Around a 50 minute drive from Ancona Airport, Casa Vitale is within walking distance of the hilltop town of Carassai, a fifteen minute drive from Cupra Marittima on the Adriatic coast, and 40 minutes from the stunning Sibillini Mountains. Surrounded by beautiful hilltop towns, and with the coast so close by, there is plenty to explore, see and do when staying at Casa Vitale, with the beautiful town of Ascoli Piceno one of the highlights. Reachable in under an hour by car, Ascoli is little known to tourists and will feel a world away from the more well-trodden paths found in Tuscany or Umbria, despite being just as beautiful an example of Italian town life. Its central square, Piazza del Popolo, is lined with iconic cafes and bars, as well as classic Italian boutiques, and is the perfect spot for a morning coffee, or early afternoon drink at the art nouveau Caffe Meletti, an historically significant bar and café that features stunning design, as well as delicious drinks and snacks. Ascoli is also famous for its olive all’ascolana (olives stuffed with veal, and breaded and deep fried), which can be found throughout the region, and are a delicious example of the Marche’s regional cuisine.
One of the most attractive aspects of staying in this region is that you're never too far from either the mountains or the sea. The Adriatic coastline is dotted with charming Italian seaside resorts, and Cupra Marittima, just fifteen minutes away, is no exception. A wide range of restaurants and bars line the beach front, and there are more gelaterias than you can hope to sample in just one trip. As is the way with Italian beaches, the sand fills up quickly, and guests would be advised to head down early in the day in order to ensure a sun lounger and umbrella which are the custom in Italy. There are several great restaurants on the front to sample, including Villa Gabri and La Perla, both of which offer stunning seafood, and perfect pasta dishes. There’s also a decently sized supermarket in Cupra, as well as plenty of other shops, including a great place to buy fresh pasta which you can cook back at Casa Vitale.
Across the valley from Carassai, and visible from the terrace and pool of Casa Vitale is the picturesque town of Ripatransone. Smaller and more humble than the likes of Ascoli Piceno, and without the seaside atmosphere of Cupra, Ripatransone is still worth the trip, with its winding streets, atmospheric square, and panoramic views. The perfect spot for an aperitivo, Ripatransone even offers guests the chance to peek across the valley to Casa Vitale whilst sipping on an Aperol spritz. For culture vultures there’s also Macerata further inland, with its famous open air opera season in the summer. Macerata is in fact the provincial capital, and has a bustling, buzzy atmosphere even when opera isn’t in season thanks to a lively market day on Wednesdays, and a significant student population. More famous than Macerata is Urbino which can be reached in around two hours by car from the villa. Urbino is probably the most famous town in the region, and it’s no surprise as to why; with its stunning mixture of Renaissance and medieval architecture, this walled hilltop city is just brimming with history and atmosphere and has plenty of crooked alleyways to explore. The Palazzo Ducale dominates the tourist trail, but there’s plenty to see here, and with a large student population keeping the place young and relevant, there’s no reason to get too caught up in the past whilst visiting. It may be a bit of a distance from Casa Vitale, but this fascinating fifteenth century gem is well worth the trip.
Flights from the UK including from London Stanstead fly into Ancona, and all the Rome airports are easily accessible via rental car with the drive taking around three hours.