The Metauro is a river in the Marche region of central Italy.

In Ancient Greek, the name of the river is Métauros, Μέταυρος which stems simply from the union of the two torrents: Meta, running from the Apennine pass Bocca Trabaria, at an elevation of 1,044 metres (3,425 ft), and Auro, flowing from Monte Maggiore, at an elevation of 1,384 metres (4,541 ft).

The source of the river is located near Monte dei Frati in the border region between the provinces of Pesaro e Urbino, Arezzo and Perugia.

[3] It flows east through Pesaro e Urbino near Mercatello sul Metauro, Sant'Angelo in Vado (where the river forms the Cascata del Sasso, "Waterfall of the Stone"), Urbania, Fermignano, Fossombrone (in whose territory it receives the waters of the Candigliano), and, after flowing into a tight valley, the Gola del Furlo, Montemaggiore al Metauro, from which it starts to flow in a plain area.

The Greek city of Metauros was founded in the 7th century BC near the mouth of the river which also served as a boundary between its city-state and that of Tauriana 1 km south of the river.