The journey in brief

After a day spent exploring the verdant countryside, Gorge of Rossa and Frasassi caves, take a well-deserved break at the San Vittore Spa Center. Continue on to the hamlets of Cingoli and San Severino delle Marche, the Abbadia di Fiastra nature reserve and Leopardi’s Recanati.

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An ideal itinerary for travelers seeking unique outdoor excursions, this tour of the Marche region includes a visit to Italy’s most dramatic caves and grottoes, plus hamlets with jaw-dropping views.

Day 1 – The Frasassi caves and the park

The first day begins in Genga, a town in Gola della Rossa and Frasassi Regional Nature Park. This protected area is considered the green heart of the Marche region, a pre-Apennine environment rich in woodland and beautiful scenery. Over time, erosion caused by water running between the karst rocks has created caves, gorges and underground chambers, the natural habitat of several species of rare plants and animals.

The Frasassi caves are the park’s most famous attraction. Just past the entrance, you’ll drive through an incredible gorge of towering vertical walls on either side of the road. The ticket office and parking area is located just a bit further into the valley. The caves are accessible only on foot and the average temperature is 14°C, so a sweatshirt is recommended even during summer as well as comfortable shoes. 

The cave tour is suitable for all ages and abilities, and lasts a little over an hour. It starts from Abisso Ancona, the first abyss discovered in 1971, striking both for its formations and impressive size. You will then walk through a network of passages and caverns with curious names like 200 Hall, Grand Canyon, Ursa’s Hall and the Neverending Hall. The underground chambers are filled with peculiar-shaped stalactites and stalagmites, some which also have their own nicknames (look out for Witch Castle, Obelisk, Niagara Falls, the Giants and the Organ Pipes!).

For those who love caving, there are two routes to explore. The blue path and red path start where the tour ends and offer varying levels of difficulty through the tunnels and narrow passageways.

A short distance from the caves is the San Vittore Spa Center. Its sulphur springs are reputed to help people suffering from respiratory conditions as well as rheumatism. If you’re looking for a restorative experience, this is a great place to stop!

Near the spa complex is the San Vittore delle Chiuse Abbey. A Benedictine monastery from the Romanesque era, its impressive travertine design features Byzantine influences. Next to the convent is the Speleo-paleontological and Archaeological Museum. Admission to the museum is included in the Frasassi caves’ ticket price, and inside you can see a range of interesting fossil exhibits, including Genga’s own ichthyosaur.

Day 2 – From Cingoli to San Severino Marche

Cingoli is known as the “Balcony of the Marche” thanks to its incredibly scenic position. Perched on Mount Circe at 630 meters in altitude, it overlooks the valleys of the Musone River and Potenza. Small and beautifully preserved, the stone hamlet is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll around the narrow cobbled streets boasting remarkable panoramic views.

Start your tour from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele where you’ll find the striking cathedral dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and town hall which houses the State Archaeology Museum. There are several streets leading off the square: Via del Podestà brings you to Palazzo Conti and the Santo Spirito Church; Via Foltrani has some lovely Renaissance palazzos; and Via Maggiore and Corso Garibaldi are home to noble palaces and an art gallery.

Make sure you stay in Cingoli for a bite to eat. The town is known for its excellent tagliatelle with wild boar ragù, parmigiana made with cardoons (locally known as gobbi), and vincisgrassi, a baked sheet pasta dish typical of the Macerata region featuring extra virgin olive oil produced in Troviggiano.

Just outside the town’s medieval walls, you’ll find the Collegiate Church of Sant’Esuperanzio, a sacred building dedicated to one of its two patron saints and home to an elaborate Romanesque portal.

The tour continues along the scenic SP502 motorway which winds southward through the valley just over 20 kilometers to San Severino Marche. The hamlet boasts a historical piazza at its center, and the oval-shaped Piazza del Popolo dates back to the XIII century when the area was a trading outpost. The porticos and elegant eighteenth-century palazzos make this part of town particularly charming. Take time to admire the town hall and several noble residences, such as Palazzo Caccialupi and Palazzo Servanzi-Collio, with their ashlar masonry facades.

Near the Santa Maria della Pieve church along the SS361 motorway, you’ll find the archaeological remains of the Roman city of Septempeda. Remnants of the walls can still be seen, along with large tuff towers, a spa building with a swimming pool, and an artisan’s workshop where vases were produced.

Day 3 – From Abbadia di Fiastra to Recanati

Continue the scenic drive through the hills and farms to Abbadia di Fiastra Nature Reserve. Created in 1984, the protected area surrounds the Chiaravalle di Fiastra Abbey. In that same year, the Cistercian monks returned to live at the abbey which had stood unused for 361 years.

The reserve spreads over 1,850 hectares and offers seven different trails to be explored on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. These are circular trails - some short and other slightly more challenging - that pass through the La Selva nature trail, the Fiastra River and an old hunting reserve where you can discover a variety of wild animals.

The Chiaravalle di Fiastra Abbey, one of the best preserved Cistercian complexes in Italy, was founded by monks from the abbey of the same name in Milan, and was once an important religious, civil and financial center. The stunning complex includes a church dedicated to Santa Maria Annunziata, a square-shaped monastery with a large cloister, and an onsite shop where visitors can purchase honey, jams, olive oil and liqueurs produced by the Cistercian monks.

To top off your visit, stop at the Museum of Wine to see the collection of grape harvesting and processing equipment, and check out the Archaeology Collection and Museum of Rural Life, which showcases agricultural tools used by the monks over centuries. 

Continue on to Recanati around 30 kilometers away, a town which looks over the lush green Marche hills stretching almost from coast to coast. This was the birthplace of the poet Leopardi, and every corner of the city pays tribute to him. At Piazza del Municipio you can sign up for the Giacomo Leopardi Literary Park tour. It passes through sites linked to the poet’s work, such as Colle dell’Infinito (Infinity Hill) on top of Monte Tabor where he composed his most famous poem at age 21; the Torre del Passero Solitario, a tower in the Sant'Agostino cloister; and the Piazza del Sabato del Villaggio.

The town also offers interesting architecture and culture, such as the Pinacoteca Comunale, an art gallery split into five sections (from archaeology to modern art), and a cathedral dedicated to San Flaviano which features an elaborate coffered ceiling and fourteenth-century frescos in its crypt.