Ascoli Piceno

Ascoli Piceno isn't a hill town but sits in a valley ringed by steep hills and cut by the fast-racing Tronto River. In Roman times it was one of central Italy's most important market towns and today, with almost 60,000 residents, it's a major fruit and olive producer, making it one of the most important towns in the region. Despite the growth Ascoli Piceno saw during the Middle Ages and at other times, the streets in the town center continue to reflect the grid pattern of the ancient Roman city. You'll even find the word rua, from the Latin ruga, used for "street" instead of the Italian via. Now largely closed to traffic, the city center is a great place to explore on foot.