The Region of Le Marche

Tucked away in a quiet position along the Adriatic Sea lies the region of Le Marche, Italy. Its serene setting is largely untouched by the hoards of tourists that flood Tuscany each summer, but it still sees its fair share of visitors (mainly German) each year. It boasts the rolling hills of other regions, the narrow winding roads of the countryside, and small medieval towns perched high on the hills. We hadn't heard of this area before moving here, and only just found out some information about it last fall - so it became part of the "list".

The countryside from San Marcello

Le Marche is full of tiny, quaint, walled-in villages. The towns are within close proximity to each other, reachable by long and narrow roads through vineyards and plains. They are some of the best preserved ancient towns in Italy and retain a quiet atmosphere that is void of shops, restaurants, and markets. Throughout the weekend we drove to towns such as Ostia, Ostia Vetere, Belvedere Ostrense, and Corinaldo. Each town boasted sweeping views of the region as we walked along their defensive walls and narrow alleyways.

Through the streets of Ostia.

In Belvedere Ostrense

Corinaldo

We were fortunate to have our friends Evan and Melana fly in from the States and meet us at the agriturismo in San Marcello. Along with exploring the towns together, we snacked on breads, cheeses, prosciutto, tomatoes, and eggplant, as well as taking part in a wine tasting held by the owners of our agriturismo.

Prosciutto, salami, a variety of cheeses, and homemade jam at the wine tasting. 

The four of us in Corinaldo.

This is definitely a nice weekend getaway if you're looking to relax and not have a lot on the agenda. In the summer months one can sit by the pool while drinking a glass of wine and just gaze out onto the countryside. We found it to be perfect for what we were looking for that weekend - quiet relaxation.