For those of you who either live here, or are visiting, here are some of our favourite towns.....

Please note as the information becomes available, we will add to the information on this page.

Ancona
Don’t let anyone, or indeed a guide book tell you that Ancona is not worth your time! I have spent many hours in and around Ancona, and if you know where to go, there is much to draw you in. A bit of history first……

Ancona (meaning elbow in Greek) was founded in the 4th century on the Guasco Hill by the Syracusans of the Doric line, who were attracted by the large, natural port. The ruins of the temple of Aphrodite are under the cathedral of San Ciriaco. During Roman times, it was a prime gateway to trading with the East and became a Roman city in 113 BC. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire it became part of the Eastern Roman Empire during Byzantine times. From the 11th century, the free commune of Ancona vied with Venice in trading with the Orient. After the discovery of America and the fall of Constantinople, maritime trade moved to the Atlantic, causing a period of recession, but in 1732 Clement XII granted free port status to the city, giving the economy a well deserved boost. The city, and in particular many of the historic buildings have withstood earthquakes and bombings, fortunately for us there is still much to see.

The city of Ancona sits above the ancient spice port and has some of the most amazing architecture. Trajans Arch, built by the Emperor Trajan as an arch of triumph around 115AD is over 13 metres high and made of marble, and was the original gateway to the town. On the Guasco Hill you will find one of the most important monuments, the Duomo (San Ciriaco Cathedral), with a panoramic view over the city and dates back to the middle ages. Close by is a Roman Amphitheatre built between 1st century BC and 1st century AD as well as the original hang man’s house. Other favourites for us are Il mole Vanvitelliana, or otherwise known as Lazaretto, situated in the port, and served as both military and quarantine purposes. It was designed and built in 1733 by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli. Pentagonal in shape, it is linked to the quay by bridges and could accommodate up to 2,000 people during epidemic outbreaks. For me sipping coffee in the Piazza del Papa (Piazza del Plebiscito) is a delight. There are many productions to watch during the summer, and it truly is the place for passegiata for the elegant inhabitants of Ancona. The newly restored and refurbished theatre is another sight worth seeing, along with the art gallery, the churches of Santa Maria della Piazza and Sant’Agostina (a former Augustinian monastery). Other things not widely known, are the fact that there are caves, dug out by the inhabitants of Ancona, at the base of the Guasco hill which were commandeered and dug out by families who now use them as retreats during the summer as they sit right on the beach. The only easy way to reach these are by boat, and you will be amazed by the brightly coloured doors, complete with small gardens and garden furniture. Do also try the other Napoleonic fort that is now a pizzeria, and which has incredible views across Ancona, and finish with a cocktail in the Liberty cocktail bar.

Ancona’s economic development is based on its busy ship building and tourist port, which allows visitors to travel by ferry to Greece, Croatia and the Middle East. As Marche is the centre of the designer leather factories, you will find many bargains at local markets and designer outlets for shoes, handbags, wallets and other leather wear.

Macerata
Macerata is Sferisterio, this incredible open air Opera theatre is situated in the centre of Macerata and plays host to immense productions throughout July and August every year. Check out the link to see the programme http://www.sferisterio.it

San Ginesio
San Ginesio overlooks the Piceno valley and dates back to the Roman Empire. Inhabitants built a castle at the top of a hill to protect themselves, and the town walls date back to the fourteenth century that once had rectangular towers and eight gates into the town. There are now four remaining with Porta Ascarana, a castle once owned by the local noble family of Ascari. Porta Alvaneto was named after the castle of Virgigno, owed by the Guidarelli family and was restructured in the sixteenth century by Francesco Gualtieri. Porta Offuna was named after the castle of Guiffone in contrada Battifolle, and reconstructed in 1887. Porta Picena, often called the main gates overlooks the Piceno valley and during the centuries has undergone considerable changes. Today the remains of a second door is still visible and the flat topped battlements are used in the Battle of Fornarina 30 or 31 July, a spectacle well worth seeing, and where you can see costumes from the historical society, the towns drummers and of course some enthusiastic fighting from the locals against the Fermani (locals of Fermo).

There are several remarkable architectural treasures in the town, not least the Ospedale dei Pellegrini, ex Chiesa di San Paulo. This is unique and full of fascination, this hospital was the resting place for pilgrims during the course of their tiring journeys to Rome. This very attractive building made from sandstone was restored in 1450 and has retained its double portico.

Unbelievably there are twelve churches in San Ginesio, but by far the most impressive is the church of Pieve Collegiata Santa Maria Assunta is divided horizontally in two parts of which the lower part, Romanesque is the older. There is a travertine stone portal with slim octagonal colums, alternated with quadrangular pilasters. There are mounted basrelief tile panels with the image of Saint Ginesio, patron saint of the town and protector of actors. The upper part represents one of the great expressions of 15th century Gothic in perfect harmony with Romanesque tradition, and is the only example in the Marche region of such architecture. The church was built in 1421 from the drawing of the German architect, Arrigo Alemanno. In the course of centuries the church has undergone considerable changes, even the original beamed roof, after a fire, were substituted with a cross vault constructed in the 15th century. On the inside is a double row of columns which divides the area into three naves. There are many works of art displayed in the alcoves and the smaller chapels either side have wonderful carvings and sculptures.

Special events in San Ginesio
The Battle of Fornarina. This is the story of a young baker, the heroine of the day, who sounded the alarm when on her way to work early one morning, therein saving San Ginesio from the marauding forces of Fermo. The town takes great pride in this event, with historically correct costumes, the reconstruction of medieval times with taverns ancient trades, tanners, blacksmiths, singers and jugglers to set the scene before the Fermani break through the gates to the town. The battle actually took place on 30th November 1377, but is re-enacted on 30th or 31st July every year.

Il Palio della Pacca takes place at the battlefield next to Porta Picena. Four horsemen, each one representing his own "contrada", named after the four remaining gates, are rivals in a tournament for the "pacca" (roast suckling pig). The contest consists in hitting a silhouette of a knight (Saraceno). The prize will go to the winning "contrada".

The joust is the final act of reconstruction is Il Palio – La Giostra Dell’Anello consists of a procession counting over 200 figureheads of the community, unique with its 14th century costumes and characters. It is a very suggestive event and takes place again at the battlefield next to Porta Picena. The horsemen of the four contade are rivals for the Palio. They have to centre as many rings as possible in the fastest times. The prize for the winning horseman is the Palio (a 200 x 150 cm banner). Needless to say with all the festivals here there is much feasting and drinking afterwards.

Tolentino
Apart from the fabulous St Nicholas Basilica, called in the past St Augustin’s Church was built in the second half of the XIII th century. A few decades later an imposing cloister with thirty arches, supported by columns in brickwork of different shapes and Romanesque capitals, plus walls full of frescoes were added. On the façade the precious portal is a flowery Gothic style and was made by Nanni di Bartolo (1432-1435) who had worked with Donatello in Florence. St George who kills the dragon can be seen in the ogival shape; while in the lunette there is the Virgin and Child between St Augustin and St Nicolas. Inside, the imposing ceiling made of golden wooden caissons by Florentine artists in the third decade of the XVII th century, is eye catching. Among the paintings, St Anna of Guercino (1640) and St Thomas of Villanova by G Ghezzi (1663) are of great interest. In the Chapel of the Holy Arms, there are two paintings of the XVII th century, "The Fire at the Doge’s Palace" in Venice attributed to M Stom and "The Plague" in Genoa by G Carboncino. Other important works like a polychromatic wooden crib of the XIII th century, a painting of the Virgin and Saints by Simone di Magistris and a Deposition attributed to Vittore Crivelli are in the Museum of Opera. The Cappellone, with the remarkable cycles of frescoes, is the biggest in the Marche region, and tells of the lives of the Madonna, Christ and St Nicolas. The fresoces were first attributed to Baronzio or to an anonymous painter called Master of Tolentino, but then recent studies speak of Pietro di Rimini. The Cappellone vault is adorned with the four Evangelists and the four Doctors of the Western Church, while on the walls there are depicted events of the life of the Virgin (in the lunettes) of Christ (upper cycle) and of St Nicolas and his miracles (lower cycle). In the middle of the Cappellone stands a stone sarcophagus (1474) with a statue of the Saint in polychrome stone by the Florentine Niccolo di Giovanni (during the middle of the XV th centrury). In Piazza della Liberta the singular Tower of Clocks by Antonio Podrini from St Angelo in Vado, stands erect with its four dials indicating lunar phases, Italic time, sideral time and the days of the week and of the month. The Tower of Clocks is the bell tower of St Francis’ Church too, which has till conserved, of its previous construction of the XIII th century, the apse decorated with small arches and majolica basins and in the sacristy there are valuable frescoes of the XIV th – XV th century. In the square the Palace of Sangallo the Young in 1540, is very important. Along some of the streets of the town it is possible to admire beautiful buildings of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance. In Via Ozeri there are both an imposing palace of the XIV th century, perhaps where the army leader Nicolo Mauruzi was born, and a medieval shop with two ogival arches decored with elaborate brickworked arched lintels. In Via Filelfo there is a typical medieval house with the so called "door of the dead". An interesting painting by a Flemish author of the XVI th century depicting Christ in the Garden of Olives is in the Holy Crucifix’s Church, in the past the Capuchins Convent, while in St Mary’s Church there is a wooden statue representing the Madonna on the throne (XIV th century). The Charity Church is also very important for it’s Romanesque portal on the façade, while on the side there is an equally important Gothic portal made of brick. The Vaccaj Theatre, opened in 1797, has many frescoes designed by Lucatelli, and by Fontana who restored it in 1881; at present there is yearly theatrical performances, a concert seasona and in addition to important cultural and musical events.

On the plain some kilometres east of Tolentino, stands the imposing and solitary Rancia Castle, built in 1357, on a Benedictine warehouse, by Andrea Beltrami from Como under the order of Rodolfo Varano the Master of Camerino. It is formed by crenellated walls and two angular towers in one of which there are some traces of the previous construction of the XII th century. During the centuries many battles took place in the castle shetering leaders like Luci von Landau, John Hawkwood, Braccio from Montone, Nicolo Piccinino and Franceso Sforza. In 1815, the Battle of La Rancia, between the Austrian troops and Murat, was fought here. Battaglia di Tolentino 2-3 May 1815. This reconstruction takes place bi-annually at the Castello La Rancia

The abbey of St Mary of Fiastra is an exceptional building erected by Cistercian monks in 1142, who came from the abbey of Chiaravalle of Milan. The cruciform pillars with the Romanesque capitals engraved by the monks are typical. Inside, there are many fescoes, some of them dating back to the XV th century. The imposing cloister was rebuilt at the end of the XV th century. From the old monastery there is still the Capitular Hall and the Refectory with a vault supported by seven different columns which have capitals and plinths taken from the near Urbs Salvia. Nearby there is a huge, ancient wood of 100 hectare with many protected animals. It can be visited with WWF guides.

Loro Piceno
Loro Piceno is a delightful little town in a wonderful setting at the top of a hill overlooking the valley of the Fiastra River. Its Medieval origins of the existing historic centre enclosed within its surrounding walls. Its name seems to be derived from the Latin "Laurum" meaning Laurel with the addition of Piceno. In ancient times it was called Castrum Lauri.

The discovery of the gravestone of the piceni tribe, dating from the 6th century BC, indicates the origin of the first settlement on the site. This developed steadily during the Roman period partly because of the proximity of Urbs Salvia. Loro Piceno has gained widespread fame for the production of Vino Cotto, deriving as it does from the boiling of grape must. Although this wine is of humble origin, it s unmistakable colour and flavour makes it a perfect end to a meal. It is commonly served with desert, and is excellent if used with the local hard, Cantucci biscuits for dipping purposes!

Ascoli Piceno
The main piazza in Ascoli Piceno is a stunning example of the best architecture in the region. 

Other favourites

Treia, Pollenza, Visso, Caldarola, Sarnano, St Angelo in Pontano, Amandola, Portonovo, Sirolo, Numana, Porta San Giorgio, San Benedetto Del Tronto, Civitanova, Recanati