TRIP DETAILS:
DAY
1: Arrive in Staffolo and check-in at the “albergo diffuso”. Here it begins your experiential
stay in Le Marche! A folkloristic group will welcome you, sing and play
traditional music in a special location, while you will start tasting the km 0 specialties
of this area. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 2: Today you will explore 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 – don’t miss the 1000 years old church and the speleological
museum. Last stop before leaving this amazing natural area is The Temple of
Valadier. Your tour continues with a guided visit of Fabriano, one of the few
remaining places in the world where the paper is still hand-made!
Return
to Staffolo. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 3: Have a hearty breakfast, because
today it’s a long but amazing day. First you will visit 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.
The next stop is in 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!
The lunch will be in an amazing estate,
located in the Natural Park of Conero Mountain.
The vineyards surround the
winery, which is the core of the farmstead. All around, olive and fruit trees
extend over a narrow strip of hill overlooking the sea.
The ancient buildings of the farm
have been restructured, embracing structure efficiency and respect for the
environment. The old winery has been expanded underground, in harmony with the
history of the territory where it lies. After a guided visit of the cellars,
enjoy a lunch with genuine food and, of course, great wines of the house’s
production.
Are you ready now? In the afternoon you’re going to work like a real Marchigiano!
You will be transferred to a country house where you will work
the countryside together with the owners: from the vegetable garden to the
animals, to the cellar, learning about the products’ seasonality, natural
fertilization, and plant synergy. You will wash laundry at the lake using ash
and then taste some culinary specialties associated with traditional weddings. You
will also learn how a typical dowry can be made by learning how to use a small
loom. Finally, you will see a cart containing items from the beginning of the
19th century. Traditional dinner included.
Return
to Staffolo and overnight.
DAY 4: Today is your last day in Le Marche and you’re
going to discover other places that
are known and frequented mostly by locals.
The first stop
is at the Romanic Monastery of Fonte Avellana, built in 980! Here you
can make the tour of the monastery and its underground secrets, visit the old
pharmacy where you can learn more about the homeopathic medicines that the
monks still produce with the herbs they grow in the monastery’s gardens, taste
the typical products they make (chocolate, honey, jams, alcoholic drinks with
herbs etc.) and even buy them. Remaining in this beautiful, green area of Catria
Mountain, your journey continues to the Castle of Frontone, an
absolutely “delicious”, charming village with breathtaking mountain, hills
and seaside views. Here you will have lunch in a traditional
restaurant with typical dishes like truffles, crescia and local meat that is instantly
cooked in front of you in the wide open-plan fireplace situated nearby the
kitchen.
In the afternoon you will have the chance to visit a
water-powered millstone built on 1565 and still producing flour even today! The
guided tour includes: the history of the mill, stone milling method driven by
water, the miller’s work, the role of water, walking along the canal, and visit
of the mini hydroelectric power plant, all followed by a local product tasting.
DAY 5: Breakfast.
End of services.
For further information or request please contact us at maritaly@gazzellaviaggi.it or +390721967941.
