Macerata, Sibillini & central

Macerata and the hill towns

Central Le Marche runs from the Sibillini mountains down through rolling farmland to the Adriatic, and few parts of Italy offer such a range of landscape within an hour's drive. It is a region that many visitors from the UK have yet to discover, with quiet roads and towns that still feel very local.

Macerata is an elegant university town on a ridge, with a well-kept historic centre of brick palaces and piazzas. Its Sferisterio, a neoclassical open-air arena built for a ball game, now hosts a well-known summer opera season.

Nearby, Recanati was the birthplace of the poet Giacomo Leopardi, and his family home is open to visitors. Loreto, towards the coast, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Italy, with a great basilica built around the Holy House. Tolentino has the Basilica of San Nicola, and San Severino Marche has a striking oval main square.

The Sibillini mountains

To the south west, the Monti Sibillini National Park is a range of high, bare peaks, beech woods and deep gorges, with walking for all levels. The Lago di Fiastra is a good spot for a swim in summer, and the gorge of the Infernaccio is a popular hike. Just over the border in Umbria, the high plain of Castelluccio flowers in early summer with lentils and wild poppies. Sarnano, a hill town on the edge of the park, makes a good base for walkers.

Food, wine and getting here

Macerata's signature dish is vincisgrassi, a rich baked pasta, and the area is known for ciauscolo, a soft, spreadable salami. The province produces Verdicchio di Matelica, a crisp white wine, and Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, an unusual sparkling red. Lentils from Castelluccio are prized across Italy.

Ancona airport is the closest, and a car is needed to explore. The beaches of Civitanova Marche and the Conero Riviera are within easy reach for a day by the sea. Late spring and early autumn are best for walking, and summer brings festivals and warm evenings. The area suits walkers, food lovers and families looking for good value and a slower pace.

Browse the villas listed below to find your base, or read more about holidays in Le Marche.