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 food tours
Guided experiences that show you Marche through its food.
Ascoli Piceno Food Walk: Olive Ascolane & Piazza del Popolo
Explore the travertine old town of Ascoli Piceno with stops for olive all'ascolana, the famous fried stuffed olives, plus local salumi, cheeses, Anisetta Meletti, and Rosso Piceno wine, finishing in the grand Piazza del Popolo.
Includes: Olive all'ascolana from a traditional fryer · Aperitivo at the historic Caffè Meletti · Ciauscolo and Piceno salumi tasting · Travertine Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy's finest squares
Acqualagna Truffle Hunt with Lunch
Join a local trifolau and trained dog for a truffle hunt in the Apennine woods around Acqualagna, Italy's truffle capital, then enjoy a truffle-based lunch with local wine.
Includes: Truffle hunt with a trifolau and trained dog · Learn how truffles grow and are found · Truffle-based lunch with local wine · The Apennine woods around Acqualagna
Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Winery Tour
Full-day tour through the hill villages of the Castelli di Jesi, visiting two or three Verdicchio wineries with cellar tours, tastings, and a light lunch among the vineyards.
Includes: Verdicchio tastings from young to Riserva styles · Cellar tours among the Castelli di Jesi hills · Vineyard views of the medieval hill villages · Light lunch paired with local wines
Ancona Port & Mercato delle Erbe Seafood Walk
Discover Ancona's seafood culture with a walk through the Mercato delle Erbe and old town, tasting stoccafisso all'anconetana, fried Adriatic fish, local cheeses, and Verdicchio.
Includes: Mercato delle Erbe covered market · Stoccafisso all'anconetana tasting · Fried Adriatic fish from a friggitoria · Verdicchio pairing in the old town
Frasassi Caves & Marche Food Day
Full-day combination of the spectacular Frasassi Caves with a tasting of inland Marche food and wine, including vincisgrassi, salumi, and Verdicchio di Matelica.
Includes: The vast Frasassi limestone caves · Vincisgrassi and inland Marche dishes · Verdicchio di Matelica tasting · Apennine valley scenery
Senigallia Velvet Beach Seafood & Susci Tasting
A casual tasting walk along Senigallia's old town and seafront, sampling Adriatic seafood, Cedroni-style street susci, local wine, and gelato in Italy's gourmet beach town.
Includes: Street susci from a celebrated chef's project · Fried Adriatic fish cone · Verdicchio pairing · Senigallia's velvet beach and old town
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Marche's food scene.
Street food tours
Olive ascolane crawls in Ascoli Piceno from €20 (~$22); fried-fish and street susci tastings in Senigallia from €15 (~$16); self-guided pizza al taglio and gelato from free
Market tours
Guided morning tours of Mercato delle Erbe (Ancona, €35 / ~$38) and the Ascoli Piceno covered market (€30 / ~$32)
Restaurant tours
Multi-course traditional meals at historic Marche osterie and trattorias from €25-90 (~$27-97) per person
Specialty tours
Truffle hunts near Acqualagna (€95 / ~$103), Verdicchio winery tours in the Castelli di Jesi (€50 / ~$54), olive ascolane workshops in Ascoli (€55 / ~$59), and Cartoceto DOP olive-oil mill visits (€30 / ~$32)
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Marche home with you.
Urbino Crescia & Pasta Class
Learn to make Urbino's flaky crescia sfogliata and fresh egg pasta in a traditional kitchen in the Renaissance city, then eat your creations with local wine.
Ascoli Piceno Olive Ascolane Workshop
Master the art of olive all'ascolana in a hands-on workshop in Ascoli Piceno, learning to pit, stuff, bread, and fry the city's famous olives, then eat them with local wine.
Ancona Market-to-Table Seafood Class
Shop Ancona's Mercato delle Erbe with a chef, then cook a multi-course Adriatic seafood lunch including brodetto in a local kitchen, paired with Verdicchio.
Macerata Vincisgrassi & Marche Classics Class
Learn to make vincisgrassi, the Marche's rich baked pasta, along with handmade pasta and a regional dish, in a Macerata kitchen, paired with Rosso Piceno.
DIY self-guided food tour
Create your own Marche food day in Ascoli Piceno following this self-guided route, ideal for independent travellers who want authentic experiences at their own pace
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1
Stop 1 (9:00 AM): Mercato Coperto near Piazza del Popolo for morning coffee and a browse of Piceno produce, salumi, and cheeses
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Stop 2 (10:30 AM): A traditional friggitoria in the old town for hot olive all'ascolana straight from the fryer
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Stop 3 (12:30 PM): A historic-centre osteria for lunch with maccheroncini di Campofilone or a fritto misto all'ascolana
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Stop 4 (3:00 PM): A salumeria for a ciauscolo tasting, the spreadable Marche salami, to buy and take away
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Stop 5 (6:00 PM): Caffè Meletti (Piazza del Popolo 20) for an Anisetta Meletti aperitivo on the travertine square
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book truffle hunts near Acqualagna and Verdicchio winery visits at least 1-2 weeks ahead, as many require small-group bookings
Olive all'ascolana are best eaten hot from the fryer in Ascoli Piceno, not pre-packaged from a shop
Brodetto changes from port to port, so try the local version in Ancona, San Benedetto del Tronto, and Fano
Moscioli di Portonovo are wild, seasonal mussels and a Slow Food Presidium, so confirm availability before ordering
Verdicchio comes in two distinct appellations, Castelli di Jesi and Matelica, the latter often more structured and mineral
Lacrima di Morro d'Alba is a fragrant, floral local red worth seeking out at osterie around Morro d'Alba
Anisetta Meletti from Ascoli Piceno is served neat, with a coffee bean, or added to coffee as a digestivo