Gola dell’Infernaccio – Marche
Marche – Castel of Pesaro-Urbino
Marche – Recanati
Marche – San benedetto del Tronto
Marche – San Giorgio Harbour
Marche – Territory
The sea is the pride of this region: 18 Blue Flags for its beaches and 6 for the marinas. The most famous seaside destinatios are: Numana, San Benedetto del Tronto, Porto San Giorgio, Porto Recanati, Civitanova Marche and Pesaro.
As all of Central Italy, Marche have suggestive and often wild nature. Among the large protected areas of Marche the national parks of Monti Sibillini, Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, with a total of four regional parks, six nature reserves, fifteen state owned forests and over a hundred floristic areas.
A visit to the Grotte di Frasassi, caves in the province of Ancona, will be a lasting memory to be cherished: 18 kilometers of stalactites and stalagmites and a giant cave called ”Grotta del Vento” (Cave of the Wind).
The region Marche is also an open-air museum for those who want to combine events and culture in the same holiday.
In town centers, often surrounded by walls, alternate historical commercial places, squares where Roman roads convey, ancient noble families’ palaces, churches and convents. 18 villages in Marche have been recognized “Borghi più belli d’Italia” (most beautiful villages in Italy). The Italian Touring Club has awarded 17 Orange Flags to villages particularly attentive to the protection of cultural heritage and of the environment.
Loreto is ideal for a religious excursion. Its famous Basilica della Santa Casa hosts the “House of Nazareth” which, according to tradition, was transported to Loreto by angels in 1296.
NATIONAL PARKS IN MARCHE:
The National Parks of Italy are natural areas of land, sea, river, or lake whose value is a well-preserved ecosystem. Thus their nature, together with their cultural, educational, or recreational values are protected by the Italian Government in order to be preserved for the future. Currently, in Italy there are 25 National Parks, covering an area of over 1,500,000 hectares (15,000 km²), about 6% of the Italian territory.
Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park
Monti Sibillini National Park
REGIONAL PARKS IN MARCHE:
The Italian Regional Parks are land, river, lake, and sea areas facing the coast. Their value is being like a system including the nature of the places, art, and cultural traditions of the local inhabitants. The Italian Regional Parks are more than 150 and cover an area of approximately 1million and 500,000 hectares.
Conero Regional Park
Sasso Simone and Simoncello Regional Park
Monte San Bartolo Regional Park
Gola della Rossa and Frasassi Regional Park
NATURE RESERVES IN MARCHE:
Nature Reserves, also called Protected Natural Areas or Natural Oasis, their mission is to maintain their “equilibrium” by conserving and increasing biodiversity. These areas are characterized by heterogeneous landscapes and they are home to different species of animals and plants. They are the animal’s shelter for reproduction. Hunting is prohibited. Actually Protected Natural Areas in Italy are more than 145.
In the Province of Macerata:
Abbadia di Fiastra Nature Reserve
Montagna di Torricchio Nature Reserve
In the Province of Pesaro-Urbino:
Gola del Furlo Nature Reserve
WWF NATURE RESERVES IN MARCHE:
The WWF Oases are the first Italian network of protected areas managed by a private association. WWF activities in the Oases range from ecotourism to nature holidays, education, training, and environmental information programs. There are more than 100 WWF Oases in Italy, covering more than 30,000 hectares of land in 18 regions. They are visited by more than 500,000 people a year.
In the Province of Ancona:
Bosco di Frasassi
Ripa Bianca di Jesi
In the Province of Macerata:
Torricchio
BLUE FLAGS IN MARCHE:
Blue flag is an International recognition reserved for lakes or seaside tourist resorts that comply with sustainable land management criteria. The Blue Flag is awarded annually by the non-governmental and non-profit organization “Foundation for Environmental Education” (FEE). Only the localities whose waters have been excellent in the previous season can apply. In 2020, more than 195 municipalities and over 407 Italian beaches have been awarded as “Blue Flag”.
In the Province of Ancona:
Ancona – Portonovo
Numana – Numana bassa/Marcelli nord, Numana alta
Senigallia – Spiaggia di Levante, Spiaggia di Ponente
Sirolo – Sassi Neri/San Michele, Spiaggia Urbani
In the Province of Ascoli Piceno:
Cupra Marina – Lido
Grottammare – Lungomare Nord, Sud
San Benedetto del Tronto – Riviera delle Palme
In the Province of Fermo:
Fermo – Lido di Fermo, Marina Palmense
Pedaso – Lungomare dei Cantautori
Porto S. Elpifio – Lungomare
Porto San Giorgio – Litorale
In the Province of Macerata:
Civitanova marche – Lungomare Sud [mostra Calzatura, Cinema Adriatico], lungomare nord
Potenza Picena – Porto Potenza Picena
In the Province of Pesaro-Urbino:
Fano – Nord, Sassonia, Torrette/Marotta
Gabicce Mare – Lido
Mondolfo – Marotta
Pesaro – Ponente/Levante Sottomonte
ORANGE FLAGS IN MARCHE:
Orange Flag is a tourism-environmental quality mark awarded by the Italian Touring Club to small towns in the Italian inland (maximum 15,000 inhabitants) which stand out for their quality hospitality. The Orange Flag has been awarded to over 200 Italian municipalities.
In the Province of Ancona:
Corinaldo
Genga
Offagna
Ostra
Staffolo
In the Province of Ascoli Piceno:
Acquaviva Picena
Ripatransone
In the Province of Fermo:
Monterubbiano
In the Province of Macerata:
Camerino
Montecassiano
Montelupone
Pievebovigliana
San Ginesio
Sarnano
Urbisaglia
Visso
In the Province of Pesaro-Urbino:
Frontino
Gradara
Mercatello sul Metauro
Mondavio