Urbania, Italy's Befana capital

Surrounded by hills and immersed in the Metauro valley, Urbania, once known as Castel delle Ripe and later Casteldurante, owes its current name to Pope Urban VIII, who elevated it to a city and diocese. Known throughout Europe for its refined ceramics, it welcomed several dukes of Urbino within its walls, including Francesco Maria II della Rovere who made it his residence.

Urbania is a treasure trove of art, nature and history. Among its alleyways, there are many sights that should not be missed: the Ducal Palace, today home to the Library, the Municipal Museum and the Museum of Rural Civilisation; the "D. Bramante" theatre; the Diocesan Museum; the Ducal Barco, with its ceramic workshops and wonderful park; and finally, the Church of the Dead, which houses eighteen bodies of people who died in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, who underwent a natural mummification process;

Visit the tourist site of the city of Urbania http://www.visiturbania.com/ to find out all about what you can see - For those wishing to organise guided tours of the city of Urbania, contact the Tourist Office +39 0722 313140 - turicult@comune.urbania.ps.it

The Festa della Befana is a very old tradition in Urbania but only became of national interest in 1997. Special media attention has transformed an ancient ritual into the National Befana Festival, an event for the whole family. The whole city is involved, and the entire area is magically transformed into a family-friendly town: stockings hung along the streets of the historic centre, shop windows decorated for the occasion, music and entertainment events, markets and shows for all tastes and, of course, lots of Befane animate the historic centre of Urbania with their merriment and colourful costumes. Having received the keys to the city from the mayor, the friendly little old lady becomes the first citizen of Urbania for the days of the festival! The "Befana Postal Office" is set up, which collects all the children's letters.

The whole city is transformed into a magical place: walking through the alleys, you will find Piazza del Cioccolato,Emporio della Befana, Piazza del DIY, the Courtyard of Flavours and the Befana Playground. Lots of activities and games to make these days unique: the Befana Flights from the Bell Tower and the bell tower of the Town Hall, the parade of the world's longest stocking, educational-creative workshops for children, themed competitions, shows, fire and street-art performances, to involve adults and children alike. Moreover, exhibitions, creative workshops and itineraries to discover the historical and artistic treasures of Urbania are organised for adults, because the Befana festival is dedicated to people of all ages;

Food and wine stands scattered around the city that offer crostoli, tasty pancakes and desserts, as well as traditional local dishes to the more than 50 thousand visitors who come to the city every year.

On the night of 5 January, then, the Befana of Urbania and her tireless helpers set to work to bring presents to children in their homes, accommodation facilities and caravans in the area.

To make Epiphany special for the little ones through this magic, you can contact the Durantina Proloco: +39 0722 317211 – prolocourbania@libero.it Official website of the event www.festadellabefana.com Follow their Facebook page: National Befana Festival https://www.facebook.com/festa.befana.urbaniaand Instagram: National Befana Festival https://www.instagram.com/festadellabefana