Le Marche Villa rental San Raffaello from the hills behind the farmhouse

Sarnano Le Marche view from the Cortile at the villa

Le Marche Italy tour & sightseeing

Le Marche in Central Eastern Italy and its extraordinary landscape has an incredible legacy of architecture contained within the fortified walls of the many medieval hill towns. The best Le Marche places to visit on your tour to Italy are detailed, together with a sightseeing guide at the bottom of this page

Touring Le Marche in central Italy you will discover Roman ruins at nearby Urbisaglia and Falerone, renaissance architecture at Loreto and Osimo and ‘Liberty’ art nouveaux villas at Porto San Giorgio and Civitanova Marche.

Take a Le Marche Italy tour and you’ll find that it has preserved the best of its rugged terrain in National Parks that include the Monti Sibillini (this area is accessed via some great roads and paths which allow the visitor to discover lakes, rivers, some amazing gorges and wildlife), Abbadia di Fiastra Nature reserve and the Conero National Park all within easy reach of our Le Marche Farmhouse.

Le Marche is also the reknown for its ornate theatres that including the impressive ‘Sferisterio’ amphitheatre in Macerata, which holds 7,000 people and is one of the main events on Italy’s summer alfresco opera season. Le Marche also has some of central Italy’s finest architectural monuments.

At the bottom of the page you will find a list of beautiful and important towns within a short drive of our Villa, we urge you to relive the grand tour of Italy and visit some of the Le Marche regions gems listed below

Marche towns

Abbadia di Fiastra
The Cistercian monastery of Fiastra was created in 1142, the building material was mainly removed from the near Roman city ‘Urbs Salvia” the monastery’s farmland used to reach 30km to the coast in medieval times. Today the surrounding parkland remains cultivated by the monks who produce wine and food that is on sale to the public, there are two very good well priced restaurants, and the medieval monastery, an archeological museum and beautiful nature reserve are open to the public
Loreto
The magnificent hill town of Loreto lies a couple of kilometres from the Adriatic Sea and houses one of the world’s most important shrines to the Virgin Mary that is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year. The great dome of the Sanctuario della Santa Casa, like Assisi in Umbria, dominates the countryside for miles around; inside is Mary’s dwelling from Nazareth that witnessed the Annunciation and the childhood of Jesus (see the tradition of the Holy House below). Mary’s house arrived, according to legend, in 1294, but it was not until 1507 that Rome finally approved of Loreto as a place of pilgrimage. The Sanctuary is a showcase of work by many of the most celebrated names of late Renaissance Italy and gives even the most vehement atheist ought to come here.. The Museo-Pinacoteca art gallery has amazing late works by Lorenzo Lotto (the Venetian master retired and died in the monastery here in 1556) and an unusual collection of Renaissance ceramic pharmacist’s jars. Hidden away in a corner are also 70 carved blocks of box-wood used until the 1940′s to stamp designs on pilgrims bodies, blueprints that were then indelibly tattooed as permanent souvenirs of their pilgrimage to Loreto.
Ascoli Piceno
No Le Marche Italy tour is complete without a trip to the city of Ascoli Piceno; which is dominated by numerous medieval towers and the Piazza del Popolo which is tiled with travertine and undoubtedly one of the most elegant squares of Italy. An amazing array of gothic architecture, great riverside walks, shopping and art galleries, plus some wonderful bars to sample the local Piceni wines. Oh, make sure you do some people watching in the Art Nouveaux Bar Meletti in the main Piazza
Caldarola
Caldarola dominated by well preserved Pallotta castle, where building started in the 9th Century and which was transformed in the 16th by the Pallotta family, who still own the castle and now open it to the public, there are also 3 other castles in the surrounding Marche countryside.
Camerino
The panoramic university hill town of Camerino has a history that goes back to Neolithic times. It has remained unchanged since its Renaissance heyday, when the local Da Varanno family governed much of surrounding Le Marche. Imposing churches, palaces and art plus lovely gardens, museums, outdoor cafes and some great shops.
San Severino
San Severino Marche was Founded around 550 AD after the Goths had ransacked the Roman town of Septembeda, this enchanting town has a great mix of medieval and Renaissance buildings and an unusual elliptical piazza, Piazza del Popolo, encircled by cool arcades and dominated by the castle and church on the hill above. The town is home to a great Saturday morning market and the San Severino blues Festival that stages Blues, acoustic and indie gigs in San Severino and the neighbouring countryside in June / July each year.

More Le Marche towns

San Severino
San Severino Marche was Founded around 550 AD after the Goths had ransacked the Roman town of Septembeda, this enchanting town has a great mix of medieval and Renaissance buildings and an unusual elliptical piazza, Piazza del Popolo, encircled by cool arcades and dominated by the castle and church on the hill above. The town is home to a great Saturday morning market and the San Severino blues Festival that stages Blues, acoustic and indie gigs in San Severino and the neighbouring countryside in June / July each year.
Jesi
This thriving and elegant centre is one of the most interesting towns in central Le Marche, it has a sophisticated centro storico and an upbeat cultural life hence its nickname “Milano of Le Marche”. Jesi’s most striking feature is an long stretch of awesome fortified walls built in the 14th Century on Roman foundations, these are reinforced with buttresses and impregnable towers, and topped by habitation. The main streets of the walled historic centre run along a narrow ridge and have great shops ,bars and restaurants for the Le Marche holiday maker. In Piazza Federico II on the site of the Roman forum of Aesis stands the 18thC Duomo, a few steps down Via Pergolesi and you find Piazza Colocci and Jesi’s most impressive building, Palazzo della Signoria. Continue along Via Pergolesi to Piazza della Repubblica and you will find Jesi’s largest square is dominated by the town’s 18thC theatre, Teatro Pergolesi, home to a prestigous autumn operatic season. The main road Corso Matteotti runs straight along the old Roman road. On Via XV Settembre stands Jesi’s most stylish building, Palazzo Pianetti, the ornate interior is home to the art gallery (Pinacoteca Comunale) with a small collection of Lorenzo Lotto’s finest works – The Judgement of Santa Lucia, a Visitation, an Annunciation and a restless Deposition.
Macerata
Macerata is well known across the opera world for its annual open-air opera festival in July that is held in held in the 7,000-seater Sferisterio – a wonderful neo-classical arena that was built in the 1820′s. The centre of Macerata is well heeled and was mainly built between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Renaissance two-tiered arcades of the Loggia dei Mercanti on central Piazza della Liberta’ is the town’s most striking piece of architecture. Many incredible Macerata palaces are also to be found on Corso Matteotti, the road that leaves the Piazza at the side of the Loggia, while Corso della Repubblica will take you to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the Art gallery and museum. Thisholds many Umbrian and Marchigiani artists – most important is Carlo Crivelli’s Madonna and Child. In the same building are the elegant carriages in the Museo delle Carrozze and a museum dedicated to the Unification of Italy and wartime resistance
Tolentino
Tolentino is a vibrant medieval Le Marche city and home of St Nicolas, some captivating architecture including an ancient romanesque bridge and an exceptional clock tower in the main square. At nearby 12th century Castello della Rancia you can view the arms museum. Tolentino also has the museum of caricature and art humourism and satire. Come on Tuesday morning to enjoy the bustling market
Recanati
Recanati is a sophisticated town and in the Marche region of Italy. Modern Recanati was founded around 1150 AD from three pre-existing castles. In 1290 it declared itself an independent republic and in March 1798 it was conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the hometown of famous tenor Beniamino Gigli and acclaimed Marche poet Giacomo Leopardi. The town commands an elevated position above rolling hills to the West and the adriatic coast to the East, in Summer a superb Opera season is hosted at the Villa Corrado Mels home to a number of important Lotto paintings
Osimo
A few kilometres from Recanati is Osimo; which has many elegant buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries and remnants from its prior incarnation as the Roman town of Auximum. The fine 17C Palazzo Comunale, or town hall, in main Piazza del Comune has headless statues from Roman times that once stood in the town’s forum.The street plan of the old town still retains its Roman layout and the 13C Duomo, with its amazing crypt and an incredible mosaic pavement from medieval times. The old romanesque church of San Francesco has been fully restored and is a sanctuary dedicated to San Giuseppe da Copertino (1603-1663) and is an important draw for pilgrims. His remains are kept in a crystal urn in the modern crypt. In the heart of the Centro Storico is Palazzo Gallo, a superb 16C palace with an grand fresco of the Judgement of Solomon (1609) by the Tuscan painter Pomarancio.

Even More Marche tour suggestions

Matellica & Frasassi
Matellica is one of the main areas for Verdicchio wines and an interesting historic town that is also home to the Armani fashion outlet. Matellica is en-route to Frasassi ; which has an incredible network of underground limestone caves that is the largest in Europe and a must see for any visitor. Tours start every hour in most languages. . There's also a real live dinosaur park and fossil museum at Matellica
San Ginesio
A great medieval piazza with church with superb frescoes in its crypt and a main street that leads to a park with walls that give the visitor fantastic views .The remainder of the town retains its original medieval plan and walls as well as many early buildings. These include two churches - the 10thC church of San Michele and the 13thC romanesque church of San Francesco - and two of the five hospitals which gave rest to pilgrims on their way to Rome. Of these, the Ospedale di San Paolo (below), with its magnificent two storey loggia and carved capitals, just inside the entrance to the town, is particularly worthy of note.
Fermo
One of the most alluring of the hilltowns of the southern Marche, Fermo has an superb architecture which make it well worth a visit. The fortress which once topped the town was destroyed in 1445 in a popular rebellion against the ruling Sforza family and is now the site of municipal gardens which afford fine views over the marchigiano countryside (and a spacious car park). The nearby 13thC Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. The main square is built above Roman acquaduct that can still be visited.
Amandola
This touring centre for the Sibillini national park has a wonderful gothic piazza, sit in one of Amandola's bars there and watch the world go by, or try getting up and sampling the museum of rural history.
Montemonaco
A pretty walled town with an information centre for walking and trekking in the Sibillini National Park. From here you can walk in a couple of hours to the 'Cave of the Sibyl' (the lair of Tannhauser's Venus), or more striking, follow the River Tenna up the amazing limestone Gola dell'Infernaccio, 'Little Hell Gorge', a three-hour walk from the road.

Central Le Marche Self guided Wine Tour

We have visited many cantinas ourselves and sampled some absolutely sumptuous wines, it's easy you just turn up and say "Potremmo assegiare i vini per favore?", if you want to taste the draft wines then ask "Potremmo assegiare gli sfusi". We have put together an Italian tour of the best wineries near our Villa, this takes in numerous local cantinas, some fantastic medfieval towns and the wonderful coastal region of the Conero National Park that is home to the wonderful robust Rosso Conero. Just click on this link to access the Marche wine tour google map.

Italy hiking in the sibillini rolling foothills

More about Le Marche Villa San Raffaello

p>Villa San Raffaello is based near the picturesque medieval town of Sarnano (named one of the most beautiful villages in Italy)a few metres from the Sibillini National Park in the Le Marche Region of Italy. Our Le Marche villas just won a tripadvisor award for “Excellence” in 2012 and have 4 Italian holiday apartments in total.

On a San Raffaello holiday in Le Marche you will experience elegant and comfortable Italian self-catering accommodation, a large landscaped garden with a big pool, vineyard and stunning mountain views.

You can pick your own organic fruit and vegetables from the Le Marche villa garden, visit the many great restaurants nearby, tour the local area using our Le Marche itineraries, do some walking, cycling or horse riding, do some sightseeing, sports, art, archaeology or cookery, visit the Adriatic coast and Le Marche beaches, towns, museums, markets, shopping outlets, wine cantinas or simply kick back and relax!