THE HEART OF LE MARCHE REGION…NATURE, CULTURE AND FLAVOURS OF THIS UNDISCOVERED REGION!
1st Day : Arrival and starting with Nature! Campo Imperatore
Arrival at the airport in Rome at 9:30 and private transfer to start the tour with the first step : Campo Imperatore, in Abruzzo Region. We will drive through the Marsican, a part of Abruzzo Region was known during the Marser, an Italian population during the Roman period. Here we’ll take one of the longest cable in Europe, to reach the Top of Campo Imperatore, located in the west side of the Gran Sasso Mountain of Italy, in an area of 3500 near L’Aquila city. Departure by bus to the accommodation in Ascoli Piceno, where after done the check in, we will go for a Welcome Aperitif at the historic “Caffè Meletti” to enjoy the “anisetta”, the anise liqueur, in a Liberty style atmosphere, watching the world going by. Welcome dinner in a restaurant in the city centre and back to the hotel for the overnight.
2nd Day : Monte Sibilla“…a magic experience and Ascoli Piceno…the white city of the South of Marche Region!
Breakfast at the Hotel and depature to discover this Mount rich in tales and legends. Web will meet Elio, our naturalistic guide that will show us le orchidee spontanee dei Monti Sibillini…wonderful wild flowers, really different form the exotic “orchidee” we are used to see…they grow on our Monti Sibillini. In thes area we can find more than 37 different kind and we will start from “Campolungo” on the foot of Amandola village. Really slow and simple walking (1 or 2 hours), with expert guide and spanish interpreter. Today you will live a “breath-takin„ experience between the “Tenna River„ valley and “Aso River„ valley. This path drove the warrior „Meschino“ to the house of „Maga Sibilla“ (female magician) and to her fairies. Back to a local farm where you will taste a typical “marchigian-style” pic-nic with local products and good wine! In the afternoon back to Ascoli Piceno, the city of 100 ancient towers and “Olive Ascolane”! Ascoli Piceno the city of travertine stone... with its spectacular squares, Roman churches, the 100 towers carved in travertine stone, enclosed between the river Castellano and river Tronto, of Picen origins, then conquered by the Romans in 268 BC. Our guide will explain about “Piazza del Popolo”, “San Francesco” church (Roman-Gothic with cloister and “Loggia dei Mercanti”, 1513). Dinner in a restaurant of the city centre and overnight stay.
3rd Day : Olive ascolane : How are they made? Discover it and try with your hands! …Mini-cooking class and Wineries in Ascoli Piceno…
Transfer to an historical Villa situated just out from Ascoli, where Maria Elena, the owner, is waiting for us with the olive ascolane and typical fried meat making hands-on lesson (about 2h). AT the end, taste what you’ve done for lunch! Visit of the Villa and the ancient wine cellar. In the afternoon we’ll leave to visit another reality, an Ancient winery in Ripatransone. Here Marilena will show us the vineyards Messieri, the cellar and finally we will taste a selection of three wines with some appetizers. Back to Ascoli Piceno for the own dinner and the overnight.
4th Day : The artisan excellence and the characters known all over the world!
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Montappone a small and ancient village famous for the production of straw-hats : Visit of the beautiful Museum of hat and visit two artisan laboratories of „cappellai“, to see how a straw-hat is produced…especially for ladies!! Visit to the village and move to the restaurant of an historical Palace where will taste some specialties of our cuisine. In few kms you will dive deep inside a beautiful park, where is surrounded the Abbazia Cistercense di Fiastra, an ancient place of peace….where the nature give its better! Lunch in a Historical Palace in Montappone e and transfer to Macerata for a walking. Here the Renaissance and Baroque art of ‘700 has expressed with Piazza della Libertà, where you can admire “Palazzo del Comune”, the “Loggia dei Mercanti” enclosed by the “Palazzo della Prefettura”. Than the Lauro Rossi historical theatre, and one of the most important place of worship : “Basilica della Madonna della Misericordia”, projected by Vanvitelli, followed by “Palazzo Buonaccorsi” with the Sala dell’Eneide and the “Museo della Carrozza”, the Coach museum. In the afternoon, we will transfer to Recanati, the city of Giacomo Leopardi, the writer and Beniamino Gigli, the famous opera singer. Here, check in at the hotel with the following dinner and the overnight.
5th Day : Parco del Conero : Portonovo and Sirolo, the two guardian villages of the Adriatic Sea!
After the breakfast at the hotel and departure to the Parco del Conero, in the middle Marche. Here we will take a walk along some paths, from the top of the cliff in Portonovo, to the feet, near the sea…to admire the coast and the little jewels hide inside down : Santa Maria di Portonovo Church, De Bosis Tower and the Fortino Napoleonico. Free lunch on your own. Then, following the returning road we will reach Sirolo, the windy Medieval village from where you can admire the sea, tasting a coffee-break or Aperitivo in the famous “Piazzetta”. Here you are in a special area of this Region: “Conero Riviera” a wonderful terrace straight-up-on the Adriatic Sea. Back to the Hotel in Recanati, for the dinner and the overnight.
6th Day : The city of the arts and the place of the religiousness…
After Breakfast guided visit of Recanati, the city of the Poetry and of “Belcanto”. This ancient origins city, it’s famous for its aristocratic palacesand its downtown 2 km long. It is the city of the writer Giacomo Leopardi and the tenor Beniamino Gigli, where you can find a small but very interesting museum inside the Persiani historical. He has compared to Caruso and just called Caruso II. Free Lunch and departure to take a Stop in Loreto, where the guide wil bring us to the discover of the the Holy Cathedral, house of the Virgin Maria, one of the most important pilgrimage route in Europe, where the first trip seems to date back to 1319. Visit of the Basilica built along the centuries by many artists such as Bramante and Sansovino, which embrace the wall of the small and Holy House of Maria di Nazareth and the Palazzo Apostolico, that keep pieces of art of Lorenzo Lotto and Pomarancio. Departure to Pesaro the city of the composer Gioachino Rossini, check in at the hotel, dinner and overnight.
7th Day : Urbino with its renaissance heart and the beautiful landscapes of la gola del Furlo with a final tasting!
Breakfast at the Hotel and depature to discover Urbino, and “Gola del Furlo” Natural Reserve. The jewel of this part of the Region and one of the most important cities in Italy during the Renaissance period. Through the sweet hills among the valley of the Metauro River you will discover Federico da Montefeltro’s ideal city. Meeting with the English speaking guide and soft visit of the historical centre, where you can see Ducal Palace, Raphael’s birthouse or just sitting in Piazza della Repubblica (just outside) and “Oratorio San Giovanni”. Imbiss/tasting session in Urbino down town at Monia’s. She makes the cave available to our guests who can taste quality products of the Montefeltro land, such as truffle and ancient delicacies. On the way back to
Fratterosa, you will stop at “Gola del Furlo” Natural Reserve and you will embraced by the green color of “Candigliano” River, the greenery of rich vegetation and the enchanting atmosphere of the two mountains “Paganuccio” and “Pietralata” where eagles live and control this area of “Alta Valle del Metauro”. You can not miss the Roman Gallery built by Vespasiano…a real surprise….Continuation to Fratterosa in the middle afternoon, to reach one of the most important wineries of le Marche Region where Luca and Maria Vittoria waiting for us for a visit of the cellar and a tasting of their products. Back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
8th day: Back home.
Breakfast, at the hotel, check-out and back to the FCO Rome Airport to take your return flight. End of services.
According to the number of participants, RainbowItaly can propose this itinerary in self-drive, minibus, GT bus, luxury car with private driver and everything can be personalized, starting from a basic package that includes:
- 30 or 50 seats private GT Bus from arrival at Fiumicino apt in Rome to departure from Fiumicino apt
Rome at group’s disposal as from the program, parking/ztl for bus;
- 3 x nights at a good 3* Hotel in Ascoli Piceno down town
On B&B service with Welcome aperitif at Caffè Meletti and briefing on arrival day;
- N. 3 dinners at a restaurant near the hotel in Ascoli Piceno with 3 main courses, mineral water and ½
bottle of local wine included;
- 2 x nights at a good 4* Hotel in Recanati centrally situated on HB service (drinks not included);
- 2 x nights at a good 3* sup. Hotel in Pesaro near the beach on HB service (drinks not included);
- Full day following Spanish speaking guide/assistant/tourleader for the whole tour with the group:
o 1st – assistant from airport and briefing at Caffè Meletti or at Hotel in Ascoli Piceno.
o 2nd –Full day Monti Sibillini and Ascoli Piceno
o 3th – Full day Cooking class and visit at the winery in Ripatransone
o 4th – full day Montappone, Macerata and Abbazia di Fiastra
o 5th –full day In Parco del Conero, Portonovo e Sirolo
o 6th – full day Recanati and Loreto
o 7th – full day Urbino, Gola del Furlo and Fratterosa
- Cable transfer at Gras Sasso on arrival day;
- Pic-nic at Monte Sibillini (2nd day), Tasting-lunch at Ascoli Piceno (3rd day), at Montappone (4th day) ,
Imbiss at Urbino (7th day), drinks included (mineral water + ½ bottle of local wine per person);
- Visit and tasting at wineries (Ripatransone on 3rd day, Fratterosa on 7th day);
- Entry ticket at Museo Apostolico in Loreto;
- Entry ticket at Oratorio San Giovanni in Urbino;
- Compulsory earphones to visit the Basilica of Loreto;
Not included:
- flights
- Tourist tax to pay directly on spot by the guests € 6.60,00 per person per night to pay directly on site ;
- Entrance tickets to museums, churches, historical places if not clearly mentioned in “inclusions”;
- Meals if not clearly mentioned in “inclusions”;
- Tips and personal extras;
- All not clearly mentioned in “the package price includes”.