Listen to “274. Sea, soul and sunshine: An Adriatic adventure in Le Marche” on Spreaker.
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Discover Le Marche, one of Italy’s most overlooked gems. This stunning region, nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines, offers medieval hill towns, pristine beaches, and unforgettable food. Get insider tips on what to see, where to eat, and why now is the perfect time to plan your trip off the beaten tourist path.
Summary
We welcome back Untold Italy favorite Corinna Cooke, the best-selling author the Glam Italia! How to Travel Italy series. She also runs boutique group tours for women in Italy and spends much of her year there. Always eager to explore new corners of the country, Corinna recently explored Le Marche and came away completely enchanted. In this episode, she shares her experiences, travel tips, and all the reasons this lesser-known region deserves a spot on your Italian itinerary.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- Why it’s important not to wait for the “perfect time” to travel, and how life’s unpredictability makes now the best time
- Why stepping away from Italy’s tourist hotspots leads to more meaningful and relaxed travel experiences
- Le Marche is located between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines and is easily accessible by car from Rome or Florence
- Le Marche focuses on quality tourism over quantity, and what that means for your experience
- What makes Ascoli Piceno a standout town, with its travertine architecture, piazzas, and rich history
- Visit Caffe Meletti for Anisetta liqueur, art deco charm, and a connection to Ernest Hemingway and Sartre
- Be wowed by the ornate Teatro Ventidio Basso in Ascoli features stunning interiors and a rich cultural history
- Explore the coast just 15 minutes from Ascoli and other inland towns, including the Palm Tree Riviera and charming beach towns like Grottammare
- The Riviera del Conero offers dramatic scenery and beach clubs, as well as hidden coves and scenic boat trips
- Bike along the scenic seafront promenades of San Benedetto del Tronto, perfect for slow travel and people-watching
- The hospitality and warmth of the locals create a welcoming, memorable travel experience
- Le Marche is similar to another unsung region – Umbria, with a more local feel and fewer foreign tourists
- You can find beautiful, affordable accommodation, like staying in a castle apartment by the sea
- Renting a car can open up the region and means flexible and enjoyable travel
- Which local dishes you shouldn’t miss, including Olive all’Ascolana, Moscioli, Crescia, and more
- Local wines to try, including Verdicchio, Pecorino, Rosso Conero, and even a sparkling red
- Combining Le Marche with nearby regions like Abruzzo or Puglia makes for a unique Italian itinerary
Timeline Overview
- 10:39 It’s best to have a car in Le Marche, but easy to drive. Get some useful tips for renting a car in Italy
- 13:50 Discovering the ancient Travertine legacy of Ascoli Piceno
- 17:42 Highlights from Ascoli’s historic piazzas, including the unique Anisetta liqueur
- 24:12 exploring a hidden gem along the so-called “palm tree riviera”
- 28:20 Fantastic beach club on the Le Marche coast, full of Blue Flag beaches
- 41:39 Sampling some of the most iconic street foods in Le Marche
- 45:16 Tasting incredible white wines from the Le Marche region
- 49:16 The joy of exploring Italy’s lesser-known travel destinations
- 52:22 Being stunned by the beauty and charm of Le Marche
About our guest – Corinna Cooke
Author Corinna Cooke is a favorite guest on Untold Italy. Originally from New Zealand, she fell in love with Italy thanks to a high school art history teacher who introduced her to Italian Renaissance art. After moving to London and traveling throughout Europe, she couldn’t stop returning to her beloved Italy.
Now living in Phoenix in the United States, Corinna is a woman of many skills. She leads several Glam Italia small group tours to Italy each year and writes guidebooks of the same name exploring her favorite corners of beautiful Italia. Her “day job” used to be a make-up artist, but, these days her heart is always called to Italy where she lives part time. 101 Fabulous Things to do in Naples is her latest book full of fascinating stories, tips, and tricks on how to have a fabulous time in Napoli!
Follow Corinna here
Corinna’s books
Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned
Places
- Ancona – the main city of the Le Marche region
- Riviera del Conero – Riviera in Le Marche on the Adriatic Sea
- Urbino – city in Le Marche – a world heritage site, south west of Pesaro and where Raphael was born
- Ascoli Piceno – charming town in Le Marche, known as the Travertine City
- Piazza San Tommaso – piazza in Ascoli Piceno that has a slight ring shape due to being built over a Roman amphitheater
- Piazza Arringo – the largest piazza in Ascoli
- Piazza del Popolo – famous Renaissance square in Ascoli
- Palazzo dei Capitani del Popolo – 13th-century palace built over Roman ruins
- Caffe Meletti – one of the most iconic, art deco cafes in Italy, found in Ascoli
- San Benedetto del Tronto – city on the coast of Le Marche, known as the Palm Tree Riviera
- Grottammare – town on the Le Marche cost, one of the I Borghi più belli d’Italia – most beautiful villages in Italy
- Cupra Marittima – town built on the site of an ancient sanctuary of the Piceni people to worship the goddess Cupra, restored by Hadrian in 127 AD
- Monte Conero – mountain in Le Marche
- Numana and Sirolo – stunning coastal towns
- Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle – ‘Two Sisters’ beach – scenic white pebble beaches
- Loreto – hill town known for the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular pilgrimage site
- Varano – town with interesting Roman ruins
- Portonovo – charming town on the Le Marche coast
- Fiumicino – Rome’s main aiport
- Ciampino – Rome’s secondary airport
Food / Drink
- Anisetta – a rich, aniseed liquer invented in 1907 at Caffe Meletti in Ascoli
- Olive all’Ascolana – stuffed and fried olives, from Ascoli Piceno, dating back to around 1800
- moscioli – wild mussels of the Conero Riviera
- ciauscolo – local spreadable salami, often served on crostini
- prosciutto di carpegna – a PDO ham
- crescia – a thin Italian flatbread traditional to Le Marche
- Le Marche pizza – the pizza of the region has its regional differences – using local specialties like Fossa cheese, Fabriano salami, and Ciauscolo salami
- Vernaccia di Serrapetrona – DOCG sparkling red wine
- Rosso de Conero – full-bodied red wine
- Rosso Piceno – red wine with the largest DOC area within the Marche region
- Verdicchio – the famous white wine from the region with two DOCs – Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica.
- Passerina – white wine from the Marche hills of Offida
- Pecorino – white wine with a more Chardonnay style
- Vermentino, Fiano, Falanghina – white wines from other regions
- Sancerre – French white wine
Words / Concepts
- Corinna’s Presets – Lightroom presets to edit your photos with. For mobile and desktop
- travertine – a limestone found in Italy and used in building in towns such as Ascoli Piceno
- Piceni – an ancient people from central Italy from between the 9th and 3rd century BC
- Brunelleschi – the architect and genius behind the dome of the Cathedral of Florence
- belvedere – translates directly to “beautiful view”
- cuga – the nickname for the train that runs along the Le Marche coast
- superstrada – a type of road in Italy which is high-capacity and usually has divided lanes but not necessarily a freeway/motorway
Related content on Untold Italy
Podcasts
- Ep 016 – Visit Italy’s Le Marche region with local Chantelle Kern
- Ep 143 – 7 Delicious local dishes from Abruzzo
- Ep 063 – Amazing Abruzzo – from Coast to Mountain Peaks
- Ep 255 – Beyond Pizza – Unforgettable Naples and her many Treasures
- Ep 234 – Savor Italy – Important tips for mindful travel
- Ep 216 – 10 reasons we love Umbria
- Ep 207 – How to find the perfect stay for your Italy trip
- Ep 188 – How to enjoy the incomparable Italian coast
- Ep 150 – What to wear in Italy
- Ep 132 – Why you need to spend at least 3 days in Venice
- Ep 116 – Extend your Italy trip budget with these travel hacks
- Ep 104 – Experiences to include in your dream trip to Italy
- Ep 081 – Packing for Italy
- Ep 053 – Planning the perfect Italy itinerary
- Ep 049 – Exploring Florence
Articles
- Truffles in Italy: A guide for food lovers
- Hidden gems in Italy – off the beaten path from North to South
- 20 Most Beautiful Italian Cities and Towns
- Visiting Italy in June
- Italy in July – Reasons to Visit and What to Expect
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