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The Marche

Do you want to explore an undiscovered part of Italy with a variety of fine wines and dishes from mountains to sea, with quiet, lovely little towns in the interior, country hospitality of yesteryear and fine white beaches? Yes? The Marche is for you!

The Marche lies east of Umbria and stretches from its forested mountains east to beautiful hills covered with a patchwork of gold and green fields, vineyards, forests, olive groves and down to the Adriatic Sea. The coast has long, white, sandy beaches, lots of seaside hotels and fine restaurants dishing up an incredible range of Adriatic fish.

beautiful countryside

Countryside

Although the coast has masses of tourists in the beach season, inland you’ll find few tourists and very hospitable, friendly people. Lovely, tiny, medieval walled towns crown some hills. We met an 84 year old woman in a hamlet of six people who invited us in to her home for a glass of her wine.

The Monti Sibillini mountain range, one of the most beautiful in all the Appenines according to some, is in southeast Marche and has many wonderful walking trails and caves. Outdoor types can enjoy staying in the mountain refuges, or going horse back riding, hang gliding or skiing.

Cities and Towns: Fish and Fine Wines

Its most famous city is Urbino, a Renaissance jewel with lovely palaces and churches and an excellent art museum since Raffaello, Piero Della Francesca and others worked in Urbino.

The Marche is famous for its huge variety of Adriatic seafood. Its major port, Ancona is the second most important fish market in Italy. Many people go to the Marche coast towns like Senigallia to dine at the many top quality fish restaurants.

The town of Acqualagna is also known for its white and black truffles available all year and for its truffle fairs. Le Marche also produces good olive oil.

Le Marche cooking school tours

Cuisine

Cuisine includes Ascolana olives stuffed with meat and lightly fried, pasta with truffles, pasta with clams and mussels, risotto with farro grain, smoked trout from the mountains, fish stew with a mix of Adriatic white fish, porchetta (roast pork leg with fennel, garlic, rosemary, white wine & more), rabbit with fennel & sausage, fava beans with fresh pecorino cheese.

Wines

The Marche is becoming known as the “new Tuscany” because of its wonderful array of fine red and white wines. The region has 17 wine areas, 13 types of grapes and 12 DOC wines like Rosso Conero, Rosso Piceno, Colli Pesaresi San Giovese and Bianchello del Metauro.

More informaton on Le Marche

On May 22, 2005 the New York Times ran a beautifully written travel article about the Marche by Christopher Solomon entitled, “Is This the Next Tuscany?” A resident of Le Marche wrote a letter to the editor saying, no, Le Marche isn't the next Tuscany. It's more diverse and more humble than Tuscany.

Except for its Adriatic beaches, Le Marche gets only a fraction of the tourists Tuscany gets, so you enjoy genuine Italian experiences with the people. I've written about the high quality of their wines in a previous Mama Margaret newsletter.

To read his article about his experiences meeting the very friendly, hospitable people and learning to slow down in the untouristed, peaceful towns and lovely countryside, go www.newyorktimes.com and search under “Le Marche Italy”. You'll find the three letters to the editor entertaining and informative too.

The Le Marche region has a great web site with loads of information for tourists at www.le-marche.com

For cooking school tours in the Le Marche Region please see www.italycookingschools.com/umbrialist.html