Marche (Le Marche) is central Italy's 'one region in many' on the Adriatic coast, blending sandy beaches and the dramatic Conero Riviera with Renaissance art cities, medieval hilltop villages, and the snow-capped Sibillini Mountains. From Urbino's Ducal Palace to the underground wonder of the Frasassi Caves, it offers Italy's variety with a fraction of the crowds.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Urbino Renaissance City (from Pesaro)
The jewel of the Marche, a UNESCO World Heritage Renaissance city built around the magnificent Palazzo Ducale of Duke Federico da Montefeltro, home to the National Gallery of the Marche with masterpieces by Piero della Francesca and Raphael, who was born here.
Highlights: Palazzo Ducale and the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche · Raphael's birthplace (Casa Natale di Raffaello) · Piero della Francesca's Flagellation of Christ · Hilltop views over the Montefeltro countryside
Frasassi Caves and Genga (from Ancona)
The Grotte di Frasassi, one of Europe's most spectacular cave systems, set in the Gola della Rossa e Frasassi park near Genga, paired with the romantic clifftop Tempio del Valadier chapel built into a cave mouth and the medieval village of Genga.
Highlights: The vast underground chambers of the Frasassi Caves · The clifftop Tempio del Valadier neoclassical chapel · The Gola della Rossa gorge scenery · Medieval Genga village and the Speleo-Paleontological museum
Loreto and the Holy House (from Ancona)
One of the most important Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world, the hilltop town of Loreto, whose vast Renaissance basilica enshrines the Holy House of Mary beneath a Bramante facade and a dome, with a marble screen and frescoes by leading Renaissance artists.
Highlights: The Basilica della Santa Casa and the Holy House · Renaissance facade and dome over the sanctuary · Sansovino's carved marble screen around the Holy House · Hilltop views over the Conero coast
Ascoli Piceno Travertine City (from San Benedetto del Tronto)
An elegant inland city of pale travertine stone built where two rivers meet, centred on the Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy's most beautiful squares, with Renaissance loggias, medieval towers, and the historic Caffe Meletti serving the local anisette.
Highlights: Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy's finest squares · Travertine palaces, towers, and Romanesque churches · Historic Caffe Meletti and the local anisetta liqueur · Pinacoteca Civica art gallery in the Palazzo dell'Arengo
Republic of San Marino (from Pesaro)
The world's oldest surviving republic, an independent micro-state perched dramatically on the slopes of Monte Titano, with three medieval towers crowning the ridge, panoramic views to the Adriatic, and a UNESCO-listed historic centre just inland from the northern Marche.
Highlights: The three towers of Monte Titano (Guaita, Cesta, Montale) · UNESCO-listed historic centre and Piazza della Liberta · Panoramic views over the Romagna and Marche coast · Duty-free shopping and the world's oldest republic
Gradara Medieval Castle (from Pesaro)
One of Italy's most beautiful medieval villages, a perfectly preserved walled hilltown crowned by the Rocca di Gradara fortress, traditionally the setting for the tragic love of Paolo and Francesca recounted by Dante, just inland from the northern Marche coast.
Highlights: The Rocca di Gradara fortress and its ramparts · Intact medieval walls and walkable battlements · The legend of Paolo and Francesca from Dante's Inferno · Cobbled village streets and panoramic hilltop views
Castelluccio Fioritura and the Sibillini (from Ascoli Piceno)
A summer trip into the high Sibillini to witness the famous fioritura of Castelluccio, when the vast Pian Grande plateau bursts into a mosaic of poppies, cornflowers, and lentil blossom beneath Monte Vettore, one of Italy's most spectacular natural sights.
Highlights: The fioritura flower bloom (mid-June to mid-July) · The vast Pian Grande plateau beneath Monte Vettore · The hilltop village of Castelluccio di Norcia · Wild high-mountain Sibillini scenery
Gubbio Medieval Town (from the inland Marche)
A striking grey-stone medieval town on the slopes of Monte Ingino in neighbouring Umbria, easily reached from the inland Marche, with one of Italy's most dramatic public squares hung over the valley, a funicular to a hilltop basilica, and deep associations with Saint Francis.
Highlights: Piazza Grande suspended over the valley · Palazzo dei Consoli and its civic museum · Funicular to the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo on Monte Ingino · Roman theatre and medieval grey-stone streets
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from the Conero and Pesaro coasts to Urbino, Frasassi, and San Marino are available seasonally from local operators
- Private
- Private car hire with driver is useful for the Sibillini, Castelluccio, and Gubbio, where public transport is limited
- Public
- Trenitalia regional trains serve the Adriatic line (Pesaro, Senigallia, Ancona, Loreto, San Benedetto) and inland to Genga for Frasassi; check timetables at trenitalia.com
- Rental
- Car rental from around 35 euros (38 USD)/day; recommended for Urbino, Castelluccio, Gubbio, and the inland hilltowns
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Ancona, Pesaro, San Benedetto del Tronto, and Ascoli Piceno make the best bases for day trips in their part of the region
Book regional train tickets at the station machine or on the Trenitalia app; regional fares are cheap (2-12 euros)
Urbino has no railway station, so use the direct bus from Pesaro or a car
A car is essential for the high Sibillini and Castelluccio, where public transport is minimal and bloom-season access is regulated
The Frasassi Caves combine well with the Tempio del Valadier and Genga for a full inland day from Ancona
San Marino is most easily reached from the northern Marche via a train to Rimini and the connecting mountain bus