Small towns in Marche – Fabriano, Fermo, Ripatransone and Tolentino

Writer: Jonathan Gharbi de Maré

The Marche region offers many beautiful small towns and here are some that you can visit but there will also be wine tasting and food of course. It feels a bit like whatever you do in Italy, it will be something special and so it was during the trip in Marche. 

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Hotel Interno Marche in Tolentino

Two nights were spent near Urbino and two in a design hotel in the small town of Tolentino. The hotel has 30 different rooms, each dedicated to an Italian architect or designer. The rooms have different designs, colors, unique objects and a small sign with information about the person highlighted in that particular room.

A real challenge for the building engineer, of course, but here local craftsmen and designers have collaborated to create a completely unique feeling where no two rooms are the same. Prices start at around SEK 1800 for the simpler rooms, but considering the design, feel and level, you get a lot for your money.

The winery Azienda Agraria Guerrieri

The region is teeming with vineyards (read more here: On a wine tour in Marche – and a visit to the Frasassi Caves) but this was certainly a place you can stay for a long time and they have a nice garden to taste the wines in. This family-run farm started operations in the 1800s and it is now the fifth generation to take care of the property.

It is easy to find someone from the family as they work every day of the week on the farm and they are happy to talk about the land they farm and the family is what we Swedes would say - real Italians with fire and passion. Although they have new visitors every day, Alberto Guerrieri talks passionately about the farm but also about Italian cuisine and agricultural policy.

We often say that we have visited a vineyard because that is what we often think of first. But the fact is that many vineyards in general and the Guerrieris in particular do so much more than just wine. They grow durum wheat, which they use to make their own pasta, on 90 hectares and also olives for their olive oils.

The grapes Bianchello, Verdicchio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Moscato, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Lacrima, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown here on 57 hectares. Guerrieri has received awards for its wines and you can buy all of them on site, both bottles and larger boxes. 

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Their wines are not available in the systembolaget, but many other wines from Marche are available to try if you want to get a flavour of the region. 

Medieval town of Fabriano with incredible murals

For those who like the Middle Ages, majestic paintings and beautiful churches, Fabriano is a perfect city to visit. The incredibly beautiful interior of the Church of St. Benedict is a must-see, an absolutely stunning church where several historical events have taken place over the centuries.

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You should definitely take a guided tour and if you are lucky you can see a piece of the oldest part behind the altar in the oldest part of the church. Fabriano was one of the first towns to produce paper and is still famous for the invention of the watermark, the technique used by most banknote manufacturers. 

You can clearly see that the city honours its history with both flags and shields adorning the walls and towers. Also visit the Oratorio della Carità, located near the main square, and see the beautiful paintings that adorn the walls.

The town of Fermo with Roman cisterns and museum

Fermo is a small and cosy town with an even older history than Fabriano with just under 40,000 inhabitants. The town has a history dating back to 800 BC, but is better known for the buildings and events of Roman times when Fermo became an important town.

The huge Roman-era water cisterns are today one of the major attractions for visitors to Fermo. It's fascinating to walk around them and think that they are 2000 years old but look to be in good condition even today. 

The museum next to the cisterns should also be visited and inside there is a library from 1688, well preserved with books, maps and old armchairs for reading. There is also a Swedish connection. The library is called Romolo Spezioli Civic Library and is named after Queen Kristina's personal doctor Romolo Spezioli.

Queen Christina reigned in Sweden until 1654 but then moved to Rome where she was active in cultural life and also converted to Catholicism, causing a major scandal.

A short visit to the cosy Ripatransone

Another smaller town in Marche is Ripatransone which is known for its narrow streets and the old theatre. The beautiful church is also worth a visit but it was almost spooky to be there at two in the afternoon when all Italians take their siesta.

There is also a wine bar, Ripani, which has a good wine list and simple dishes, perfect for a little wine tasting. 

Italian craft beer and cosy streets in Tolentino

The last evening was spent in the small town of Tolentino and at the hotel Interno Marche. We travelled around together and experienced so much wine and pasta that we decided to try some Italian craft beer and a real Italian pizza. 

It was really nice to walk around Tolentino and experience what it is like in a small Italian town, high cosiness factor just by seeing how Italians socialise and eat out in the evenings. 

Since returning home, there have been Italian wines from there and a lot of talk about truffles and Italian pasta. For those of you who like the more personal meetings and smaller cities with a high cosiness factor, Marche is really a hit.

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Jonathan Gharbi De Maré

Jonathan has lived abroad for about 10 years but now lives in Stockholm and runs jbwtravels.com with a focus on craft beer and wine and there you will find a collection of all his publications. Jonathan opened the first craft brewery in Burkina Faso and wrote the book Beer guide to Vietnam. He is a reporter for the beer promotion magazine Maltesen. Besides beer, he has a keen interest in nature and unusual travel destinations.

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