by We are sitting on the terrace of Lapis Turris, a medieval watchtower high in the Sibillini mountains, taking turns to name films that remind us of the extraordinary landscape that surrounds us. Game of thrones? Skull Island in King Kong? Tolkien’s Rivendell? It’s hard to pick; This stunning, empty desert is Italy’s answer to all three.
Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, in the mountainous south-west of Le Marche, is full of densely wooded hills, rocky peaks and lush green valleys. It is much wilder – and less populated – than neighboring Tuscany and Umbria. You can go here for days before seeing anyone, let alone a tourist. It’s also a major hike for serious walkers and mountain bikers – with 10 peaks over 2,000m. Ancona is the capital of Le Marche – four hours from Rome by train.
When you tire of the hills, the beautiful beach towns on the Adriatic are perfect for a day trip – about a 90 minute drive to the coast. If all that is not attractive enough, the cost – or relative lack. It’s one of the few places where you question the bill for fear of being short-charged. An Aperol spritz in any of the local bars costs around €4 and a pizza probably won’t be more than €6.
It’s easy to see why Sirolo is known as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, with its creamy pastel houses overlooking the azure sea.
Our nearest town is Amandola, with winding ancient streets leading to Piazza Risorgimento, the old main square. With bars and cafes on offer, it’s the perfect stop for an aperitivo and is well stocked with food, with two supermarkets nearby. We are spoiled for choice with another picturesque local gem, the village of Montefortino. Perched on a nearby hill, it appears to have been chiseled from marble. At sunset it is pink.
We visit on the second day and it does not disappoint. A steep climb through the village leads us to a magnificent panorama at the top with the Sibillini peaks laid out before us. It’s heery empty, though, because we’re the only ones here who enjoy the view – apart from the swallows. We retrace our steps back to the bottom of the village and stop at the Blu Bar Caffè, a lively and crowded pizzeria. Locals queue up for the delicious food – Staqueduct – bianco pizza slices, bruschetta and crostini. For around €5 each, plate after plate is ordered, washed down with beer, spritz and afogato End.
The contrasts and surprises are the true attraction of this area. Mountain scenery can be spectacular, but there is also a sandy coast to explore. We go to Sirolo, a beautiful seaside town popular with Italian holidaymakers. It is easy to see why it is called the “Pearl of the Adriatic”, with its cream pastel houses and turquoise shutters, and the piazza overlooking the azure sea.
The small town slides gently towards the beach, which we reach through a stretch of pine forest. It is a steep descent and at the end there is Spiagga di San Michele, a wonderful brush of fine white shale and crystal clear water. We float on our backs in the sea looking up at the town framed by white cliffs and green hills beyond.
After swimming and sunbathing, we have one thing on our minds – no trip to the Italian coast is complete without a plate of spaghetti alle vongole. We stumbled upon a great place, Ristorante Vittoria – La Terrazza sul Mare – set back from the beach with a shaded terrace overlooking the ocean. It is one of those memorable meals that you only hope for once on any holiday, but can never be guaranteed. We hit luck: fresh from the sea frittura calamari, gambling, antipasto for her centre and vongole, augmented with salty chips, cheap prosecco and a wonderful slice of the Adriatic. It’s as delightful a location as you’ll find anywhere on the Amalfi coast, but at a fraction of the price.
We go back slowly up the hill to Sirolo, we explore the maze of paths full of cafes and tempting boutiques, only stopping to look around Chiesa San Nicola di Bari, an 18th century church with a wonderful painted ceiling and ornate glass chandeliers. Outside, the queue for ice cream at Gelateria Artigianale is well worth it and, walking back, we only regret giving up the time to stop at Il Grillo, a lovely bar with tables overlooking the main street.
Back home at Lapis Turris, we settle down to another remote al fresco evening. It’s pretty cool and mosquito-free, even when the temperature rises, thanks to its location 800m above sea level.
Back from the beach, we enjoy one of those memorable meals that you only hope for once on any holiday, but can never guarantee
If you can tear yourself away from the pool and hot tub, quite an achievement in itself, there is a small gate in the garden that leads to hiking trails. Easy-to-follow signs take you through rolling green hills and across a river to gently ascend one peak – the view back towards the watchtower is well worth the climb.
Dating back to the 1080s, Lapis Turris is Le Marche’s oldest fortification, built to defend against the regular threat of Umbrian attack. It must have been a success – one of the lower bedrooms is apparently where the prisoners were kept. Ten hundred years later, it has been lovingly converted by its owner into two apartments, which work well for two families to share.
Medieval and solid, everything here is carved from ancient rock: the tables and seats, the terraces and even a mini amphitheater, which is floodlit at night – for special occasions, you can book a small orchestra to play. Or better yet savor the nightly symphony of cicadas and the sound of water rushing through the woods below.
Lapis Turris sleeps up to nine people across two apartments, from £3,993 for seven nights – or £443pp – through Oliver’s Travels. For more details go to oliverstravels.com
