The Marche Region is adjacent to the Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo and Lazio regions of Italy - in the east, it's coastline is lapped by the warm waters of the Adriatic Sea and in the west is protected by the Sibillini mountains, a part of the Apennine range.

The natural beauty of the Marche region extends from the Monte Sibillini mountain range in the Apennines which provides skiing in the winter and has an abundance of hiking trails to the Adriatic shore with it's resorts and fishing villages.

It's culture is closely related to it's neighbours, Tuscany and Umbria, and yet is quite distinctive - as yet unspoilt with varied cuisine of locally produced rural fare and fantastic seafood as one would expect from the Adriatic.

It is an area with renowned health spa's, local handicrafts still being produced in the same manner they were in the last century and many local fairs   particularly celebrating the new wine and the fungi and truffle season.

Our local village of Monte San Martino has a population of approximately 800 people and stands some 600 metres above sea level and is a village of great interest, standing in a good position precariously jutting out over the valley of the river Tenna.  In its churches are preserved wonderful artistic works by Carlo and Vittore Crivelli and Giovanni da Camerino dating back to the 15th. century - Prince Charles visited Monte San Martino to view the artwork and had lunch in the local restaurant in the piazza.

Whether it be in summer or winter the mountains of the Marche represent a goal for the hiker and lovers of winter sports alike.  Is teeming with ancient legends: legend has it that the Lago di Pilato is reddened by the blood of the devil, there is a pass known as Golla dell'Infernaccio (the gorge of hell) and a cave in which a soothsayer was supposed to have lived.  In addition to these legends, the Monte Sibillini National Park is the most beautiful part of the Apennine range that are, in places, Alpine in character and extend to forty kilometres (25 miles) in length from the Valley of the Fiastrone to Force Canapine with many peaks in excess of 2,000 metres in height.

The summit of the Bove mountain can be reached by the highest cable car in the Apennine range, rising to over 2,100 metres.

The best way of exploring the Sibillini is by foot with the most agreeable bases for touring being the numerous medieval towns and villages scattered around the foot of the mountains.

The Marche region includes a large number of water springs which, from time immemorial, has been drunk by visitors for their therapeutic value and these thermal centres have now been organised so that there are 2 for each of the 4 provinces of the Marches.

The nearest centres to our house in Monte San Martino are at:

Sarnano     -    Has one of the most important and well equipped baths resorts of the region, the St. James Spring , it is situated at the foot of the Sibillini mountain chain and is approximately 20 minutes drive from our house in Monte San Martino.

Tolentino     -    The St. Lucia Springs are situated on a hill some 2 kilometres from the town.

The Marche has no large industries, or those that it does have are scattered about the region, it is a region of crafts and cottage industries. One of the oldest crafts is the dressing of hides, the centre of which is at Tolentino and has led to the rise of  a number of leather industries, such as the manufacture of shoes and bags, in the areas around Macerata and Fermo.

The tradition of ceramics in the Marches goes back over centuries and the most important areas are around Pesaro (especially in the Metauro valley),   Ascoli and Appignano in Macerata province.  Wrought iron crafts can be found all over the region, copperware in Comunanza at Force, lace (particularly in Offida), wicker and bamboo (used in the making of mats, bags, hats and furniture) are all to be found in the Marches.

Local festivals include the chestnut festival in Monte San Martino, the truffle and fungi festival in Amandola and the flower festival in Servigliano.  In the summer at Fano there is a festival known as "Fano dei Cesari", where for a week people dress in Roman tunics, drive chariots and do battle with barbarians from Norway!

One of the best known wines of the region is Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and, in October in Cupramontana,  there is a festival to celebrate the grape harvest  Other events of some note at other times of the year are Verdicchio festo at Montecarotto in July, in the autumn the Verdicchio d'Oro festival at Staffolo and the wine fare at Offida celebrating the well known red wine "Rosso Picenoi Superiore".

However there are festivals in most towns and villages on a regular basis, either celebrating the harvest, the new wine, an historical event, a religious feast or a pagan feast!  You just have to keep your eyes and ears open!