Abstract
The impressions of Urbino recorded by Michel de Montaigne, one of the earliest foreign tourists who came to visit in the spring of1581, were far from enthusiastic: town, in no way outstanding, at the top of a medium-high mountain, following the lay of the land in such a way that nothing is level, and everywhere you have to climb up and climb down. As if the discomforts caused by the uneven terrain were not a sufficient evil, it also happened that Montaigne was denied the opportunity ofadmiring the famous ducal library since the key to the room had been mislaid. His poor opinion of Urbino was quickly confirmed. The view from the palace, he decided, was not exceptional, and the building itselfhad nothing to recommend it, either inside or out. Montaigne observed only a small garden of around 25 pas. Probably he could not resist mentally comparing it to the grander one of the late Cardinal of Urbino, Giulio della Rovere (d. 1578), which he had seen at Fossombrone only a few days before.
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