Le Marche area.....less touristy area??

Hi Laura, We were thinking about visiting the Le Marche region too. When I posted a similar question, someone suggested this article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2005/05/22/travel/22tuscany.html We didn't go but it does sounds really interesting.

We're traveling there in April and I'm VERY excited about that portion of our trip. We're staying at La Tavola Marche Agriturismo ahttp://www.latavolamarche.com/ . It is the only part of the trip we're getting a car for. I think it might be possible to do without, but much more difficult. Our plans are to tour the neighboring small towns with their quirky little festivals and to take a cooking class at the B&B. Can't wait!

You should also consider Umbria. It's more like Tuscany but with fewer tourists. You can also increase the odds of an "authentic" experience by saving the more popular sites for the evening when the daytripping tourists have gone home. During the day, go to the more offbeat spots.

Cretia:
Be sure to give us a report! Thanks.

I've also heard that Puglia is very beautiful and has excellent food and friendly people.

Sharon:
Thanks for the link to the article...it sounds fantastic....we may have to rethink our plans and go there instead of Tuscany!

We visited Le Marche for a week last fall, as part of a longer trip to Italy. We've been to Italy a number of times, and have visited many other regions, so we wanted to give Le Marche a try. We spent 3 nights in Urbino, then 3 nights in Macerata. I especially liked Urbino; it's beautiful, a fun university town; has great sites and museums. One of my goals was to see the Duke of Montefeltro's studiolo (google for pictures). I would say it's a very difficult part of Italy to move around in, or even get to, using public transportation. Even with a car, it's a bit difficult, as there aren't a huge number of highways. So a lot of driving on quite small roads. Definitely fewer non-Italian-speaking tourists, and fewer tourists generally. So we liked that part. I speak a bit of Italian, so I can't say what the experience would be like if none of us had been able to speak Italian. The region as a whole (or at least, the parts we went to) was beautiful, and we saw some very interesting castles (there aren't a lot of castles throughout the rest of Italy). The food was very good, as well. i would say, however, that for someone who hasn't already visited Tuscany and Umbria, those two areas are as beautiful and easier to get to and around in. And in Umbria, there are places where there are fewer tourists.

All regions in Italy have their unique version of beauty and charm .. some of course also attract more tourists, are more expensive, etc. Le Marche borders Tuscany and Umbria, with the Sibillini national park defining the region to the west with breath-taking scenery. The Adriatic coast borders the region to the east. And there are dozens of medieval hill-top towns to explore, each with their own history and culture. There are still far fewer tourists to Le Marche, so it retains its authenticity ...and that's why I'd recommend it. Access is easy enough. There are east coast airports (Ancona, Pescara, Rimini) which are serviced by low-cost airlines from the UK (Ryanair and Easyjet). Or fly into Rome or Milan. Motorways are good e.g. from Rome you can drive across to the east coast, through the fantastic Gran Sasso. From Milan, either drive down the Adriatic coastal motorway, or there's a great train service from Milan with routes right down the east coast. Stay in typical 'agriturismo' farmhouse rooms or apartments for simple, satisfying and economic accommodation ... you will be very warmly welcomed. I can recommend a few if needed. Fran Hope this helps.

Here all the answers: http://www.marchebreaks.com/marchetransports.htm for the rest: www.marchebreaks.com