Local Area Information

Montefiore dell'Aso

Our local village of Montefiore dell'Aso is only a 20 minute walk or quick drive from the house. Montefiore is an old hilltop medieval village with narrow cobbled streets, old buildings and churches. There are 2 small museums, with one being dedicated entirely to clocks. The views from the terrace outside Bar Maurilio and Manu's Pizza are stunning, with the mountains to your right, the rolling hillsides of Le Marche and the sea to your left.

It has all the facilities likely to be required by those on a quiet holiday.  It has an excellent baker, butcher, bank with ATM, post office, supermarkets, pharmacy, petrol station, cafe / bars, take away pizza and restaurants.  You can join the locals in the cafes for a coffee, cold beer or delicious ice cream.  During the summer, events and festivals abound in all the towns and villages including Montefiore, celebrating anything from religious holy days to local foods, wines and classic cars. 

At our favourite local cantina you can taste the wines on offer and fill up a 5 litre flagon with the wine of your choice for about 7-8 euros.  You can then sit on the veranda or by the pool, taking in the scenery and sipping your wine in peace.

Beaches

The coast can be seen from the villa and is only 15 mins drive away.  All along the coast the sea bed shelves gently with protection from the open sea provided by rock barriers making them ideal for children.  There are various beaches running along the coast both north and south from Pedaso.  Grottamare and San Benedetto are both to the south and are popular for their palm lined beach fronts and lots of places to eat.

To the north, the Conero peninsular is a very large rocky outcrop forming a backdrop to beautiful sandy beaches.

Eating and drinking out

Besides it’s cafes and bars, Montefiore has three restaurants, together with a pizza place where you can buy good quality pizza to either eat at home or at the common tables on the terrace overlooking the valley. The seating area is also shared with Bar Maurilio, which serves some cocktails with substantial nibbles.

There are also several Agritourismos offering evening meals in the area and numerous restaurants further afield offering a variety of menus, including fish, steak and regional cuisine.

As Italian families usually include their children when eating out in the evenings, the great majority of restaurants are child friendly.

Local Activities

There are various activities available in the area, which include:

• a very good go karting track for all ages, which also has activities for younger children. 
• an aqua park with various huge waterslides, which is always popular with the children. 
• horse riding,
• golf
• hang gliding

Wine production is a major activity in the area. There are numerous cantinas, some of which offer wine tasting experiences and tours where you can learn about the local grapes and the wine making process. Others, like our local cantina, have cheap local wines stored in bulk, dispensed via 'petrol pump' type hoses that you can try out before making your selection and filling 5 litre flagons to take back to the house.

Other places to visit

There are many old and picturesque towns and villages in the area, all of which are well worth exploring.  

In July and August, the town of Macerata holds an open air opera season in stunning surroundings, which is well worth attending.

The Sibillini National Park is about an hour by car and offers beautiful scenery, with opportunities for walking, hiking, cycling and horse riding.  A popular destination here is the high plateau around the village of Castelluccio di Norcia, which is world famous for its lentils and a carpet of colour in spring.

To the north, the Frassassi caves are about 90 mins drive but well worth a days excursion.  The cave system includes the largest cave in Europe and is truly stunning.  Have a look at their website!