The welcoming heart of the Apennines: the 9 municipalities of the Alte Marche

Following the route of the Candigliano river, almost by magic, you find yourself inside a spectacular environmental site, which history and literature have traversed over the centuries, as materially witnessed by the Roman gallery carved into the rock at the end of the 70s AD, the Gola del Furlo.

Along the route of the Roman Via Flaminia, which is still today dotted with evocative views, between imposing rocky walls carved by the river, following visible geological traces you will find yourself in a real natural treasure chest – today, a State Nature Reserve – which contains a stunning flora and fauna heritage, celebrated by the flight of the eagles that nest here.

In the central square of Acqualagna, you can access the truffle route: from the Museum, to the visit to the farm, to the tasting in local restaurants, you can enjoy a full immersion of sight, smell and taste.

Apecchio, which overlooks the Marche and Umbria regions, covers an area nestled between expanses of woods, meadows and springs.

Paths and routes cross the territory with enchanting panoramas, for those who love to be immersed in nature. Once a meeting place for all civilisations, there are still traces of Umbrian, Etruscan, Roman and Celtic settlements, up to those of the Ubaldini counts who ruled this land from the fifteenth century to 1752.

The land of truffles and headquarters of the Associazione Nazionale Città della Birra (National Association of Beer Cities), here is where Alogastronomy was born, which through local catering expertly combines traditional cuisine, the intense taste of truffles and excellent beer.

Of ancient origins, Cale, the Roman Cagli, developed between the peaks of Catria and Nero and the rivers of Bosso and Burano, along the consular Flaminia, maintaining a strategic territorial control, which would continue, in alternating phases, until the privileged relationship with the Duchy of Montefeltro.

The Renaissance spirit can be found everywhere, and the greatest expression of it can be found in the fortified architecture of Francesco di Giorgio Martini. From the splendid 15th-century tower – where the Centro di Scultura Contemporanea (Centre for Contemporary Sculpture) is now located – to the fresco of Giovanni Santi, Raphael's father, kept in the church of San Domenico, the traces of a glorious Renaissance are still visible today.

The natural context is of considerable interest because of its landscape, which can be discovered through a whole network of paths and routes immersed in the greenery of the central Apennines, which can be travelled on foot, by bike and on horseback. Among these prestigious sites of natural beauty, we recommend a visit to the Bosco di Tecchie nature reserve, a unique and particularly precious environment that is a rare example of a perfectly intact wooded area that has not been influenced by the presence of humans. Today, the parts of the historic urban structure of Cantiano that remain are the Romanesque church of Sant'Agostino, the Via Flaminia Archaeological museum, with numerous finds related to the ancient consular road, and the archaeological area of Ponte Grosso sul Burano and Pontericcioli. Recently inaugurated, the Museo della Turba traces the history of a community that has handed down the tradition of Good Friday for centuries.

The Municipality of Frontone, located on the border with the Provinces of Ancona and Perugia, at the foot of the Catria Massif, is an ideal area for walking and hiking along nature trails and for mountain sports such as skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding and downhill skiing. The Della Porta Castle is a border fortification guarding the territory that the Romans crossed to reach the Adriatic, used as the fortress of the Duchy of Montefeltro between the 15th and 16th centuries. It is situated in unique scenery, from the top of which you can see from Monte Nerone to San Marino and the Adriatic. It is now possible to visit the Castle, which often hosts cultural events, especially in the summer season, as well as the well-known Christmas market between November and December.

Serra Sant'Abbondio was built on the left side of the upper Cesano Valley, close to Monte Catria (1,701 m), of ancient origin with some archaeological evidence of the passage of the Celts, Piceni and Romans. The heart of the community is the Camaldolese Monastery of Santa Croce di Fonte Avellana, which is still a very active spiritual and cultural place today. The development of Fonte Avellana began thanks to San Pier Damiani, whose strong personality was responsible not only for the construction of the original nucleus but above all for the spiritual, cultural and organisational drive that made the hermitage a centre of attraction promoting monastic life, which had a huge influence on religious reform and social life. Thanks to this exceptional figure, who was a monk and man of the church, Avellanite and Camaldolese monasticism has been able to present itself as a fulcrum of Christianity and spirituality throughout its centuries-old history.

Arcevia is one of the most important centres of the Ancona hinterland in terms of its history and its natural and cultural heritage. Built on the slopes of Monte Cischiano in a unique panoramic position, dominating the entire Misa Valley to the Adriatic coast to the east and the Umbrian-Marche Apennine ridge to the west, Arcevia blends in perfectly with the surrounding hilly landscape. Immersed in greenery and in contact with nature, in addition to the historic centre, there are nine castles that still remain today as small, charming districts to visit. Part of the territory is included in the Natural Regional Park of Gola della Rossa and Frasassi and boasts a past rich in pre-existing archaeological structures and a historical cultural heritage with works by artists such as Luca Signorelli, Giovanni and Mattia Della Robbia and Ercole Ramazzani, as well as monumental palaces such as the Palazzo dei Priori.

The city of Sassoferrato as we know it today, with the "Castello" district and the "Borgo" district, did not exist in Roman times. The prosperous city of Sentinum once stood on a plain at its entrance. Its archaeological remains, which can be seen in the Park and in the Civic Museum, date from the first century BCE to the 4th and 5th centuries CE. Sentinum was the site of the famous Battle of the Nations, where the Romans and the Italic and Celtic populations clashed in 295 BCE. The symbol of the city is the Rocca di Albornoz, a massive military construction built in the fourteenth century by Cardinal Egidio de Albornoz. Among the numerous churches to visit, the abbey of Santa Croce stands out. It is a splendid example of Romanesque architecture dating back to the 12th century and built with materials from nearby Sentinum. In Cabernardi, a hamlet not far from Sassoferrato, you can visit the Archaeological Mining Park and the Museum of the Sulphur Mine, testifying to the presence of a sulphur extraction mine that, between 1800 and 1900, was the economic cornerstone of the territory and beyond.