Marche is a series of mountain chains running strictly parallel from the high Apennines to the Adriatic Sea. This part of your road trip will follow stunning limestone gorges with Renaissance hilltop cities. The roads move from the Adriatic coastal highway to twisting mountain passes. Inland, you must visit Urbino. It's a perfect example of a Renaissance city. On the coast, the Conero Promontory have spectacular cliffs and hidden coves that break the otherwise flat Adriatic shoreline. Marche’s cuisine reflects its local nature: robust mountain recipes and fresh Adriatic seafood. The region is known for artisanal crafts, including fine paper making, high quality leather goods and excellent white wines like Verdicchio. Visit Marche for quality craftsmanship and cultural depth. This region will provide unforgettable memories of Italy’s Adriatic coast.

Marche highlights

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Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route

The Heritage Drive

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History of Marche

The Via Flaminia route was used to provide logistics from the Adriatic coast directly to Rome. After the fall of the Roman empire, the region fragmented. The northern coastal strip was ruled by the Byzantine Empire and known as the Pentapolis. Meanwhile, the city of Ancona grew into a powerful, independent Maritime Republic, trading heavily with the East. The Renaissance era brought unparalleled cultural power to the hilltop city of Urbino . Under the refinement of the Montefeltro family, Urbino became an ideal city and a major center for arts and humanism. The entire region was gradually absorbed into the territories controlled by the Papal States, leading to centuries of centralized, quiet administration. This long era of Papal administration largely froze the region in time, preserving its historical charm and rural character. The major cultural and spiritual center of the region became the Sanctuary of Loreto, a huge pilgrimage site. Upon Italian unification in the 1860s, Marche finally became part of the new kingdom. When you visit this region, you'll witness the legacy of high Renaissance culture that once served as the Papal State’s backyard.

Marche

Marche highlights

Part of these road trips

History of Marche

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