Location description from owner

The Marche region

Le Marche has been described as "All of Italy within one province". One of the 3 central Italian provinces of Tuscany, Umbria and Le Marche, Le Marche shares many of their features and yet is relatively undiscovered and unspoilt. It is a beautiful and friendly region bordered by the ribbon of the Sibillini Mountains to the West and the sparkling Adriatic and its sandy beaches to the East - each within a 40 min drive from Casa Roberta. In between, is an undulating rural landscape scattered with walled medieval villages and towns perched on virtually every hill top or nestled deep within the rolling farmlands. Unique towns and villages include the UNESCO heritage city of Urbino, Macerata with its renowned open air opera amphitheatre and high class shopping, resort towns like Sirolo and Senigallia and pretty Ascoli Piceno to the South with its gorgeous piazza, local wines and produce.
The local people - Marchigiani - remain closely linked to their land or the sea: life revolves around family and the communities of farmers, fishermen and craftsmen. Local festivals abound and it is rare for 2 weeks to pass without a village gathering of some sort in the vicinity. Le Marche offers Tuscany's attractions in a less frenetic form - Marche's soft olive greens, stunning mountains and ancient towns are all accessible at a slow pace and without the incessant crowds.

Colmurano

Casa Roberta nestles half way between the Monti Sibillini National Park, with its hiking trails, wildflowers and beautiful lake Fiastra complete with sandy beaches and pedalos, and the Adriatic resort towns, with miles of beaches and beachfront fresh fish restaurants. All of this is within a 40 minute drive.

No less than 5 'orange flag' villages are within 20 minutes drive from the house, with Urbisaglia being less than 10 mins away along local 'blanco' (unsealed) roads - here you will find our 'local cafe' and can enjoy the very Italian pastime of simply watching the world go by from the piazza tables, watched over yourself by the magnificent 14th Century fortress! The 'orange flag' seal of tourism and environmental quality is granted by the Touring Club Italiano only to a select few small inland towns which have historical, cultural and environmental merit and are distinguished for offering tourists a quality welcome.

Local attractions include Roman remains near Urbisaglia (amphitheatre, water cistern and a theatre), Fiastra Abbey (a great Cistercian abbey with a beautiful cloister situated in a nature reserve designated by the World Wildlife Fund), a scenic, winding drive into the Sibillini mountain ski fields via the walled town of Sarnarno (with its lovely antique shops and vibrant market) or wandering the lane ways and cobbled streets of San Ginesio and marvelling at the views from its unassailable hilltop position.

Further afield, day trips can take in Gubbio with its two person uncovered cable car (not for the fainthearted but a great hit with kids and delivering a birds eye view of the patchwork red rooftops and further afield for the adults), Urbino for great Italian art and architecture including the Renaissance ducal palace, St Francis's Assisi and, for the car-obssessed, the Ferrari or Lamborghini factories and museums in Bologna and Marinello.

On a practical level, the local hamlet of Paterno has a village shop for basic needs but Tolentino (15 minutes) supplies a large, modern supermarket with easy parking, free wifi and great pizza for lunches!