Le Marche - ‘all of Italy wrapped up in one region’
Living in Le Marche
The combination of great food, fine wines, heritage and history, culture and climate continue to make Italy a firm favourite with travellers from around the globe, and in particular the hidden gem of Le Marche.
Often referred to as ‘the best of all Italy wrapped up into one region’.
With a growing reputation the breath-taking region of Le Marche is situated in the central, eastern part of Italy. Le Marche is a true hidden gem, an unspoilt region rich in local history, artisan culture, excellent cuisine and of course, wine and olive oil.
Travellers from all over the world will visit Italy regularly with many returning annually for a much-needed top-up of Italian culture and a refreshing taste of La Dolce Vita.
Improved airline routes to many smaller airports mean that areas of rural Italy are being made much more accessible to international travellers, opening-up opportunities for guests to easily enjoy authentic Italian experiences in unspoilt regions away from the tourist trails. Le Marche has easy access to two local airports in Ancona and Pescara, and only a few hours’ drive from the airports in Rome, Bologna and Perugia.
Offering a stunning combination of pristine beaches, snow-capped mountains and medieval villages, Le Marche is a magical holiday destination that captures the essence of authentic Italian life. The region has so much to offer in terms of activities and excursions and provides year-round entertainment for all.
Endless golden beaches, yacht-filled marinas and picture-postcard hilltop medieval villages provide fun in the sun, whilst the majestic Sibillini mountains provide the backdrop for hiking, cycling, painting and climbing, and winter sports such as skiing and snow-walking.
Situated in the centre of Italy, bordering Umbria, Tuscany, Lazio and Abruzzo. This is real Italy, uncorrupted by tourist traps. Its rich land incorporates 180 kilometres of coastline and the largest number of museums and galleries in Italy. There are thousands of monuments and acres of national parkland. The 20 blue flag beaches are a must in the summer, with an abundance of fish restaurants serving exquisite dishes and chilled white wine. Long promenades await the cyclists and joggers enjoying their exercise to the sound of the sea.
Le Marche has certainly held on tight to its innate sense of timelessness and authenticity, providing travellers with a real taste of Italy.
With the sparkling Adriatic Sea and the Apennine mountain range easily accessible, rolling hills and vibrant countryside as far as the eye can see - you have to wonder why more people don’t talk more about the region of Le Marche.
Those in the know, however, are quite aware of Marche’s positive attributes. It’s the kind of place where people truly find ‘la dolce vita’.
“Appassionata evolved from our love and passion for Italy, we fell in love with the language, the people, art, history, food and wine. Le Marche has it all, and we wanted to find a way to share this piece of paradise with others. Blending our professional business skills and marrying them with style, creativity and passion. Appassionata offers something unique – a boutique fractional ownership business.” The Times Newspaper.
Links to le Marche videos and tourism information:
· The Towns of Le Marche - https://youtu.be/u1JUDRUdGsk
· Le Marche Tourism - https://www.turismo.marche.it/en-us/
· Explore Le Marche - https://www.turismo.marche.it/en-us/Explore
· Le Marche Coast-line: https://www.turismo.marche.it/en-us/Explore/The-Marche-Region-in-Blue
· Le Marche National Parks and Mountains - https://www.turismo.marche.it/en-us/Explore/Parks-and-Active-Nature
· Le Marche Video - https://fb.watch/4Zq9GMwfNW/
· The Telegraph - Newspaper Article – Le Marche - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/cheaper-alternative-tuscany-mountains-better-beaches-fewer/
10 Interesting Places to Visit In Le Marche... there are so many more.
Ascoli Piceno
Bordering two national parks and mountains on three sides, Ascoli Piceno is a charming town whose Piazza del Popolo is considered to be one of the most beautiful town squares of the Bel Paese, Ascoli’s market square was restored in the 16th century and is a regular meeting place for locals. Strikingly clear and elegant, this old square is the perfect place to spend an evening in this historic location. This large town is full of history to explore with a lineage that can be traced all the way back to the 9th century, Ascoli is full of hidden gems for would-be travellers to discover off the tourist track.
Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle
Located in Sirolo, it could be considered a trek to find it (which is why we recommend the shuttle bus) but a view of the crystal blue ocean awaits you. The beach itself is dominated by two magnificent white rocks which emerge from the sea, meaning that it is a secluded paradise from masses of tourists.
Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini
Monti Sibillini Park offers the opportunity to visit Le Marche throughout the centuries. You can see the various wonders which have been curated by man throughout this time. Its highest peak, Monte Vettore, reaches 8,132 ft above sea level; it is Italy at its most authentic, which is not only a cultural experience but an intently engaging environment.
Grotte di Frasassi
Coined as the centre of the Earth, these caves are some of the largest and most famous underground caverns in Italy. It may be cold, but this crystalline wonderland is completely worth it. The factions from the theatrical lighting light up the beams and walkways which lead to displays showcasing the most extravagant stalagmites and stalactites.
Abbazia di Fiastra
The Abbazia di Chiaravalle di Fiastra can be found between Tolentino and Urbisaglia. Surrounded by art, culture and history, there is nowhere else better to get lost in that the centre of the Abbazia di Fiastra. One of the best-preserved Cistercian abbeys in Italy, it happens to be enclosed by a large nature reserve. The church is dedicated to Santa Maria di Chiaravalle di Fiastra.
Castello di Gradara
The Gradara Castle is a medieval fortress that is located in the town of Gradara. The Gradara Castle dates back to the period between the 11th and 15th centuries. Dante turned the castle into a symbol of love by making it the central location for his characters Paolo and Francesca. The castle is one of the most visited monuments in the region which is no surprise; it is particularly striking at night when the underlying village is lit up.
Loreto
An extraordinary legend surrounds Loreto, a city that developed around the famous Basilica-fortress that houses the Holy House of Nazareth where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary received the divine announcement of the miraculous birth of Jesus. The legend tells that later, in the night between on 9 and 10 December 1294, the ancient residence was prodigiously transported by the angels and deposited on the Loreto hill.
Sferisterio
Verona may be the city which inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and which is renowned for its opera but the Sferisterio in Macerata stands as one of Europe’s most stunning theatres in its own right. Built between 1820 and 1829, it remains the backdrop to the Opera Festival. It’s a formidable amphitheatre which regularly hosts the experts in the operatic world.
San Benedetto del Tronto
It is one of the main holiday resorts in southern Marche; it boasts a wide sandy beach, with over seven thousand palm trees on its wide promenade, known as one of the most enchanting in Italy. Its shallow and calm water makes this beach ideal for long walks and romantic strolls. San Benedetto del Tronto has one of the most important fishing ports on Italy's Adriatic coast and a remarkable fish market.
The “brodetto alla sambenedettese”, a tasty fish stew, is the most typical dish, which must be made with different species of fish.
Lago di Fiastra
Whether you are going to tan, swim or even canoe, this lake offers everything. It takes on a beautiful aquamarine colour during the summer and if you wish to have a break from the heat, there is the bridge at San Lorenzo which leads you to the castle and tower on the hill which overlooks the amazing lake itself.
Golf in Le Marche
Conero Golf Club, Sirolo
In one of the most beautiful areas in the Marche region, based in the Conero regional park and close to beaches of Sirolo and Numana, Conero Golf Club is the only 18-hole course in Le Marche, although there are another two excellent 18-hole courses, one close to Pescara, and the other in Cattolica, just over an hour away. Undulating terrain (would recommend buggy/cart), dog-leg holes and long uphill holes make this championship course a challenging test. Several of the holes on the front nine are on or around the lake so if the golf is not going well because of water hazards you can always just enjoy the views! This is one of our favorites; we have always enjoyed playing here.
Golf Club I Lauri, Montefiore dell’Aso
Recently taken over by new and very friendly management, vast improvements have been made to the condition of the course. Not a long course (9 holes), however it is unique, quirky and challenging. The narrow fairways and hilly terrain require precision play and present difficulty (and fun!) to even an experienced golfer. With a decent handicap, ladies can play from the yellow tee box. Hole 8 is our favorite – aim in the direction of and hit beyond the red tee box, watch the ball catch the side of the hill on the right and bounce down on the fairway. This course is best played walking/carrying the clubs (with the distances you don’t need that many clubs), you can hire a buggy or cart.
Torrenova Golf Club, Potenza Picena
Torrenova Golf is a pilot project of bio-golf which makes it interesting from a sustainability perspective. It is a 9 holes course. Michael is a member here. It is an excellent, wide fairway course, just across the road from the sea – ideal for beginners and improvers as the holes are all very wide and the terrain is flat.
The Wines of Le Marche:
Ancient Romans loved the wine from Picenum, what is now Marche, and fossils show that wine has been produced here since the Iron Age.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the region had a stormy life but was donated to the Papal states, then became part of Italy, in 1860, through the country’s process of unification.
Le Marche is a wine region to be taken seriously, not just because it birthed the founder of one of America’s most famous wine dynasties, Cesare Mondavi.
The western border is formed by a swath of the Apennine Mountain Range, and the Adriatic lies to the East, forming a diverse offering of various terroir with calcareous and limestone soil. Whereas the southern part of the region has what is called a Mediterranean/maritime climate (land influenced by the sea) the northern half is characterized by a much more continental climate (land influenced by the land itself and far from an ocean).
Although Verdicchio dominates le Marche wines, other white wines follow its path, including the interesting and “resurrected” Pecorino, which has an interesting aging potential.
Regarding red wines, there are the famous Montepulciano-based Cònero DOCG, the Sangiovese-based Rosso Piceno DOC as well as the full-bodied Offida Rosso DOCG. Another interesting appellation is red Marche Rosso IGT, which, coming from certain winemakers, offers an overwhelming experience with its 13.5% alcohol content.
Marche has 20 DOC(G) zones and one IGT zone. Some examples below.
Rosso Conero: The Montepulciano grape is the focus in this continental climate and grows in mineral heavy soils of chalky limestone and clay. The results are rich, powerful wines dark in colour with significant aromas of black cherries and herbs wrapped up in highly structured tannins. The wines must be at least 85% Montepulciano and can have a minimum of Sangiovese and other permitted varieties to ramp up the acidity.
Rosso Piceno: To the south of Conero and taking up a much larger area is the Rosso Piceno DOC (also awarded in 1968). The vines here live in the hilly terrain at the foot of the Apennines. While Conero claims a continental climate, the wine region of Piceno, with its lower elevation, has more of a direct relationship with the sea, giving it a Mediterranean atmosphere. This results in a higher acidity in the wine due to the influence of wind currents from the coast and the abundance of calcareous soils. Because of this, the sometimes-brutish Montepulciano takes side stage to the more vibrant Sangiovese. It allows for a little more creativity, as seen in the DOC regulations. The wines here must be between 35% and 85% Sangiovese and 15% to 50% Montepulciano. They also allow a maximum of 15 % of other varieties including some white grapes. These wines still have that rich dark colour but are softer than the Conero wines, while remaining full bodied but with more vibrant cherry notes and sweet tannins.
Verdicchio: The ancient Verdicchio (little green one) grape is truly the pride and joy of the Le Marche region. Just in from Ancona and west of the Rosso Conero DOC is the large Verdicchio Castelli Di Jesi DOC. Planted in low-lying hills of limestone, clay and calcareous soils and influenced not only by the Adriatic but it’s two rivers, the Cesano and the Esino, this is one of the windiest areas of Le Marche and an ideal location for the grape. This region sees many different styles, from dry to sweet to sparkling, and has superiore and classico designations.
