The Marche region lies in central Italy between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. According to the ISTAT-Censimento, it has a population of 1,480,545 (as of 31 December 2024), spread across 9,401 square kilometres, five provinces and 225 municipalities. The regional capital is Ancona on the Adriatic coast; the five provinces are Ancona, Pesaro e Urbino, Macerata, Fermo and Ascoli Piceno. Neighbouring regions are Emilia-Romagna to the north, ISTAT-Censimento 1,480,545 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2024) across 9,401 square kilometres, divided into five provinces and 225 municipalities. The regional capital is Ancona on the Adriatic coast; the five provinces are Ancona, Pesaro e Urbino, Macerata, Fermo and Ascoli Piceno. Neighbouring regions are Emilia-Romagna to the north, Tuscany and Umbria to the west, and Lazio and the Abruzzo to the south. According to Let's Marche, the official tourism portal of the region, hills account for around 70 per cent of the land area in Italy.
Geography: Monte Vettore and the Monti Sibillini
The highest point in the region is the Monte Vettore in the Monti Sibillini massif, at 2,476 metres one of the highest peaks on the Italian mainland. The Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini was established in 1993 and, according to Let's Marche, protects over 70,000 hectares of mountain landscape along the border between Marche and Umbria. The massif is home to the Lago di Pilato, a high-altitude mountain lake steeped in legend, whose waters shimmer reddish due to the pink crustacean Chirocephalus marchesonii. This crustacean is found nowhere else in the world but this single lake. To the west lies the Piano Grande di Castelluccio, a treeless plateau at around 1,250 metres above sea level, carpeted with wildflowers in May and June. To the south, the region borders the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga via the municipalities of Acquasanta Terme and Arquata del Tronto.
Ancona and the Adriatic Coast
The regional capital and principal port is Ancona, which sits with its distinctive elbow-shaped natural harbour at the foot of Monte Conero. The city was founded around 390 BC by Greek colonists from Syracuse; its name derives from the Greek ankón, meaning elbow. To the south of the city begins the Riviera del Conero, with coves such as Portonovo, Sirolo and Numana, characterised by sheer cliffs of white limestone. The Riviera delle Palme around San Benedetto del Tronto brings the Adriatic coastline to a close in the south, with its palm-lined seafront promenade. In all, the Marche coastline stretches from Gabicce Mare near Rimini in the north to San Benedetto del Tronto on the border with Abruzzo. The port of Ancona ranks among Italy's most important ferry connections to the eastern Adriatic, with services to Croatia, Albania, Montenegro and Greece.
Urbino as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The historic centre of Urbino in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 and is considered one of the best-preserved Renaissance city centres in Italy. The centrepiece is the Palazzo Ducale, commissioned in the 15th century by Duke Federico da Montefeltro as an ideal court of the Italian Renaissance. The Palazzo today houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, with works by Piero della Francesca, Raffael and Tiziano. Urbino is also the birthplace of the painter Raffaello Sanzio, known as Raffael, who was born here in 1483. The Casa Natale di Raffaello in the Via Raffaello is now a museum. The Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, founded in 1506, makes this small city one of the oldest university towns in Italy.
Grotte di Frasassi and other natural wonders
The Grotte di Frasassi in the Province of Ancona are, according to Let's Marche, among the most significant karst systems in Italy. Discovered in 1971, they comprise over 13 kilometres of accessible cave systems, including the Grotta del Vento, the Grotta Grande del Vento and the vast Sala dell'Abisso Ancona, which could accommodate St Peter's Basilica in Rome in terms of height. The Gole dell'Infernaccio and the Gola della Rossa are among the deep gorges of the Apennines. In the Province of Ascoli Piceno lie the Monti della Laga, with beech forests and deep valleys, and to the north the Monti Azzurri. The coastal lagoon on the Adriatic near Sentina is a nature reserve with populations of migratory birds. The region as a whole encompasses two national parks (Monti Sibillini and Gran Sasso-Laga, the latter partially within the region), as well as four regional parks and several nature reserves.
Towns and villages of the Marche
Alongside Ancona and Urbino, further towns shape the provinces. Pesaro on the Adriatic is the birthplace of the composer Gioachino Rossini (1792) and the venue for the annual Rossini Opera Festival. Macerata hosts the Macerata Opera Festival at the Sferisterio, a neoclassical rotunda with exceptional acoustics. Fermo, with its Piazza del Popolo and Roman cisterns dating from the 1st century, is a further destination in the central Marche region. Ascoli Piceno in the south is renowned for its travertine-paved Piazza del Popolo, as well as for the Caffè Meletti and the eponymous Olive Ascolane. Loreto, with the Santuario della Santa Casa, ranks among the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites, while Recanati is the birthplace of the poet Giacomo Leopardi (1798). Among the Borghi più belli d'Italia are Corinaldo, Cingoli, Gradara, Mondavio, Montelupone and Treia.
Cuisine of the Marche
The cuisine of the Marche brings together mountain and sea. The Olive Ascolane, meat-filled and deep-fried olives from Ascoli Piceno, are considered the region's signature dish and are protected as Olive Ascolane del Piceno DOP. Vincisgrassi are the region's take on lasagne, made with a ragù-style meat sauce and hints of truffle. Brodetto all'Anconetana is the fish stew of Ancona, prepared with several varieties of fish depending on the version. Ciauscolo is a spreadable salami from the Macerata area, protected as IGP. Further regional specialities include Crescia, filled flatbreads from Urbino, as well as Pan nociato and Chichì ripieno. Some of Italy's finest white truffles come from Acqualagna in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino, a town that holds the title of Capitale del Tartufo.
Wine from the Marche
In terms of wine , the Marche boast five DOCG designations, according to ENIT: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva, Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva, Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, Offida and Conero. The white wines Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica are regarded as the most characteristic of the region and are exported internationally. The Rosso Conero DOC and the Conero DOCG originate from the hills south of Ancona and are produced from Montepulciano grapes. Lacrima di Morro d'Alba is a rare indigenous red variety with intense floral aromas, cultivated only within a handful of communes near Ancona. In addition, there are 15 DOC wines and various IGT productions, meaning the Marche cover a broad spectrum of grape varieties and wine styles.
Travel season, getting there and practical information
The region's main airport is the airport Ancona-Falconara (IATA code AOI) offers connections to Milan, Rome and a number of European destinations. Air links are also available via the airports of Rimini, Perugia and Pescara in neighbouring regions. The Autostrada A14 Adriatica runs through the region from north to south, connecting Pesaro, Ancona, Civitanova Marche and San Benedetto del Tronto. The main Adriatic railway line runs parallel to the A14, with cross-country connections from Ancona to Tuscany and Rome. The best time to visit the coast and towns is May to September, while spring and autumn, with their mild temperatures, are ideal for the Monti Sibillini and the hinterland. The Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro takes place every year in August, and the Macerata Opera Festival runs in July and August.
