Holiday homes in Marche/Abruzzo - private accommodation to rent

The Abruzzo region is a green haven, with one third of its territory nature reserve. There is a tradition of craftsmanship from this area – ceramics, wood, lace-making and gold-work all have a strong base here. An area of diversity traditionally, the Marches retain their name from the Middle Ages, when a march was a border province of the Holy Roman Empire. This region, between the Apennine Mountains and the Sea is green and lush, and hides some wonderful Renaissance towns. The entrance to the Marches is marked by the Rocca di Gradara, traditionally reputed to be the setting for the romance between Francesca and Paolo, two of the doomed souls described in Dante’s ‘Inferno’. The region boasts one of the few old hill towns left in Italy – Urbino, with its golden buildings set high on two peaks. The town remains very near to its original 16th century design by Duke Federico da Montefeltro, and the Ducal Palace is a fascinating piece of Renaissance architecture. The Apennine mountains stretch away to the south, with the Sibillini mountains providing the most awesome of sights – a national park with rare wildflowers and orchids and a population of wolves.