Upstaging Umbria: rugged and seductive Le Marche
09.04.2024 - 12:45
/ theguardian.com
We are lounging on the terrace of Lapis Turris, a medieval watchtower high in the Sibillini mountains, taking it in turns to name films that remind us of the extraordinary landscape that wraps itself around us. Game of Thrones? Skull Island in King Kong? Tolkien’s Rivendell? It’s difficult to pick; this stunning, empty wilderness is Italy’s answer to all three.
Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, in Le Marche’s mountainous southwest, is full of dense wooded hills, craggy peaks and lush green valleys. It is far wilder – and less populated – than neighbouring Tuscany and Umbria. You can go for days here before you spot anyone, let alone a tourist. It’s also a paradise for hikers and serious mountain bikers – with 10 peaks over 2,000m. Le Marche’s capital is Ancona – four hours from Rome by train.
Once you tire of the hills, the pretty beach towns on the Adriatic are perfect for a day trip – around a 90-minute drive to the coast. If all that isn’t seductive enough, there’s the cost – or relative lack of it. It’s one of the few places where you find yourself querying the bill for the novel fear you’ve been undercharged. An Aperol spritz in any of the local bars costs about €4 and pizzas are likely to be no more than €6.
Our closest town is Amandola, with ancient winding streets that lead on to Piazza Risorgimento, the old main square. Lined with bars and cafés, it’s the ideal stop for an aperitivo and is well stocked for food, with two supermarkets close by. We’re spoilt for choice with another picturesque local gem, the village of Montefortino. Perched on a neighbouring hill, it looks as if it’s been chiselled from marble. At sunset it gleams pink.
We visit on the second day and it doesn’t disappoint. A steep climb through the village leads us to a stunning panorama at the top with the Sibillini peaks laid out before us. It is eerily empty, though, as we are the only ones here to enjoy the view – except for the swallows. We retrace our steps to the foot of the village and stop at the Blu Bar Caffè, a pizzeria that is reassuringly lively and crowded. Locals queue for the delicious appetisers – stuzzichini – slices of pizza bianco, bruschetta and crostini. For about €5 each, we order plate after plate, washed down with beer, spritz and affogato to finish.
The real draw of this area are the contrasts and surprises. The mountain scenery may be spectacular, but there is also a sandy coastline to explore. We head for Sirolo, a pretty seaside town popular with Italian holidaymakers. It’s easy to see why it’s known as “the pearl of the Adriatic”, with its creamy pastel houses and turquoise shutters, and the piazza overlooking an azure sea.
The small town slopes gently towards the beach, which we reach through a