I have been to Italy before and went to Rome, Florence, Amalfi, etc. I am now going to Venice for a week and then to The Marches for 2 weeks in the vicinity of Fano, not far from Ancona. The town we will be staying in is Sant Ipilitto. We will be staying with "friends of friends" amd have use of their car, etc. I know they will be able to tell us of many great things to see and places we should go. However, what would be some places we should be aware of and those we shouldn't miss? I would also be interested in any festivals or special events. I know this is not an area often traveled. That is why we are going there.

Spent a week or so a few years ago at the hotel (a converted monastery) atop Monte Conero. I suggest a visit to one of the beach towns at the base of MC. There are wonderful, informal bar-trattorie on the beaches. Also, we were advised to visit the little town of Asimo, not far from MC. A worthwhile trip. BTW, Monte Conero DOC is an excellent wine.

Go to http://www.regione.marche.it and to http://www.comune.ancona.it for information. And, I can't recommend highly enough the Touring Club of Italy's guidebook called "Marche" which I bought from the amazon.com uk site. Invaluable!<BR><BR>Of course, depends on your interests. Sant' Ippolito is, as you know, close to Fano which is right on the Adriatic. Slightly north of Fano is Pesaro, which has a very famous Rossini festival in the summer (and is the site of Pavarotti's seaside house!. Just north of Pesaro is Gradara, where you'll see the supposed castle of Paolo (Malatesta) & Francesca of Dante's adulterers' circle of Hell fame. If you are a Fellini fan, you may want to go just a bit farther north to Rimini and look around, esp. at the old Grand Hotel. South is Ancona and the "Conera Riviera." Lots of water "stuff" to do. In Ancona, check out the Mole Vanvitelliana for a schedule of concerts & exhibits. And, the Piazza del Papa has outdoor concerts/activities in summer, too. You can listen while eating outdoors at the Trattoria Moretta. Lovely! Just south & inland a few miles from Ancona is Macerata. There's a spectacular outdoor theater where operas and concerts are performed in the summer. There's a website. Inland, you'll be near Fossombrone and Cagli and, most of all, Urbino. I envy you this trip. So many little gems to see....so little time! Have fun!

Forgot to mention Jesi, if you are a wine lover. Then, there are the famous Frasassi caves just outside Genga. Oh, and, at Gradara you'll be right at San Marino. Touristy, but a tiny country within Italy that has a terrific view.

go to Castelfidardo. the accordion manufacturing capital of the world

Try the "Marche Voyager's web site at www.le-marche.com - it seems pretty comprehensive

try ascoli piceno and acquasanta terme!

Spent a week in the Marches last August and loved it. The sites others suggested should be very helpful and I wish I would have done more homework prior to departure as distances are bigger here.You did not mention what time of the year you will be there. There are many historical festivals( Triea, Cingoli) and market days in the summer in the hill towns.Civvitanova Marche has a dance festival in July.I loved the Frassassi caves.We enjoyed Cingoli,Numana on coast,Sarnano near mountains. The walled city of Sarnano has the loveliest pinkish brick. There are many mineral spas there and you can go horseback riding. The restaurant Il Villini is lovely. Macerata has a wonderful outdoor opera( season ends early Aug. I believe). We were in the region in August and in this area many of the walled towns were like ghost towns. The beach and mountain towns were of course busy.Driving is less agressive here but oh those signs.Few of the roads are numbered and we circled many a hill town twice.Have a great time.