Touring Cingoli the balcony of Le Marche Italy
Cingoli is a picturesque medieval hilltown built on Roman foundations in the Macerata province in the centre of the Marche region of Italy.
If you are on holiday in Le Marche and travel through the agricultural heartland of this area you cannot miss the symmetrical hump of a hill that is home to Cingoli. In fact its panoramic belvedere lies behind a popular Le Marche proverb “non e’ ancor notte a Cingoli”, (it’s not night yet in Cingoli) which essentially means, “don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched”.
Cingoli history and gastronomy
Cingoli, is known as the “balcony of Le Marche” for its views and the area nearby is a fantastic day out with something for all the family.
In Cingoli itself the main Road Corso Garibaldi leads to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele; which was originally home to the forum of the Roman town of Cingulum and still the heart of this stone-built town. The Piazza has magnificent 16C stone buildings which include the town hall and its impressive clock tower. There is an archaeology museum and art gallery in the Library in Via Mazzini that includes works by Lorenzo Lotto.
There are some top ristorante nearby that include the excellent Maiale Volante, an agriturismo that serves up a set 7 course menu of succulent home and locally sourced food and Lo Smeraldo a highly rated restaurant with a menu of robust rustic dishes. Cingoli has its share of bars and some great entertainments that include, motocross and quad racing in fact here’s the Cingoli motocross programme for 2014.
Family fun at Cingoli’s water and adventures parks
Another place to try out if you have a younger family is Verde Azzurro waterpark; it has 3 swimming pools, hydro-massage and a range of slides and waterrides that are great for small kids but your teenagers will probably find them a bit tame!
Lake Cingoli is worth a visit for its reinvigorating wild-swimming to take the edge off that scorching Summer day, there are beaches with bars and boats for hire and near to the dam, where the lake is nearest the town of Cingoli, you will find the Cingoli adventure park that includes climbing walls, high wires and zip wires, high level bridges, walkways, tarzan vines , tunnels and other challenges. These include the following
The Gnomes path
This low level adventure climbing rig is positioned at 50 cm from the ground , this reduces the risk of small kids being scared of joining in but still gives them a thrill. Climbing ropes suitable for children up to 110 cm tall and up to about 5 years of age
The Elves and Fairies course
Slightly higher ropes, rigs, platforms, zip wires and climbing walls for children up to 140 cm tall and aged between about 5 and 10 years
Canyon trails
These climbing walls and high wires are suited to teenagers and adults taller than 140 cm and aged over 10 years
The Tyrol trail zipwires
( min weight 40 lbs) , for children and adults with height greater than 140 cm