TRIP
DETAILS
DAY 1: Arrive
in Marche region and check-in at the 3* hotel. Your accommodation is located on
a belvedere overlooking the sea and the rolling hills, it’s a villa dating back
to the 19th century built on the ruins of an ancient monastery, and now a
charming relais restored with all facilities, only 4 km from the famous “Velvet
beach” and the city centre of Senigallia.
Its
quiet parks are landscaped with gardens and terraces overlooking the sea, a
beautiful swimming pool among the olive trees, two tennis courts, a new
wellness centre. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 2: Start collecting memories by first visiting Urbino, a town that is the
pride of Italian Renaissance, and
the birthplace of architect Bramante and artist Raffaello. Its Palazzo Ducale, the jewel of Italian
Renaissance, has been home to the National
Gallery of the Marche region since 1912. Urbino also hosts the Academy of
Raffaello, countless churches each of significant importance, as well as the Fortress of Albornoz. A local English-speaking guide will
take you on a historical trip of this fascinating UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.The tour goes on with the visit of a pasta factory,
where an expert will show you the estate with amazing landscapes while relating
the story of one of the first organic Italian pasta. The experience
continues with a complete lunch with pasta of the house’s production and fresh
km0 products, all accompanied by good local wine. Transfer back to the hotel. Free afternoon to
enjoy at your leisure. We suggest you to visit the port-town of Senigallia.
Dinner and overnight in Senigallia.
DAY 3: Today you will explore probably the most
important and remarkable natural site of Le Marche: The caves of Frasassi. A masterpiece of nature boasting huge
stalactites, stalagmites, underground streams and lakes. Open to the public
since 1974, the caves have since then attracted more than 10 million tourists.
The tour lasts approximately 70 minutes, with the opportunity for enthusiasts
and experts to venture into speleological excursions. Once out of the caves,
the bus will take you to the parking lot where we strongly recommend you to
taste the delicious, local products you can find there.TIP of the locals: go for the focaccia with ciauscolo and
pecorino + a cold beer
Your visit of this unique area continues within
the little villages of Genga and San Vittore Terme – here you will have the
opportunity to see a 1000 years old church and the speleological museum. Last
stop before leaving this amazing natural area is The Temple of Valadier.
Transfer back to the accommodation and free
afternoon to enjoy at your leisure. Dinner and overnight in Senigallia.
DAY 4: Today you will be transferred to Recanati. It is located on a suggestive hill and here was born one of the most
important romantic Italian poets:
Giacomo Leopardi. Beginning from the historical center in different points
of the village you will see different monuments and references to him as:
“Colle dell’ Infinito”, the house of Leopardi and many others. The tour continues to Loreto, a city that lies on top of a hill, surrounded by olive groves. The view
from above stretches from the Adriatic Sea to the Conero
Mount, up to the Apennines of Umbria-Le Marche. It’s one of the
most visited pilgrimage destinations by Christians. The celebrity of
Loreto is due to the presence of the Holy House Shrine. The simple
stone walls that make up the original part of the house are richly decorated
outside with XVI century bas-reliefs of great value. Inside there is the statue
of Our Lady of Loreto, a Black Madonna venerated all over the world. The
historic center of the town is surrounded by walls built
by Pope Leo X to protect the Shrine from the attack of the Turks. The main
square where local people meet is Piazza della Madonna, where you
can stop for a refreshing gelato.
Afterwards you will be transferred to the charming little town of Sirolo,
in our opinion, the most beautiful of all the Conero Riviera! The terrace of
the main square offers unique, incredible views! Enjoy a traditional
fish lunch and then take a stroll to admire the beauty of the nature.
In the afternoon a guide will
take you to visit the Underground City of Camerano. The caves unravel in
front of an often-impressed visitor, showing an underground town almost like a
charming fairytale, a secret Camerano were both history and legend are real.
The most plausible interpretation today is that of a residential, ritual, and
the defensive purpose. During the second world war in 1944, the entire
underground system was used as an anti-bomb shelter.
Last stop for today is an
agricultural company located between the sea and the mountains at the foot
of the suggestive Monte Conero, inside the homonymous natural park. The guided
tour of the company will start from the vineyard and go through the olive
groves. Afterwards it will proceed with the visit of the lavender field
where the expert will give you explanations of lavender and beneficial
properties and distillation of the same.
Then you will be accompanied to the
company’s private forest where the hives are located and where you will learn
more about the world of honey.
The tour of the company will end
with a tasting in the forest or in the vineyards.
Transfer back to the
accommodation. Dinner and overnight in Senigallia.
DAY 5: Recharge your energy with a delicious breakfast and go to Mondavio. Located on top of a hill with views of the Adriatic Sea and Apennines, the medieval town of Mondavio is still surrounded by its ancient town walls and defended by a mighty fortress designed by architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Today, the fortress houses the Museum of historical re-enactment and armoury, with mannikins with costumes and weapons ranging from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century. A fleet of “war machines” with faithful reconstructions in actual sizes is in display inside the moat of the fortress.
The fortress is the symbol of the town, but here you will also visit the historical workshop where the pecorino cheese is produced inside a tuff cave, followed by a cheese tasting accompanied by home-made jams and an excellent glass of local wine. After lunch proceed to Corinaldo, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, a medieval town, as demonstrated by the mighty historical walls and monuments.
Transfer back to the accommodation. Dinner and overnight in Senigallia.
DAY 6: Today you will be transferred to Ascoli Piceno for the second part of the tour. But first you will make a stop in Fermo. The heart of the town is the magnificent Renaissance Piazza del Popolo, formerly Piazza Grande, where there is the sixteenth century Palazzo dei Priori where you can find the Municipal Art Gallery, boasting valuable paintings of the Venetian and Marche schools and the "Nativity" by Rubens. Other things to visit are the underground roman pools and the Girfalco hills with its Cathedral…without forgetting to enjoy the panoramic view over the countryside!Arrive in Ascoli Piceno and check in at the 4*boutique hotel. Together with an English-speaking local guide, you will discover the city which many call a “volume of art history to consult in the open air”, and there is no doubt it is a display of extraordinary wealth of monuments and styles dating back to different eras. However, Ascoli is also the “town of the hundred towers” and white travertine. This material embellishes the central Piazza del Popolo, an open-air lounge in the historical downtown, which also hosts several jewels of local culture such as the Cathedral.
DAY 7: After breakfast discover Offida by yourself, a picturesque medieval village surrounded by perfectly preserved town walls, dating back to the twelfth century. Among the numerous cultural landmarks of the town, there is certainly the Serpente Aureo Theatre, a true jewel of the Baroque era, housed in the Town Hall.
Now tell us: who doesn’t dream of visiting Italy at least once in his lifetime just for getting lost on its ancient, narrow, cobbled streets? Well, you will now visit Ripatransone, which is known for its curious GUINESS WORLD RECORD: the narrowest street in Italy! Its largest part is only 43 cm!
The tour continues with the visit of a wine-estate near Ripatransone. The experience includes a guided visit of the vineyards and the cellar, followed by a lunch and DOC & DOCG wines tasting on the beautiful, panoramic terrace.
Free afternoon to enjoy at your leisure. We suggest you to take a guided visit of Castel Trosino area or just do as the locals do: enjoy an aperitivo.
DAY 8: Breakfast. End of services.
