Marcus Travel Journal
2024 - Marche
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Returning to Marche
We enjoyed returning to the Marche Region of Italy. Our last significant visit was back in 2005. We certainly enjoyed our time here as it was lighter in terms of the number of tourists than other regions of Italy. Information and photos of our previous Marche travels are included in our Travel Journal.
Mombaroccio
Our apartment was in an old villa located in Villagrande, a small village outside of Mombaroccio.
The town is very quite, but very enjoyable to walk through the historic centre with a front and back gateway through the walls. In the town are narrow cobblestone streets, medieval buildings, and an elegant central piazza with the church and municipal buildings and a great bar/cafe. I got some Italian lessons from the owner! I need many more.
Mombaroccio is surrounded by beautiful countryside, with rolling hills, vineyards, and olive groves.
For some reason it has been decades since we have been back to the Marche (pronounced: (leh mart-keh) - but when a couple of buys cycling stopped to see what I was doing, their Italian lesson for me was to simple say "marke".
What struck, especially after travel up from Puglia is how green the area is. Hills and old medieval towns. My kind of area to explore.
Urbino
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Located about 40 km from our house is the town of Urbino. I went twice to visit this town. Main Sights include the Palazzo Ducale (on our previous trip we spent the majority of our time in the Palazzo Ducale). This year I spent more town walking about the walled historic centre.
We have a beautiful apartment in the Villagrande near Mombaroccio.
Our apartment is elegant and there is lots of room.
The villa dates back to 1563. There are a number of apartments, we had one of the larger ones, it was very very roomy. The pool for just below our level. The large circular pool was a treat and I swam every day, right into the first week of October. Chilly and refreshing. Pools are not heated in Italy.
Cartoceto
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Just 7km down the road is the small town of Cartoceto. The 1351 fortress was destroyed in an earthquake in 1572 and crumbled much of the historic centre of the town. But wanderingitlay said that walking through what remains of the walled hill town is pleasant and there are view impressive of landscape. They were correct and I enjoyed a morning walking the steep stairs and walkways of the of centre. The photo above is one of the two fairly flat areas of the town.
Saltara
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Just a bit further down the road (10 from Mombaroccio) is the small town of Saltara. Another interesting town to explore on foot. Park the car on the road and take up the stairs into the town.
Mondavio
photos: mytravellinglens.com
The city is an impressive sight as you drive towards this medieval walled town. The castle and the bell towers will be one of your first sights. The medieval castle, designed by Tuscan architect Francesco Giorgio di Martini, is impressive. At the centre is a five-story main tower, ingeniously shaped as an octagon, standing tall and commanding attention as it dominates the castle's grand structure. I also liked walking about the cloister of the San Francesco church/convent.
Serrungarina
photo: mytravellinglens.com
The small village of Serrungarina, halfway between Pesaro and Urbino, is on the ridge of the Metauro river. The town was previously known as Brisighella. The layout of the town is circular with the streets circling around the hill. After climbing the long staircase to the centre, I walked a number of them of the streets. The town is made up of residences. There is a small plaza at the top where the Malatesta cistern and Church of Sant'Antonia Abate which has some noted paintings. Unfortunately I found the church closed.
Fossombone
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Portico street of Fossombone
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Head up one of the streets that leads off the main street so that you can explore the network of old narrow streets that work up the hill, or, down to the river.
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The are so many interesting streeets to walk and explore.
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San Filippo is a Baroque-style Roman Catholic former church, now deconsecrated, located Corso Garibaldi, near Porta Fano.
photos: mytravellinglens.com
This was a real treat. It sits along the Metauro river and is noted as being one of the most attractive towns in Le Marche.
There are numerous stately buildings to enjoy. The ducal palace is located up and above the town along the river. It is called the Corte Alta, was the Montefeltro regal residence and now houses the civic art gallery. Other palaces are found around town, especially in Corso Garibaldi.
I started my visit walking along the Corso Garibaldi which has buildings decked with porticoes, called logge in Le Marche. There are numerous shops and cafés tucked in the covered walkways. But I really enjoyed walking the cobbled lanes where pastel and stone buildings provide Old World allure, small alleyways, and pretty corners to admire.
Back on Corso Garibaldi is the church of San Filippo, built at the beginning of the 1600s by the Della Rovere ducal family, to celebrate the birth of their child Federico Ubaldo. The facade remained unfinished, but step inside and be stunned by the Baroque frosted altar surroundings, a wedding cake of stucco art.
Senigallia
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The Portici Ercolani, were commissed by Pope Benedict XIV and designed by Giuseppe Maria Eroclani in the mid 18th century. The run along the entire right bank of the Misa River and have 126 Istrian stone aarches.
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Foro Annonario, where many concerts take place, but on the day I was here there was a market.
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The Rocca Roveresca is very interesting. I enjoyed walking through the rooms, the audio guide provided important information and from the top there is a great view over the town.
photos: mytravellinglens.com
I drove from our apartment to the coast to spend time in the town of Senigallia. A town famous for its spiaggia di velluto, velvet beach, with 13 kilometres of fine golden sand. The historic centre is also very interesting. I did not go there for the beach, so I missed that altogether, and enjoyed just walking the streets. Near the end of my visit I picked up a wonderful lasagne from a shop. It was a hit when I got home. If I had gone down to the beach I would have seen the Rotunda, a circular pavilion built on a piece.
The Romans later took over the area in 284 BC, establishing the colony of Sena Gallica to control the region. The town was consistently faced with invasions and reconstructions. In the medieval period, it became one of the five cities of the Adriatic duchy of Pentapolis.
I enjoyed spending time in the Rocca Roveresca, the Renaissance fortress, built in the 15th century. The town has done a good job provided information about the town's rich history and life in the fortress. It has impressive architecture and beautiful courtyards.
Convent of Blessed Sante
photos: mytravellinglens.com
Located on a hill, in the Passo area, just a couple of kilometres outside of Mombaroccio, the the Sanctuary of the Blessed Sante. It holds the church, the convent, the cloister and an art gallery-museum. The complex dates back to 1223 when Franciscan friars built the first convent near this location. The structure we see today dates back to 1423. Although it was all locked up when I arrived on one of my early morning drives, a woman arrived, rang the bell and the door was left open while she was inside. I was hoping this meant the cloister was open, so I did walk through the now glassed in cloister. Likewise she went to the church, opened it, and this time I walked in with her. She said more to me than I could understand, but I understood enough to know she was very proud of the interior of the church.
Gradara
photo: mytravellinglens.com
The fortified villages dates to the 12th Century. The noble families of Pietro and Ridolfo De Grigo has the castle constructed. Over time, the town was passed between nobel families of Italy including the Malatesta, Sforza, Borgia and Della Rovere.
The Gradara Castle is one of the best-preserved castles in Italy. You can also was along part of the ancient walls.
Listed as one of the most beautiful Italian villages. While I may not say that about the town, the large walled town with its castle is impressive to see. This is a major tourist location for the Region so expect the medieval streets to be busy. We did have a very lunch here.
Fano
photo: mytravellinglens.com
Approximately 55 km from our house is the seaside town of Fano, founded by the ancient Romans 3 BC, it was known as Fanum Fortunae, Temple of Fortune. It prospered as an important trading port and military centre. Later the town was under the rule of various noble families with prosperity and decline. Roman Emperor Augusts fortified the town with walls and an arch (Arco di Augusto), part of which are still standing today. In 754 it was donated to the Holly See by the Franish kings.
Today it has a population of about 61,000. this historic centre is interesting ... just watch out for the cyclists! Everyone rides a bike in Fano. We had to keep reminding ourselves to look before we just bolted to the right side or left side of the street. Lots of interest stores, I even bought a pair of runners.
If you are not sure where to go, after you have walked with the arch, head straight and take a right on the next main street to arrive at the Piazza XX Settembre, the main square of the town. There the Palazzo del Podesta stands, now the Teatro della Fortuna.
The Chiesa dell'Eremo di Monte Giove, which gives panoramic views of Fano and its marina.
But, come 12:30 the city centre shuts down totally. Only restaurants and bars will be open. No problem walking around the down during the afternoon shut-down!