There are gorgeous cities such as Urbino, a walled university town bustling with life. You'll find beautiful buildings dating back to the Italian Renaissance such as the Palazzo Ducale. This truly magisterial building is not only stunning on the outside, the inside also houses a lot of beauty. You will find several masterpieces of Italian painting. Definitely not to be missed. Urbino's cathedral is also worth a visit. 

In the middle of the Sibilini Mountains (part of the Appenines) lies Ascoli Piceno, a virtually intact mid-century city. Visit Piazza del Popolo with the huge Palazzo dei Capitani del Popoli and the church of San Francesco, the Duomo and the gurgling fountains facing it. You will also find an ancient bridge over the Tronto, the Ponte di Solesta, and the remains of a Roman theatre. Part of the Sibilini Mountains is a protected natural park, a true walker's paradise where you can even admire (don't pick!) the rare Edelweiss plants on your way to the crystal-clear Lago di Pilato. Find out more about the Sibilini Mountains on our blog!

Heading towards the Adriatic Sea, you come across Grottammare, a small town with great assets. Its historic centre can no doubt satisfy your historical appetite with its piazze, ancient buildings and churches. It is also the birthplace of Pope Sisto V and you will find many references about it in the Museo Sitino.

In Grottammare, however, you can also breathe in the salty sea air and enjoy beautiful sea views from the arcades in Piazza Peretti. Need a change from your holiday home with private pool in Le Marche? Go down to one of the lazy beach bars on the snow-white beach and enjoy a drink! La vita è bella!

An equally special stretch of beach is the Conero Riviera. It is so beautiful you won't believe your eyes. Hire a boat and admire the Riviera from the water and be sure to visit Portonova, Sirolo and Numana. Feel free to moor there to enjoy a delicious Italian lunch. If you don't have sea legs, you can of course visit all this beauty on foot or by bus/taxi. If you are a trained hiker, you can start the trek on foot from the village to Monte Conero with its beautiful cliffs and forests. The views of the bay are simply breathtaking!

Finally, a little deeper inland is the underground cave complex of Frasassi, unique in the world. This particularly large cave system with a dense network of corridors, tunnels, shafts and chambers has a total length of more than five kilometres. The caves are the natural habitat of masses of bats, there are countless small ponds and the many stalactites and stalagmites are Mother Nature's most beautiful creations.