Suggested itinerary

dec 07_day 1: Arrive in Rome, pick up your rental car, and transfer to the center of Fano (320 km). Check in at a B&B. Enjoy a free day to explore the town.

Between the blue sea and green hills rises Fano, a very pleasant surprise if you don’t know it yet, an enchanted place where you return with pleasure after discovering it and learning to love it. From 1339 to 1463 the Malatesta ruled Fano, bringing prosperity and a strong boost to the arts, fostered by the presence of a small court. The city was embellished and fortified, and the visible traces are remarkable, such as the Palazzo del Podestà, the Malatesta Palace, the Rocca, and the splendid Malatesta Tombs. Option: Christmas market

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dec 08_ day 2: Breakfast and departure for Urbino, one of the most important cities in the region. 

Urbino, is a Unesco World Haritage Site and the capital city of the Renaissance. Its history is tied to the Montefeltro family that came into the possession of the territory in around 1200.

The most famous member of the Montefeltro was Federico, lord of Urbino from 1444 to 1482, a very successful military leader, a skillful diplomat an enthusiastic patron of arts. He commissioned a magnificient Palace, a wonder of early Renaissance architecture, today symbol of the city in the world. The best artists of Renaissance arrived at his court: Piero della Francesca, Laurana, Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Giusto di Gand, Pedro Berruguete and Humanists such as Baldassare Castiglione. The tour continues towards Fiorenzuola di Focara, a town famous for its nativity scenes scattered around the old castle. If yopu have time we suggest to visit Gradara too. Legend has it that the castle was the scene of the famous and tragic love story of Paolo and Francesca, caught in each other’s arms and killed by Gianciotto, Francesca’s husband. This love story was immortalized by Dante in his Divine Comedy. 

Option: Christmas market in Gradara and FIorenzuola

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dec 09_day 3: Breakfast. A day dedicated to visiting your family's places of origin, such as Orciano and Terre Roveresche, to discover together the documents of relatives who left these lands long ago.

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dec 10_ day 4: Breakfast. You can begin traveling south to reach the center of the region. Your hotel or B&B awaits you in Recanati: on the famous Infinite Hills of the Riviera del Conero, Recanati stands tall, famous for being the homeland of the illustrious poet Giacomo Leopardi and the famous tenor Beniamino Gigli. Meeting with our guide, we suggest to visit  the MARCHE EMIGRATION MUSEUM, located inside the cellars of Villa Colloredo Mels and is dedicated to the many Marche region emigrants abroad (MEMA). 

We move toward Loreto starting with snack in a historic downtown café overlooking the central square, run by an Argentine family who returned to the Marche region (third generation of emigrants overseas in the early 1900s) and have been stable here for more than two decades, for a first-hand approach with those who have experienced certain “leave and come back paths.”

Following a brief guided tour of the Loreto city, which is home to an important Marian shrine and has for centuries been a destination for spiritual journeys and pilgrims from all over the world, we will be able to meet with Don Sandro, (Director of the Regional Commission of Migrantes, an entity that compiles the annual RIM Rapporto Italiani all’Estero) for some updated information on incoming and outgoing migratory flows related to the Marche region and some testimonies of high “human impact.”Return to the Hotel in Recanati

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dec 11_day 5: Breakfast. 

You will get to know a delightful medieval village in the Marche region, in the province of Macerata: museums, churches, breathtaking views, parks, historic buildings, art and nature. Montelupone is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, orange flag and still retains its atmosphere of the past, full of beauty and experiences to do.

After a brief look at the Historic Theater, the visit continues, accompanied by our guides and “special” locals at the Anthropological Demo Museum of the Arts of Ancient Crafts, in the basement of the Municipal Palace, to be catapulted into the rural world of yesteryear and the old craft workshops (blacksmith, carpenter, shoemaker…): film machines, sewing machines, agricultural tools, ancient loom for wool processing, even the printing press of the 1800s and a reconstruction of a school. Also, wine cycle equipment, old photos and prints, proverbs, folk songs and nursery rhymes in Montelupone dialect. 

The fifth day will take us on a closer look at Ancona, the capital of the region, to explore the natural and cultural beauty in the surrounding area, along the coast, to a manufacturing district, a source of regional pride throughout the world.

Dont'miss Numana, a delightful town belonging to the Conero Riviera, a project partner that brings together 18 municipalities, wonders and activities to be carried out in this area of the Conero, the name of the promontory that drops steeply to the sea, surrounded by beautiful beaches and bays.

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dec 12_ day 6: Breakfast. If you like, we recommend visiting some mountain towns to get a complete idea of the Marche region, such as Fiastra, Cerreto d'Esi and Pioraco. 

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dec 13_day 7: Breakfast. Transfer to the province of Ascoli Piceno. Along the way, don't miss a visit to the village of Torre di Palme, a little gem overlooking the sea. Arrival in San Benedetto and accommodation in the B&B. San Benedetto is a lively town with a fantastic seafront, here you can eat excellent fish and stroll among the shops and bars

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dec14_ day 8: Breakfast. Meeting with Italea guide and transfer to Ascoli Piceno,  the city of travertine.

The famous Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy’s most beautiful living rooms, will bewitch you with its fine palaces and historic artdeco-style Meletti coffee shop. But Ascoli is much more, everything will not only tell you about your roots, but also about a glorious past of contentions, wars, religions and nobility.

For a snack you absolutely must try a bag of Ascoli olives in Arringo Square, and for dinner don’t miss the chance to try all the traditional Ascoli dishes but especially the fried foods: artichokes, cream, lamb chops and zucchini. Then we will move inland until we reach near the Apennines and thus savor even a little of the mountain life of the Marche region. Castel Trosino is a tiny stone village that seems carved out of the rugged mountains. Lunch with traditional ascolana and montanara dishes.

option: Christmas Market

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dec15_ day 9: Breakfast.  Move to Fermo: the capital has a very ancient history: from the Piceni to the Romans, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, this small city will surprise you with its majestic buildings and sudden glimpses of the blue sea. From the stunning Piazza del Popolo to the scenic Duomo, Fermo is sure to have a special mention in your travel memories. Here we will make our first culinary stop to sample some typical dishes in a homemade setting.

 

Continue  to be lulled through the rolling hills of the area to get to know the most characteristic towns of the province and other villages of the Valdaso, a series of small and very close villages that overlook the Aso River and retain all their medieval character.

Especially Moresco , with its unique octagonal tower, and Petritoli , a historical enemy of Fermo’s power at the time of the communes, will captivate you with their small squares set among noble palaces and civic towers.

The production of salami and cheeses, as well as fine fruits, is the great pride of these lands, so you will not miss the opportunity to have an aperitif in the square in a wine shop.

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dec 16_day10: Breakfast. Last hours to visit San Benedetto and departure for Rome. Car return in Rome center. End of services.