Villa Vernaschi← Back to the websiteThe Experience · Le Marche
Le Marche is a region to be lived slowly. Within easy reach of the villa you’ll find vineyards and truffle woods, mountain trails and turquoise lakes, spectacular caves, medieval hill towns and the cliffs of the Conero Riviera. Here are some of our favourite ways to spend a day.
Approximate driving times from the villa.
The villa sits between three of the great wines of Le Marche: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Rosso Conero and the rare, perfumed Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. Family estates open their cellars for tours and tastings among the vines.
See the wineriesHead into the woods with a local truffle hunter and his dogs, then enjoy your finds shaved over fresh pasta. Le Marche is one of Italy’s great truffle regions.
Google MapsTaste peppery new olive oil at the mill in autumn, and browse weekly village markets for pecorino, ciauscolo salami and seasonal produce.
Google MapsThe mountain you see from the villa: beech woods, high meadows and a summit with views from the Apennines to the Adriatic. Trails for every level.
Google MapsLimestone gorges, hermitages clinging to the rock, waterfalls and marked trails through one of the wildest corners of Le Marche.
Google MapsLake Castreccioni, below the hilltop town of Cingoli, has turquoise water, canoe and pedal-boat hire, lakeside trails and mountain-bike routes through the woods.
Google MapsQuiet country lanes, the Esino valley cycle path and the “Villas and Vineyards” route around Jesi. E-bikes make the rolling hills easy for everyone.
Official websiteRide through the countryside and along the trails of the Conero park with local riding stables, from gentle hacks for beginners to longer outings.
Google MapsPaddle beneath the white cliffs of Monte Conero at sunrise, or take a boat to the beaches you can only reach by sea, including the famous Due Sorelle.
Google MapsOne of Europe’s most spectacular show caves: vast caverns, crystal-clear pools and stalactites lit like a cathedral underground.
Official websiteA small, perfect octagonal church built by Giuseppe Valadier inside a cave in the Frasassi gorge, beside the ancient hermitage of Santa Maria infra Saxa. A short uphill walk.
Google MapsA Romanesque abbey from the 11th century on the river bank, a few minutes from the caves.
Google MapsA labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town, with mysterious carvings and symbols. Guided visits only.
Google MapsElegant medieval walls, Renaissance palaces and the Pergolesi theatre in the birthplace of Emperor Frederick II.
Official websiteA hilltop town with a view that reaches all the way to the sea.
Google MapsHistoric Osimo, and nearby Castelfidardo, the world capital of the accordion, with its own museum.
Google MapsThe great basilica of the Holy House, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Europe.
Google MapsCorinaldo’s perfect ring of medieval walls, and Senigallia’s long sandy “velvet beach” on the Adriatic.
Google MapsOpera under the stars in the Sferisterio, a vast neoclassical open-air arena.
Official websiteThe Renaissance city of Raphael and the Ducal Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A perfect day trip.
Google MapsSirolo, Numana and Portonovo: white pebble coves, turquoise water and seafood restaurants on the beach.
Google MapsAll visits and tastings are by appointment. Tap a name to open the winery’s website or its location on Google Maps. We’ll be happy to suggest the right estates and help you book.
A few of our favourite tables between Filottrano, Polverigi, Agugliano, Jesi, the hills, Loreto and the Conero coast, from family trattorias to fine dining. Tap a name to open it on Google Maps. Booking is always recommended, especially at weekends and in summer.
Craft beers, gourmet burgers and grilled meats in a restored farmhouse, with garden tables facing the hills.
Country restaurant with a pool among the olive trees; generous Marche starters and goose, their speciality.
Hearty regional meat dishes and Rosso Conero, with tables outdoors in the countryside.
A quirky bistro full of vinyl records and good music, for a relaxed evening.
Traditional Marche cooking in a historic villa set in its own park; generous portions.
A village-square osteria whose fish rivals the coast, with meat dishes too.
Award-winning pinsa and pizza by the slice: book ahead, it fills up.
An elegant country restaurant with a beautiful garden, lovely for a special evening.
A small, charming spot with a different set menu every night, fish included.
Classic Marche dishes in a relaxed setting, a favourite with locals.
Refined Marche cooking in the old town, with a fine list of local Verdicchio.
Creative dishes on the main piazza, with a terrace looking over the valley.
A small, warm trattoria with Sardinian roots and excellent ingredients.
Home-made pasta and local wines in a hilltop village of the Castelli di Jesi.
Generous tasting menus of traditional Marche dishes, with a terrace over the lake.
Hand-made pasta and grilled meats inside the old walls of the “Balcony of the Marche”.
Local cuisine with a modern twist and wide views over the countryside.
Traditional recipes in the historic centre, with a friendly family feel.
A genuine country trattoria serving classic Marche dishes.
Chef Errico Recanati’s celebrated fine-dining restaurant, built around the wood fire and the grill.
A classic trattoria a few steps from the basilica: home-made pasta, grilled meats and local wine.
A family-run restaurant blending Marche and Sicilian traditions, everything made in-house.
Fresh, local cooking with a twist and a glimpse of the sea.
Superb seafood by the sea; let the chef choose for you.
Seafood on a panoramic terrace high above the coast, perfect at sunset.
An intimate seafood dinner with sea views, like being a guest in a private home.
Relaxed lunches right on Urbani beach, with fresh seafood pasta.
The Adriatic is 35 to 40 minutes away: golden sand at Senigallia, and along the Conero Riviera white pebble coves, wild bays and family-friendly beaches. Tap a name to open it on Google Maps.
The “velvet beach”: miles of fine golden sand and shallow water, ideal for families, with the famous Rotonda a Mare pier.
A green bay of white pebbles at the foot of Monte Conero, with the Romanesque church of Santa Maria and seafood restaurants on the beach.
A wild, unspoilt beach reached on foot through the woods, with crystal-clear water.
The Conero’s most famous beach, beneath two white sea stacks; reachable only by boat from Numana or Sirolo.
Pebble coves beneath the cliffs, a short walk down from the pretty village of Sirolo.
Small sheltered beaches below the old town and a lively harbour, with boats to the Due Sorelle.
Long sandy beaches with gentle water, well equipped and perfect with children.
A long pebble beach and a seaside town with the Swabian castle and a lovely seafront promenade.
As the sun goes down, Sirolo and Numana are the place for an aperitivo with the sea at your feet. A few of our favourite terraces, best enjoyed from late spring to early autumn.
High on Monte Conero, terraces with sweeping sea views; perfect for a sunset aperitivo.
A panoramic terrace over the Adriatic in the heart of the old town.
Cocktails and nibbles on the belvedere square, with the sea below.
A glass of Verdicchio and local mussels after a day at the beach.
A stylish rooftop bar above the harbour, beautiful at sunset.
A charming terrace beside La Torre, looking straight out to sea.
A relaxed lounge bar by the port, with sun loungers for slow aperitivi.