LoveCalabria

What's left to be discovered in Itay? Has anybody travelled Le Marche or Abruzzo? I'm lookign for stories and insight about these area.

toni_g_b

We're planning a trip to Le Marches next August so I can't comment directly, but have you visited this site for more info? Marche Voyager
http://www.le-marche.com/Marche/
Sounds fascinating especially if you have a car to explore the countryside.

bridezilla

I just got back from Urbino.
It's beautiful. Definitely a must-see and the countryside going towards Umbria is beautiful.

vallenuova

Le Marche region is just beautiful, if you like the countryside and tiny hilltop towns (Urbino, Mondavio, San Leo and many more in northern Le Marche) and the mountains (the Sibillini in the south). The Marche Voyager site is great but it has little images, google for specific places that you read about in that site and you'll discover one of "Italy's best kept secrets".

fall06

I've been to Le Marche and think it's a fantastic destination. There is so much to see, it's a good idea to plan your trip either to focus on the north or the south, but not both. Ascoli Piceno needs to be added to your list of places to consider. In the north, many of the hilltowns of the Montefeltro near Urbino are gems. I didn't go to the seaside, which I heard was overcrowded with modern resorts, but others tell me that some spots are worthwhile.

You really need a car there, and you have to be realistic about not trying to pack too much in.

LJ

We lived for some time in the Abruzzo and travelled Le Marche extensively and JackieinItaly who posts intermittently lives there currently. Both regions are worthy of your travel time and money and I would be happy to answer more specific questions according to your interests.

buongiorno

We've visited many Le Marche towns and managed to make friends with Jackie who LJ mentioned in his post. I'm not criticising them but I think most Americans think of Italy as Rome and Tuscany. Le Marche seems to be better known to UK and European tourists. The food, wine and towns are just as beautiful and enjoyable as Tuscany. I would highly recommend it.

vallenuova

Of course that in Le Marche there are many more places than the ones that we already mentioned!!! The Conero (steep coastal area south of Ancona) is gorgeous, the Monte San Bartolo park (another great coastal area, north of Pesaro, much less known and mostly uncrowded) The Frasassi Caves (including Europe's biggest "room&quot, Ascoli Piceno (as someone mentioned!), Fabriano (beautiful town and great Paper Museum), The Furlo Gorge, plenty of amazing romainc churches, breathtaking views (a friend says that it looks like being inside a Raphael's painting!), Roman bridges and ruins (the via Flaminia crossed northern Le Marche and Urbisaglia in the south is just fab), Raphael and Piero della Francesca paintings, Francesco di Giorgio Martini's "Rocche" (castles/towers) such as turtle shaped Sassocorvaro's, Macerata (by the way, if you are an opera lover do not miss Macerata Opera and Pesaro Rossini Opera Festival), Fiastra Abbey, Fonte Avellana Monastery, and the Sibillini with the Castelluccio plain and Gola dell'Infernaccio....
A lot to see and do apart from just hanging around tiny hilltop towns and getting lost along panoramic country roads.

mhgbrooklyn

We just returned from a trip to Italy with a stay of 5 nights in Le Marches. Ascoli Piceno was a great town with a Piazza de Popolo not to be missed, but the highlight of the entire month long trip was by far our stay at Bed and Breakfast Vento di Rose situated just below the cliffs of Monterubbiano, a lovely little hill town. First of all, the breakfasts were to die for - instead of a simple continental breakfast (which is the norm throughout Italy), the LOVELY, friendly, amazing hosts filled our table with cakes, cheeses, quiches, homemade jams, cookies, melon, proscuitto, and other delicious treats.... And when we couldn't eat it all, they gave us aluminum foil to pack it for the day. There were only three rooms. Ours was "crepusculo" - the sunset room, with a warm and inviting decor. There were chairs and hamocks scattered all over the garden, which surrounded the house. And from our position high on the hill, we could see five or six hill towns in the distance, and even a sliver of the Adriatic, about 10 km away. My wife and I were traveling with our 2 yr old son, and we could not have been made to feel more welcome. Our son even helped in the garden. We could imagine having the most romantic vacation here or traveling with a family. After Vento di Rose, we traveled to Urbino - with a stop by in Rimini to visit some friends.

stefanaccio

Ascoli Piceno (http://ascolipiceno.wordpress.com/) is definitely worth a worth a visit. I have been there often and frequently stop by the fortress town of Civitella del Tronto and the village of Controguerra (home of Abruzzo DOC wines) when in the area.

LJ

Did you sample the deep fried olives that bear the same neme when you were there stefanaccio? you can tell how few folks plan on a trip to Abruzzo/Le Marche by how old this thread is now!

Stll my favorite part of Italy...and they need us now more than ever because though the earthquake was limited in its impact to a ver small region of the Abruzzesse, it seems to have had a massive impact on tourism 100 miles away in all directions. Very great shame..

ChristineBea

We have just returned from the Abruzzo region of Italy after a fantastic two weeks in a lovely bed and breakfast run by an English couple - www.italybedandbreakfast.co.uk
We found the B&B by chance and couldn't have wished for anywhere nicer, it is near a village called Cellino Attanasio, from one side of the house you can see the mountains of the Gran Sasso and from the other side you can see the sea at Roseto. Although it is run as a B&B they will also do lunch and evening meal if you require (including some local wine or beer if preferred).
We went to Ascoli Piceno and also Civitella del Tronto while we were there, and yes, we tried the deep fried olives and absolutely loved them.
We will definitely be returning to the region (and the B&B).

LJ

Always delighted when someone has a great time in this vastly under-appreciated and delightful part of Italy. I don't know the specific town you are speaking of but it can't be far from Lanciano and we will seek out your B&B on our next trip.

Dobermina

Le Marche is my absolute favorite region, with the area around Civitanova being my particular favorite. Picturesque, friendly, it's the Italy I remember growing up in 20 years ago and not the overly crowded cesspool being choked in it's own tourism the way Rome and Florence are (of course Rome and Florence are stellar too, but I live in Rome, so ignore my periodic bitterness). The seafood is absolutely the best I've ever had, the beaches aren't as frequented by non Italian tourists and thus are CLEAN and lovely and just pristine. The prices aren't outrageous, and some of the most fabulous bartenders can be found at beach chalets down the coast from Porto San Elpidio. Ok, so it's mainly a summer region in those coastal towns, but soooo worth it. Also, a lot of shoe and purse factories are right near Civitanova so the Saturday morning mercato is like paradise for most girls.....Yes, I love Marche.