Visit Marche - Tourism and travel tips for your vacation or weekend.

The Riviera delle Palme stretches the coast of Liguria, along the famous Italian Riviera region. The area is famed for its 70km long stretch of shoreline, offering a diverse variety of beautiful beaches waiting to be discovered.

The ideal destination for when you need to get away from it all, the Riviera delle Palme region offers plenty of local distractions and breathtaking scenery for the ultimate in relaxation. Explore the towns and villages of the Ligurian coast and sample local delicacies and seafood favorites, or explore sunken shipwrecks and offshore diving tours. The area is renowned for its shipwrecks and opportunities for the diving the enthusiast, with outcrops and small islands to explore by water.

The regions vast stretch of unspoilt coastline and stunning natural scenery makes it ideal for those looking to explore the area on foot. With flat terrain and more mountainous island stretches, there's hikes for walkers of all levels, and plenty of swim, surf and boating opportunity along the many coastal resort towns villages of the Riviera. Those looking to travel further afield will find the region easily accessible by road, with easy to follow routes to the nearby French Riviera and the Maritime Alps regions and beyond.

Marche is a region of two diverse parts: a long Adriatic coast, and an inland dominated by the foothills and peaks of the Appennine mountains. As you'd expect, this mari e monti landscape has had a strong influence on the food.

A local speciality all along the coast is brodetti, a rich fish stew served as a main course, usually with a slice of toasted bread in the bottom of the bowl. Up to 12 different kinds of seafood are present in a typical brodetto, although few cooks can agree on exactly which combination is correct.

The seafood theme continues with clams and mussels in the Pesaro area, which are considered to be among the best in Italy. Further inland, it is the pig that is the undisputed culinary king. The famous dish of porchetta was said to be invented here - a single suckling pig, boned and rolled with offal, herbs and garlic, and then spit-roasted as a centrepiece for the saint's day festivals of local villages.

The mountains also produce a wide range of cured pork products from salami to prosciutto. Other meat is eaten from time to time, including lamb, fowl and horse meat, often cooked with sweet spices such as cinnamon - unusual for Italy, and a clear hint of the influence of Greece over the sea.

Wild mushrooms are also a much-prized delicacy, often finding their way into stews with meat and wine as Cacciatora or hunter-style dishes. Olives and grapes are widespread, producing delicate oils and vibrant wines using Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Verdicchio grapes, of which Rosso Piceno and Verdicchio Castello di Jesi are perhaps the best known outside of the area.

The Riviera delle Palme stretches along the Italian coastline from Genoa to Alassio, taking in the towns of Savona and Albenga. There are also lots of small beaches, traditional villages and tiny harbours waiting to be discovered too.

Genoa is the largest town, and offers the widest choice of accommodation. The maze of narrow streets, al fresco cafes and Medieval architecture make Genoa a wonderful holiday destination. Savona is popular too and has a handful of decent hotels to book. The town has an elaborately detailed chapel, a fortress and a harbour to its name, plus a selection of fine restaurants and bars.

For history, Albenga is the town to visit - there are Roman, Medieval and Renaissance structures and some interesting museums to take in. The weather in the Riviera delle Palme is hot and dry during July and August with temperatures staying around 28 degrees C. The winters are mild and sunny with the mercury rarely dipping below 12 degrees C.

The area is served by Genoa airport, and a train from there links the towns. A coastal road reveals spectacular views as it follows the edge of the sea, but there is a quicker, more direct highway as well.

From the Apennine Mountains towards Italy's Adriatic Sea, Le Marche's renown precedes it.
Out-of-the-way relaxation, gorgeous countryside, long sun soaked beaches giving way to crystal blue waters stretching endlessly.

Slowly becoming known to visitors, Le Marche traditionally served knowledgeable frequent visitors expecting to avoid overpriced tourist traps. Historically, Le Marche dates back to Pre-Roman times; museums overflowing to capacity with ancient statues upto renaissance art, palaces, fortresses, castles, churches, quaint villages, river crossed mountains, and those ever present beaches.

Some say the best beaches only exist in the north, in the Parque Naturale del Monte San Bartolo, colloquially known as the Riviera of Hills, while the region's terrain seems flatter and more accessible southwards.

Resort-style living includes large hotel swimming pools and easy access to local beaches defining holidaying in Le Marche.
Including Gabicce Mare, Le Marche's northernmost seaside town, extending to San Benedetto del Tronto in the south, every resort should be considered a beachcombers paradise accompanying gorgeously breath taking Adriatic views and sunsets, golden miles of sand beaches, sun chairs under thatched umbrellas, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, kiting, and every family holiday staple, sandcastles, trenches, plus grinning children.
Most resort hotels organize inhouse family activities too; barbecues, beach volleyball, games, competitions, and moonlight discos.

Le Marche really should be considered a special place, far too long under-appreciated. Local restaurants cater to all tastes, offering traditional Italian fare of pizza and pasta, and seafood with mouth-watering Mediterranean salads. Renowned beaches showcasing fine dining include Pesaro, Ancona, Fano, Senigallia, Civitinova Marche, and Porto Recanati and each offers something family oriented.

Winding roads, mountain backdrops, golden sands, rolling surf, history, culture, and the Italian seaside dream await, greeting everyone equally, ensuring unforgettable memories within Le Marche.

Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini is in the Italian region of Umbria and Marche. The area is protected to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and the wildlife that lives here such as the peregrine, golden eagle and the wolf.

Tucked into the beautiful hillsides are fortified towns, medieval castles, traditional villages and stunning churches. There is also lot of unique history to discover in the area, such as the Abbey of Sant Eutizio which can be found in Preci - it developed into a major school for surgery in the 16th Century. Many monks, saints and pilgrims walked the Mont Sibillini paths and their influences can be seen everywhere.

Norcia is a popular town to visit due to its church dedicated to Saint Benedetto, the patron saint of Europe. There is also a pretty square and a choice of good places to eat. Most visitors to the national park spend time hiking. There are guided walking trips which last from a few hours up to eight days. In the winter it snows and cross-country skiers take full advantage of this weather. The spring is warm and pleasant, and the summer months can be hot with thundery showers.