Marche

I have been to the capital Ancona five times, four of them in passing. The first occasion I was a child and, on a bus trip, returning from a visit to Recanati and Loreto, we passed through the city for a scenic tour without getting off the vehicle. That time, as I said, I saw Loreto, the town that by tradition preserves the house of the Madonna. In any case the Sanctuary is a destination for many pilgrims, the sacred image is much venerated, and thanks to this the Loreto churches have multiplied all over the world. Not far away I also saw Recanati, a town linked to the memory of the poet Giacomo Leopardi, whose memorial villa, preserving some of his mementoes, can be visited and is close to a fine tree-lined avenue that runs along the famous Colle dell'Infinito. The second time I reached Ancona by ship from Durrës in Albania, but I immediately continued home.

The third and fourth times Ancona was the place of departure and arrival of the ship bound for Çeşme in Asiatic Turkey, but I had no time to visit it. On this occasion, coming from southern Tuscany along a road that crosses the Apennines, I stopped at Urbino. Set on a hill, Urbino is a medieval city with a historic centre rich in monuments and churches, among which the Palazzo Ducale and the Cathedral stand out. I strolled with the friend accompanying me through the monumental squares and the streets lined with aristocratic palazzi and frequented by the young students of the local ancient university. I have also passed through the Marche once going towards San Marino, passing through Novafeltria on the road coming from Tuscany. Recently I decided to devote a whole trip to the Marche.

Going along the road that crosses the Apennines from Perugia, my family and I stopped at the Frasassi Caves. Reaching the large car park, we were taken to the entrance by a shuttle bus. From here, joining a group and accompanied by a guide, we visited for about an hour these caves, which are among the most beautiful in Italy. The main hall is so large that it could contain the whole of Milan Cathedral. Beautiful too are the numerous stalactites and stalagmites, sometimes reflected in small pools of water. Once the visit was over, the shuttle bus took us back to the car park, and from there, leaving the Frasassi Gorge, we continued to a country house located on one of the hills around Ancona. The next day we went to Portonovo for a walk along the Conero riviera, the so-called "elbow of Italy".

Mount Conero plunges with its steep walls directly into the Adriatic, except for short stretches where a narrow beach of white pebbles, contrasting with the blue of the sea, manages to break through. Along the path we pass a small lake where some bird species are protected, and we see a Napoleonic tower. Between one cove and another we must climb hills overlooking the sea covered with green pinewoods. Back after the walk at the small fishing harbour of Portonovo, we lunch on fried fish in a little restaurant on the seafront. From here we continue to Loreto, where unfortunately it will not be possible to enter the Sanctuary to see the House of Mary, as preparations were under way for the Pope's visit, which would take place the next day. In nearby Recanati we visit Giacomo Leopardi's Library, the Piazza del Sabato del Villaggio and stroll on the Colle dell'Infinito.

Before returning to our accommodation on the hill of Sappanico, we make a short stop at Ancona near Piazza Cavour, one of the city's main squares. The following day we move to Ascoli Piceno to see one of the most beautiful and most photographed Italian squares, entirely clad in marble, overlooked by important architecture such as the Church of San Francesco and the Palazzo Civico. We do not fail to visit Piazza Arengo and the town's Cathedral either. From here we move to the seafront of San Benedetto del Tronto and then return to our country house. The next morning we leave the accommodation and, on the way home, stop at the zoo of Falconara Marittima and at Pesaro, where we see Piazza del Popolo with the Palazzo Ducale and the "ball" by Pomodoro on the seafront. From here we head home.