Sample Itinerary
The Marche & the Sibillini
5 days — Urbino, Ascoli Piceno, Gradara, the Sibillini, and the Adriatic.
The route
The quiet central-Italy region between the Apennines and the Adriatic. Urbino for the Renaissance, Ascoli Piceno for the piazzas, the Sibillini for hiking, and the coast at Numana. Less famous than Tuscany, and the better for it.
5 stops
Region · Marche
Marche
The Marche is the quiet central-Italy region that sits between the Apennines and the Adriatic. Urbino for the Renaissance, Ascoli Piceno for the piazzas, the Sibillini for hiking, and the coast for a low-key beach. It's the region to choose when you want central Italy without Tuscany's crowds or Umbria's pilgrims — and it's cheaper than both.
Town · Marche
Urbino
The most important Renaissance city most travelers skip. The Ducal Palace is the masterpiece; the birthplace of Raphael is the bonus. Worth a night if you love Renaissance art and architecture.
Town · Marche
Ascoli Piceno
The most beautiful town in the Marche you haven't heard of — a center of travertine towers, two great piazzas, and the olive all'ascolana. Worth a night.
Town · Marche
Gradara
The castle of Paolo and Francesca — the lovers of Dante's Inferno, Canto V — in a perfectly preserved medieval borgo. Worth a stop for the story and the towers.
Town · Marche
Numana
The best base for the Conero Riviera — a cliffside old village, a pine-backed beach, and the blue Adriatic. Worth a couple of nights if you want the Marche coast without the Rimini crowds.
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