Welcome to Casa Torrevecchia

What a lovely smell of simmering you breathe in this town. Such country sunshine, such peace. On warm spring afternoons the churches smell of incense and, what with the glorious crowing of cocks and cackling of hens, one finds in these Marches towns the dust of days gone by.

Sky over the Cities, Vincenzo Cardarelli

Nestling on a hillside amongst the 'cespuglio', the typical woodland carpet laid over much of the central mountainous region of Italy, you will find Casa Torrevecchia. Located just 4 kilometres from the centre of Ascoli Piceno, the regional centre for the southernmost third of Le Marche, the house provides an ideal base to explore this lesser known area of Italy, a region that in the early Middle Ages marked the edge of the Holy Roman Empire ('march' meant border area).

Whether sampling 'brodetto', a superb fish soup to rival the 'bouillabaisse' of Marseille, in one of the fish restaurants of San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy's second largest  fishing port, or the limitless varieties of 'salume', made from jealously guarded recipes in every hilltop town, the culinary offerings of the region are equal to those from any of the better known provinces.

To work off all this fine fare, there are miles of beaches along the 'Palm Coast', offering swimming in the azure waters of the Adriatic. Or head inland for the many beautiful walks and rides available in the National Parks encompassing the Sibillini Mountains or the Gran Sasso Range in nearby northern Abruzzo. Explore the multitude of hill- top towns and villages, timing your visit to coincide with their own 'festa' or 'sagra', a  celebration of local produce to which everyone is welcome.  

Relax in the evening with a 'prosecco' in Piazza del Popolo in Ascoli Piceno, one of the most intimate squares in Central Italy. Watch the 'passeggiata' and you will realise why it is nicknamed 'Il Salotto' - 'The Lounge'.

Whatever you might imagine you want to do or see, whether it be ancient basilicas and churches boasting works by Titian, Crivelli and Alemanno, the open-air opera festival in Macerata or the riot of colours offered by the wild flowers of the 'piano de Castelluccio', high up in the Sibillini mountains, Le Marche can provide it for you.

Le Marche is not as well known a holiday destination as Tuscany, Piedmont or even Puglia. But it is hard to keep a secret these days.