This town in the high Marecchia Valley is located along the western side of Carpegna Mountain, which slopes down towards the Marecchia River, and is easy to get to from the Rimini coast.
This renowned environmental and cultural center of tourism, sung about by Tonino Guerra, is home to numerous beautiful places, as most of its territory is within the grounds of the Sasso Simone and Simoncello Natural Park; this is a great area for taking relaxing walks in the lush Apennines.
It owes its urban layout to the union of two castles; Billi on Rupe and Penna on Roccione. Of ancient origins, it was inhabited by the Umbrians, Etruscans and Romans and developed around 1000, with the addition of fortifications, defenses and religious buildings that created a delightful old town.
It was a feudal territory of the lords of Carpegna, before passing to the Malatesta family, of whom it claims to be the "hometown". After the fall of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, Federico da Montefeltro came to power.
Vestiges of the past and the monumental and artistic heritage of the town and nearby villages create a prestigious cultural itinerary, best enjoyed from spring to autumn when the weather is nice.
Further proof of this are the several museums like "A. Bergamaschi" Diocesan Museum of the Montefeltro, Mateureka Calculus Museum, the Museum of Sasso Simone and Simoncello Park, the World of Tonino Guerra and The Places of the Soul, dedicated to the poet whose unusual creations can be found in Pennabilli and nearby, and which create a bizarre yet evocative poetic itinerary.
Every year in July, at the Oliveri palace, the National Market Exhibition of Antiques is held, one of the best of these types of shows in Italy. There is also the event Artists in the Square which is both folklorist and international as it is an international festival of street art, which takes place around mid-June.
