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Despite recent publicity, Le Marche is one of the areas in Italy least visited by tourists. However, there is plenty to do and see.

The Sibillini National Park is within easy reach of the property allowing access to numerous walking and mountain bike trails. The main walking season runs from May to October.  A series of challenging but very rewarding walks in the national park can be purchased from UK based Sibillini Walks. At Fiastra there is a large mountain lake where it is possible to go fishing. For those interested in winter sports, there is a ski centre at Bolognola, around 45 minutes drive from the properties.

The Frasassi caves (complete with a cavern so big that it could house the whole of Milan cathedral) are within 25 miles of the property and set within a nature park with walking trails and picnic areas. Guided tours of the caves lasting approximately one hour are available in Italian, English and other selected languages on request.

The 180 kilometres of Le Marche’s Adriatic coast and sandy beaches are within reasonable driving distance. The cities of Urbino with its Ducal Palace, Assisi with St Francis’ Basilica and Perugia with its Duomo and Fontana Maggiore are within day tripping range although slightly further afield.

There are also many attractive small towns in the area. The nearest, Camerino, is less than ten minutes away by car and offers several supermarkets, specialist food shops and places to eat and enjoy the atmosphere. Although it has a population of less than 5000, it has its own Archbishop and is home to a University that claims to be the second oldest in Europe. In May, the city relives its past with the ‘Corsa Alla Spada’, a footrace where the winner receives a sword and ‘the Palio’ a competition for the city banner between its three districts. Camerino has museums devoted to art and archaeology, a botanical garden and a castle with panoramic views over the surrounding area. At one time, Camerino controlled around 30 castles that were used to defend its territory in the middle ages.

A few kilometres to the south east is such a castle, the Rocca Varano, a ruin dating back to the 1200’s. It has recently been restored and is mainly used as an exhibition area for local craftspeople artisans to display their produce. From the castle ramparts there are extensive views of the surrounding countryside.

Pioraco (around twenty minutes by car) is nestled in a valley between a river and a mountain and sports a couple of museums covering a variety of topics including card and paper, fossils and model fungi. There is also a short nature trail around the town that takes you to a viewpoint high above the town and returns you through a river gorge.

Slightly further away is the town of Cingoli, sometimes called the ‘balcony of the Marche’ because of its panoramic views and also Norcia, a town devoted to the art of sausages and cured meats. En route to Norcia is the Piano Grande – a huge glacial plain - overlooked by the town of Castelluccio. 

If these options all sound too strenuous it is only too easy to relax beside the outdoor swimming pool at the property or to sit in the extensive, well maintained garden, drinking a glass or two of the local wine. It is also possible to drive round the area following signposted ‘wine routes’ and to taste and buy direct from local suppliers.

Arguably the best guidebook for the region is Tuscany, Umbria and the Marches (Cadogan Guides) this, as the name suggests, covers all of Le Marche, plus neighbouring Umbria. For navigation by car, Touring Club Italiano produce an excellent 1:200000 map Umbria E Marche (Carte Regionali).

Those looking for guidance on scenic drives, together with relatively easy walks should find Umbria and the Marches: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes) very useful. For longer walks Walking in Italy (Lonely Planet Walking Guides) has a chapter on the Sibillini mountains which is well worth consulting. Kompass produce a map of the Sibillini region 666: Monti Sibillini - Cascia Norcia 1:50, 000 which should prove invaluable for those exploring the mountains on foot. Club Alpino Italiano produce an excellent 1:25000 map of the Sibillini region. This can prove elusive, but is available for purchase from Sibillini Walks.

The city of Camerino is situated in the Apennine mountains of central Italy, in the province of Macerata (Marche Region). Enjoying a panoramic view, it is located in a pleasant position on a mountain ridge that separates the Valley of two rivers, the Chienti and the Potenza. Its old centre has seen little change over the last few centuries, leaving it a particularly attractive sight, and the opulence of the architecture is all the more impressive considering that the town can claim a mere 5,000 inhabitants.

The city’s site has been inhabited from the Neolithic Period. By 309 BC, Camerino had signed an alliance with Rome and had become a flourishing Roman municipality. It was also the seat of a Lombard dukedom associated with Spoleto. Later, under Charlemagne. the city was made the capital of the Marca of Camerino, a region which extended from the Appennines to the sea. The city was consistently allied with the Guelph faction and was damaged by the imperial troops of Manfredi in 1259. Then, under the “Signoria” of Varano, from the end of 1200s to 1539, the city grew and prospered artistically and commercially. This period of political and cultural vitality was interrupted only when the last of the Da Varano rulers, Giulio Cesare, was tragically deposed by Cesare Borgia in 1502. However, Guilio’s son, Giovanni Maria, regained control of the city in 1503 and acquired the title of duke, with jurisdiction over the valley of the river Nera as far as the sea.

Most of Camerino was built during the enlightened rule of the Da Varano family between the 14th and 16th centuries when its court drew artists and scholars from across Italy. In 1545, the city was once again brought under the direct rule of the Holy See and functioned as one of the principal cities of the Papal Province until the Unification of Italy. The narrow main street takes you from the town’s fortress to the principal square, Piazza Cavour, around which stand the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Ducal Palace, now the seat of the Law faculty of Camerino University. Over it all watches a fine statue of Pope Sixtus V, dating from 1587. The porticoed courtyard of the Ducal Palace is partly attributed to the great 15th century architect, Baccio Pontelli. It leads to a splendid balcony with views of the Sibillini Mountains.

The grand architectural complex of San Domenico, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, has been restored and now houses a choice collection of works from the Camerino School of painting. Another of Camerino’s gems is the Teatro Marchetti, off the courtyard in the Town Hall. Built in 1856, it has recently been restored and is the home of many of the city’s musical and theatrical activities.