Why Does Ascoli Piceno Look Carved Entirely from the Same Stone?
Travertine unites squares, churches, towers and palaces in a strikingly harmonious urban landscape.
Archive of Marche stories
Page 3 of 4. Articles and insights to read before setting off.
In Ascoli, the Quintana still turns the city into six rival worlds
Districts, knights and historical parades make the Quintana one of Le Marche's most distinctive historical re-enactments.
In Ripatransone, a lane just a few centimetres wide has become famous
A narrow passage in the historic centre is presented as one of Italy's narrowest streets and has become one of the village's most photographed curiosities.
Sixtus V rose from a poor family in Piceno to the papal throne
Felice Peretti, linked to Grottammare and Montalto, became pope in 1585 and left an enormous mark on Rome and his homeland.
Acquaviva’s fortress guarded the border between the hills and the Adriatic
The fortress overlooks the village, telling a story of centuries of conflict, territorial control and military architecture in Piceno.
San Benedetto del Tronto grew around nets, fishing boats and fishing families
Before beach tourism, the sea meant work above all. Net makers, shipyards and ocean fishing shaped the city’s modern identity.
A masterpiece by Carlo Crivelli survives in a small Piceno village
Montefiore dell’Aso preserves the surviving parts of a large polyptych by the Venetian master who made Le Marche his adopted home.
The Novilara stele tells of a battle 2,700 years ago
Ships, warriors and a scene carved into sandstone: near Pesaro, one of pre-Roman Italy’s most enigmatic images came to light.
Fano, 2026: the basilica described by Vitruvius is found
From the search for a lost building to the official January 2026 announcement: the Piazza Andrea Costa discovery changes the story of Roman Fano.
In 1946, gilded Roman horsemen emerged from the ground in Pergola
Two horses, two riders and two female figures: Pergola's Gilded Bronzes are a unique Roman statuary group and one of Le Marche's most spectacular archaeological discoveries.
Rossini was born on 29 February: Pesaro's genius, whose birthday came every four years
Born in Pesaro in 1792, Gioachino Rossini conquered European theatres at a very young age. His birth date is a curiosity in itself: 29 February.
In Camerano, they say the town is bigger underground than above it
Tunnels, circular rooms, columns, religious symbols and spaces carved into sandstone: beneath this Conero village lies a parallel city.
Why is Corinaldo called the village of madmen? A well full of polenta has something to do with it
A village legend, a sack of flour dropped into a well and dozens of tales turned an old joke about the people of Corinaldo into an identity celebrated with pride.
Porto San Giorgio’s fortress was built by a future Doge of Venice
In 1267, Lorenzo Tiepolo had the fortress built that still overlooks Porto San Giorgio. A few years later he would become Doge of Venice.
Offida's lace reached the London catwalk, worn by Naomi Campbell
A tradition documented for centuries met haute couture in 1997: Offida’s museum preserves a dress worn by Naomi Campbell.
Before Rome, the Piceni lived in Le Marche
Warriors, burial grounds, Adriatic trade and a culture whose traces stretch from the Foglia to the Tronto: a journey into the earliest origins of the Marche.
Beneath Fermo lies a city you cannot see
Thirty Roman chambers hidden below the historic centre: the great cisterns reveal Firmum Picenum's sophistication two thousand years ago.
Three inventions from Fabriano changed the history of paper
Watermarks, animal-gelatine sizing and hammer mills: in the Middle Ages, Fabriano turned an ancient material into a tool of the modern West.
From Chiaravalle to the world: the story of Maria Montessori
The woman who revolutionised thinking about education was born in the Marche. Her birthplace in Chiaravalle tells the story of a legacy that went global.
How Castelfidardo Became the City of the Accordion
In 1863, Paolo Soprani founded Italy's first accordion industry here. A workshop in the Marche grew into a district known around the world.
Macerata’s Temple of Opera Began as a Venue for an Almost Forgotten Sport
Before Aida and the Macerata Opera Festival, the Sferisterio was an arena for pallone col bracciale, circuses, parades and even bull hunts.
An olive all'ascolana is not simply a fried olive
Behind one of Le Marche's culinary symbols lies a specific variety, Ascolana Tenera, and a PDO with far stricter rules than many people imagine.
The Secret of the Frasassi Caves
Water, limestone and time: understanding Frasassi’s underground landscape and preparing a thoughtful visit.
Giacomo Leopardi and Recanati: the Colle dell'Infinito
From the hill that inspired 'L'Infinito' to the lanes of Leopardi's birthplace, a literary route weaving poetry with Le Marche's landscape.