ABOUT OUR TOURS
Diversity... Balance... Simplicity.
| Diversity |
 |
With so much to offer in Le Marche, diversity is a natural feature of a trip here. If anything, our difficulty lies in deciding what to leave out. Here’s the challenge:
| • |
Art.
Lorenzo Lotto, Carlo Crivelli, Piero della Francesca, Simone de Magistris, and Marche’s most famous son … Raphael. You’re as apt to find them in innocuous churches or tucked-away museums as you are in the main institutions. But beyond the recognized names, every little town has their own collection of gems by unheralded artists, and it’s here that treasured surprises are found …
|
| • |
Architecture.
It’s a long list – Urbino’s Palazzo Ducale, San Leo’s fortress, Tolentino’s Basilica di San Nicola, Ascoli Piceno’s Teatro Ventidio Basso, Urbisaglia’s Roman ruins, …
|
| • |
Hilltop Towns.
Tradition, charm, antiquity: the centro storico bounded by narrow, winding, brick-and-cobble streets … churches with priceless paintings and frescoes left for posterity by hallowed and unknown artists alike … unassuming ristoranti serving hearty country fare just like nonna makes it … and the center of life, the piazza, with its ubiquitous Bar Centrale where old men meet to drink espresso, play cards, and pass their days in smoky conversation.
|
| • |
Performances.
World-renowned opera in Macerata’s magnificent open-air Sferisterio, Pesaro’s Rossini celebration down the street from his home, Civitanova’s international dance, San Severino’s Blues Festival, Ancona’s summer jazz series, … not to mention virtuoso productions and spectacles in lavish 19th-century theaters
|
| • |
Festivals.
Truffle festivals, medieval pageants, Roman reenactments, the tradition of palio … and countless feasts of food, folklore, wine, and wares.
|
| • |
Food.
The Adriatic’s signature brodetto, Caldarola’s medieval feast, vincisgrassi, strozzapreti, olive ascolana, wild boar, and every village’s local specialty, like the Urbino cheese that prompted Michelangelo to buy a farm to ensure a constant supply of the stuff.
|
| • |
Wine.
Verdant Verdicchio, classic Rosso Conero, the signature Rosso Piceno, the unique Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, Offida’s Pecorino, Falerio from the south, Bianchello from the north, and a host of distinct varieties in between.
|
| • |
The Natural World.
Myth-shrouded peaks of the Sibillini mountains, the plunging white cliffs of Monte Conero cupping secluded coves washed by the turquoise waters of the Adriatic, hillside towns and mountain ridges offering constantly changing views into forever, natural wonders such as the Furlo Gorge and Frasassi caves, whose main cavern is so vast the Milan Cathedral would not fill it …
|
| • |
Shopping.
The main attraction – one of Italy’s premier shoe-making areas, offering discount prices at a multitude of outlets. That’s not all – leather goods, clothing, and accessories, featuring names like Tods, Prada, Hugo Boss, Fabi, Nero Giardini, and others. There’s also furniture, arts and crafts, wine, olive oil, cheese,… |
We’ll try and give you enough perspective and background – without overdoing it – so that you get a deeper sense of what you’re experiencing. Sometimes we’ll take you somewhere without telling you a thing about it … because we feel its impact would be greater that way.
The bottom line is we’re inspired by what we discover in this wonderful region, and we want you to share in it. And that means being enthusiastic, thoughtful, amused, … whatever mood applies to the moment.
∆ Top |
 |
TOUR BASICS
Small groups:
4-8 people – personal, flexible, friendly |
| |
Tour types:
Single-location tours: Stay in one place, and explore the surrounding area from there.
Roving tours: Change location and accommodation every few days in order to cover a broader cross-section of the region.
Theme tours: Experience things hands-on, learn/enhance a skill, unearth opportunities … at the same time as you discover the wonder that is Marche.
Custom tours: Tell us your preferences and parameters, and we’ll design a tour just for you. |
| |
Accommodation and Meals:
Lodging is carefully selected for its comfort, quality, location, ambience, and character. Restaurants for lunch and dinner are similarly chosen for their quality, authenticity, and warmth. |
| |
Special Events:
On most tours we try to include a festival (arts & crafts, historic, cultural … and always food) and/or a show (dance, music, performance art). We select them based on their quality, novelty, authenticity, and interest for international appeal. |
| |
All-inclusive:
The tour price includes accommodation and all breakfasts, most lunches and dinners with house wine, transfers to and from Ancona’s Falconara airport (or alternative as stipulated in individual tour details), all transport during your stay, most entrance and ticket fees to museums, shows, and other events. Some occasional snacks and beverages (e.g. coffee, snack, ice cream, beer) are also included. Details are included in each tour description. |
| |
| |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
| Balance |
 |
With all this choice, what do we include and what not? This is where balance comes in – to give you as good a cross-section of Marche as time allows: focused but limited forays into each of the different types of attraction, enough to get a real sense of it without getting overloaded and sacrificing something else worthwhile.
For example, we may take our time going through the Palazzo Ducale in Urbino, but forego the Civic Museum in nearby Pesaro so that we can be sure to take in the imposing – and folkloric – fortress of San Leo. And still give ourselves time to stop in at that artist community that doesn’t appear in the typical tourist itinerary.
Travelling can be tiring too, so we’ll also balance our daily schedule to make sure you don’t get exhausted. After all, you need to enjoy yourself. So we’ll alternate long and short days, and give you free time as well. Time to create your own stories …
∆ Top
| Simplicity |
 |
Ah yes, simplicity. Our concept here is, well, simple – we take care of everything: the itinerary, accommodation, meals, transport (including airport pickups and drop-offs), entrance and ticket fees. No need to worry about driving, directions, denaro – it’s all part of the package.
Simplicity and a bit of adventure doesn’t mean you have to compromise on anything – from the time we pick you up at the airport to the time we drop you off, comfort, quality, and convenience are your permanent companions.
And that’s what makes it a real holiday – you simply sit back and enjoy the sights, sounds, spirit, and tastes of this magical place.
∆ Top |
|
