table books are beautiful to look at, but poorly written. Occasionally, they are well-written, but photographed under less than ideal circumstances. There are no compromises with this fine volume: it is the best of both worlds. The photos inspire and the writing engages and educates without pedantry, without begging the patience of someone naive of the subject. In short, it is a tour-de-force trip back in history and across the globe to an elegant and embraceable town. The ideal book about the Renaissance Ideal.

This is one of those rare and perfect books, where the writing and the images all come together in utter harmony. Osborne is a master at blending the history of the region with the ambience of the land itself. A book that will certainly make you add Urbino to your list of must-see places in Italy.

This is a grandly illustrated and beautifully written history of the small Italian city of Urbino, which at one point during the Renaissance rivaled Florence and Roman both economically and culturally. It was the birthplace of Raphael, and the town features many works by that artist as well as by Piero della Francesca and other artistic luminaries. It remains a real jewel of a town. This book is highly recommended to anyone planning to tour the Italian hill towns of Umbria and Tuscany, to follow the Piero della Francesca trail, or enjoy a hiking trip through the Umbrian countryside. It also offers a great armchair journey to anyone interested in Italy.