This route satisfies various expectations: from the sunny beaches of the Riviera, to the unique DWPRVSKHUH which you breathe in Recanati and in other places, full of artistic heritage. 3RUWR 5HFDQDWL, which comes from the time of Frederick II as the port of Recanati (only a short distance from the place where the Roman colony 3RWHQWLD was), is an ancient fishing village which was founded around the fifteenth century 6ZDELDQ &DVWOH in which the 7RZQ $UW *DOOHU\ is held. Still today, the town keeps its characteristics and environments of the past, which you can find walking along its streets, accompanied by the smell of the sea. Continue towards 5HFDQDWL, the birthplace of Giacomo Leopardi, for a route through the places dear to this poet’s heart: the piazza and the monument dedicated to him, the memorabilia kept in the 7RZQ +DOO, the small piazza of 6DEDWR GHO 9 LOODJJLR and the tower of the 3DVVHUR 6ROLWDULR. /HRSDUGL 3DODFH, the birth-house of the poet and the adjoining 1DWLRQDO &HQWUH IRU WKH /HRSDU GLDQ VWXG\ bring you to the &ROOH GHOO¶,QILQLWR where the first verse of the famous idyll: ³DOZD\V GHDU WR PH ZDV WKLV ORQHO\ KLOO´ is sculpted. The 7RZQ 0XVHXP, to be found in 9LOOD &ROORUHGR 0HOV is worth visiting, as it boasts considerable works including four important paintings by Lorenzo Lotto. There are a further two museums which stand out: the ³%HQLDPLQR *LJOL´ 0XVHXP which is held within the 7RZQ +DOO and houses photographs, personal items, testimonials and scene costumes belonging to the famous singer, and the 'LRFHVDQ 0XVHXP within the Bishop’s Residence. Take road SS 361, and cross 9LOOD 3RWHQ]D, with the WKHDWUH ruins of the Roman city of +HOYLD 5uFLQD, and you arrive in 0DFHUDWD, founded on hills in order to escape the incursions of the barbarians. This town is full, above all, of Renaissance, Baroque and eighteenth century art. Amongst its most representative monuments, you are reminded of the $UHQD 6IHULVWHULR by Ireneo Aleandri, a splendid example of neo-classical architecture and home to an important Summer /\ULFDO 6HDVRQ . The ancient walls which, almost intact, rise above the panoramic ring of roads and enclose the old town. Piazza della Libertà with the 7KH 0HU FKDQWV¶ 0HHWLQJ 3ODFH, the &ORFN 7 RZHU, the Town Hall, the Palace of Prefec the Prefecture, the eighteen century eighteenth / D X UR 5 R V V L 7 K H D W UH , t h e numerous mu museums, the WK r i c h Province ooff F H Q W X U \ Macerata
,WDOLDQ &ROOHFWLRQ in 5LFFL 3DODFH and the ancient 8QLYHUVLW\ make Macerata a cultural reference point. Well worth seeing are the eighteenth century Buonaccorsi Palace, the 6DQFWXDU\ RI WKH 0DGRQQD GHOOD 0LVHULFRU GLD, Consalvi Palace, 0R]]L 3DODFH, known as that of the Diamonds, the Collegiate Church of S. Giovanni and the ex College of the Jesuits, home to the 7RZQ 0XVHXP , the $UW *DOOHU\ , the &KDULRW 0XVHXP and the 7RZQ /LEUDU\ (with more than 350,000 books). Continue South and take road SS 485 to reach the &KXUFK RI 6DQ &ODXGLR DO &KLHQWL , whose unique structure of two superimposed environments with a narrow façade between two cylindrical, angular towers, dates back to the end of the 11th century. After a few kilometres, on a hill, 0RQWH 6DQ *LXVWR emerges, a well known shoe centre with beautiful historical places of interests including %RQDIHGH 3DODFH with fresco paintings by Aspertini and the &ROOHFWLRQ RI 'UDZLQJ E\ $QFLHQW 0DHVWUL, and the &KXUFK RI 6 0DULD LQ 7HOXVLDQR which holds the famous &UXFLIL[LRQ, a masterpiece by Lorenzo Lotto and the only painting to be kept in its original place. Continuing on towards the coast, you should not forget to see the splendid Romanesque building of 6 0DULD D 3Lq GL &KLHQWL (in 0RQWHFRVDUR 6FDOR) with its evocative internal structure, of two overlying floors with ambulatory and radial apses. You then arrive in &LYLWDQRYD 0DU FKH, famous for the production of shoes, as well as being an equipped seaside resort with long beaches and plenty of hotels. Every year, at the end of July, there is the &LYLWDQRYD 'DQ]D, an interesting meeting with the most well-known artists world-wide. Historically more important, is the town of &LYLWDQRYD $OWD , the birth place of Annibal Caro. This is characterised by a surrounding wall with towers, bulwarks, two gates, beautiful noble palaces (including &HVDULQL 3DODFH), churches and the rich ³0 0RU HWWL´ 0RGHUQ $UW *DOOHU\. Shortly afterwards, you reach 3RUWR 3RWHQ]D 3LFHQD, a pretty summer tourist resort, and you should continue in the direction of 3RWHQ]D 3LFHQD, which is noted for the working of damasks and silk brocades by the nuns of the Istituto dell’Addolorata and for the traditional festival of the *UDSSROR G¶2UR (in September). In the surrounding area, it is worth making a deviation to see the renaissance %RQDFFRUVL 9LOOD, a splendid example of an Italian style garden, and 0RQWHOXSRQH, a mediaeval town that retains the walls, watchtowers, gates and defence systems.
1 PORTO RECANATI 2 RECANATI 3 MACERATA 4 MONTE SAN GIUSTO 5 CIVITANOVA MARCHE 6 PORTO POTENZA PICENA 7 POTENZA PICENA 8 MONTELUPONE