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Le Marche, in English called 'The Marches', is a region that is located in central Italy.
In the Sibillini Mountains, located in the west of the region, one can make beautiful marked walks.
To the east lies the Adriatic Sea with its widely acclaimed Riviera delle Palme.
Here in between, Casa Belmonte is situated in the peaceful village of Monte Rinaldo, a half hour drive from the coast and half an hour from the Sibillini nature park. The region is dotted with dozens of medieval, authentic villages, which are always situated on the hill tops of the undulating landscape that is so characteristic of the Marches.
However, the greatest asset of the region is that the Marches, which are also sometimes called the new Tuscany, have been spared from mass tourism to this day. Here you will find the real Italy with its friendly people, its excellent cuisine and its hospitable people.
Here you experience a carefree holiday, where everything is possible and nothing is committed.
In short ... enjoy La Dolce Vita!
The enchanting, medieval town of Ascoli Piceno is located in the south of the Italian region of Marche along the Tronto river and has about 50,000 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of Ascoli Piceno.
Not to be missed is the unique central square, one of the most beautiful in Italy, the Piazza del Popolo, with its important buildings such as the Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo, the historic Caffè Meletti in Liberty style from the year 1907, the church of San Francesco and the Loggia dei Mercanti, an elegant 16th century building.
The pleasant city is very much like an open-air museum. A little further on, on Piazza Arringo, you will find, among other things, the cathedral of the city, the Cattedrale di Sant'Emidio as well as the Town Hall (or Palazzo Comunale), the medieval Battistero di San Giovanni, the Palazzo Panichi and the National Archaeological Museum which holds treasures from the Roman and Piceno periods.
A typical Ascolian specialty is the ‘Olive Ascolane’, hollowed out green olives that are filled with meat and cheese and then deep fried in a crispy jacket. This delicacy is available everywhere in Ascoli. There are even sales stalls where they are offered in a real fries bag.
Every Wednesday and Saturday morning a market is held in the city. You can find them on the
Piazza del Popolo or on the Piazza Arringo.
When the evening has fallen, the Italians will show their best side during the passeggiata, where the people walk on the streets and squares of the city and where they see and want to be seen. After this you can enjoy the 'aperitivo' on one of the cozy terraces of the city or in one of the bars. Finish the evening by visiting a local ristorante, osteria or pizzeria.
Fermo, one of the most seductive cities of the southern Marches, has a collection of architectural sights that make a visit to this city definitely worthwhile.
The fortress, once the highest point in the city, was destroyed in 1445 by an uprising against the ruling Sforza family. The nearby 13th century Romanesque-Gothic cathedral, with its lavishly decorated interior, is beautifully insulated. Nowadays you can also find the city gardens from where you have an endless view to the Apennines.
The 'centro storico', the historical center of the city, is on a lower level than the cathedral. Around the magnificent central square, the Piazza del Popolo, are cozy terraces, nice shops and the main city buildings including the Palazzo Comunale, which exhibits the art collection of the city and where one also finds an early Rubens
('The Adoration by the Shepherds', 1608).
During the summer season Fermo is the host of a renowned music festival with some of the world's best artists. Every Thursday evening of the summer months there is also an outdoor summer market on the central piazza, the Mercatino del Giovedì. Recommended!
Also noteworthy are the underground Roman baths of the city (Le piscine Romane) which contain thirty perfectly preserved rooms. These were built between 60 and 41 BC and served to clean and preserve the water supply of the city. They are considered the best example of their kind throughout Italy.
High on a hilltop, above the northern slope of the attractive Tesino valley,
lies the more than a thousand year old town Ripatransone with its 4,500 inhabitants.
From here you have a breathtaking view of the beautiful surrounding Marchigian landscape. The large city walls were enlarged and reinforced between the 12th and 16th centuries, making the whole a 2,418-meter-long protective wall.
Once past the ramparts, in the borgo, the grandeur of the buildings immediately stands out in comparison with the size of the place. During the 16th century, the small town experienced a period of prosperity and wealth and was elevated to status as a city with its own cathedral. The most unique thing about Ripatransone, however, is that it has the narrowest alley in Italy. With a width of only 43 cm, almost wedged between the houses, it meets all the requirements to be called a 'vicolo':
it is paved, passable and has at least one window or door.
The region around Ripatransone is also known for the production of his 'olio extra vergine di oliva' as well as for his DOC wines such as the Falerio dei Colli Ascolani and the Rosso Piceno Superiore.
The Sibillini Mountains
This 70,000 ha massif, consisting mainly of limestone, is located on the border of the regions of Le Marche and Umbria. The Monte Vettore (one of the highest peaks of the Italian mainland with a height of 2,476 meters), the wild mountain lakes and the windy highlands of the Monti Sibillini offer some of the most spectacular landscapes of the Marches.
The Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, with its beautiful fauna and flora, is a jewel of a natural park where the peaks rise above flowery fields and where in the valleys you will find unspoilt villages. The area is a true walking paradise. You will find here both long and short hiking trails with various difficulty. The towns of Amandola and Sarnano offer a nice starting point to start your route.
In the middle of the Sibillini is the Piano Grande, a plain of no less than 40 km², which is dotted with a beautiful flower field from June to July. Hiking trails traverse these mountains like a web and give you the opportunity to discover the natural and historical-cultural environment from spring to autumn.
During the winter, when the highest peaks are covered with snow, there is the possibility
to ski between forests and valleys.
Horse riding, mountain biking, hang gliding or paragliding, rock and glacier climbing are other possibilities which are offered to the visitors.
Grottammare, a small seaside resort on the Palm Riviera of the Adriatic Sea, offers its visitors 5 km of fine sandy beaches. The traffic-free promenade is flanked by Liberty style architecture, with magnificent villas built in the early 20th century. The many palm trees that have been planted along the promenade, the beautiful flower beds, the nice beach bars and the well-kept lawns give the place great charm. In the calm Adriatic Sea one can easily walk 50 meters before the water reaches only to your waist. Super fun for the kids!
That's what they also think of the gelati, the delicious Italian, craft ice creams that you can eat
at the coast on almost every street corner.
Grottammare must not be inferior in culinary terms as there is a wide choice of excellent restaurants.
The medieval town, the borgo, which is located high above the promenade, houses beautiful old buildings and beautiful views over the sea. The attractive church of Santa Lucia was built in 1597 in memory of Grottammare's most famous resident, Pope Sixtus V. The central piazza of the borgo was named after his original name, Piazza Peretti. Even higher than the church are the remnants of the old castle.
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