Luxury Holiday Villas in Le Marche

Best areas to stay in on a luxury holiday in Le Marche

Le Marche is still relatively undiscovered by mass tourism. This means that it’s a region where you can very much enjoy a crowd-free luxury villa holiday in Italy. It really is an opportunity to discover a truly unspoilt, authentic side to the country.

Urbino

Urbino was of huge cultural significance during the Renaissance period. The birthplace of Raphael, it is still viewed today as the perfect example of an ‘ideal city’, with its perfectly preserved and extremely attractive centre set inside historic walls.

It is home to a number of important religious buildings and museums, some of which can be found in the Palazzo Ducale, which dominates the city, and makes the perfect home base for any luxury holiday in Le Marche.

Ancona

Le Marche’s capital city, Ancona, is not actually a place we suggest you stay while on your luxury villa holiday in Le Marche. Sadly, much was destroyed by bombing during WWII. Nevertheless, it is still worthy of a visit.

Other towns and villages in Le Marche

Other towns and villages in Le Marche well worth exploring during a luxury holiday include the Roman town of Fermo, Offida, San Ginesio, Gradara, Grottamare, Loreto, Ripatransone, Mondavio, Corinaldo, Ascoli Piceno, Amandola and Sirolo. Six of these have also earned themselves the title of borghi piu belli.

 

Must-have amenities for your luxury holiday in Le Marche

Choosing a luxury villa in Le Marche with tailored features goes a long way towards contributing to a seamless, relaxing holiday tailored to your needs. Here are a few of our favourite luxury amenities:

Luxury villas in Le Marche with private pools

Nothing beats heading back to your villa after a day of exploring and relaxing in your own private pool. Choosing a luxury villa in Le Marche with a private swimming pool set amidst rolling hills is the very embodiment of a luxury holiday.

Villa Olivo is an exclusive 7-bedroom coastal villa boasting uninterrupted Adriatic Sea views, a private infinity pool, a dedicated yoga studio, gym, and a flood-lit tennis court.

Pet-friendly luxury villas in Le Marche

Le Marche’s vast countryside, rural shepherd trails, and expansive nature reserves make it a dream destination for dog owners. Our pet-friendly villas offer securely fenced gardens, spacious lawns, and easy access to walking paths across the hills.

Luxury villas in Le Marche for large groups

From hosting large family gatherings to celebrating a big milestone in life or even getting a group of friends together for a reunion, our luxury villas in Le Marche offer you enough space for everyone. Monastero di Favori is a large 7-bedroom luxury villa in Marche, offering accommodation for groups of up to 15 guests.

Or, Villa Eugenia can sleep up to 20 guests in 10 bedrooms. The villa is set in beautiful gardens which enjoy phenomenal views over the surrounding countryside to Ostra Vetere in the distance.

Things to do on a luxury holiday in Le Marche

There are so many things to do in Le Marche. Of course, there are so many wonderful towns and cities in Le Marche to explore during your luxury holiday. However, much of the enjoyment is also the drive to get you from one to another. Marche is a wonderfully rural region and has an abundance of spectacular landscapes to admire.

Enjoy the national parks

Le Marche boasts four main national parks, the Sibillini Mountains National Park, the Conero National Park, the Monte San Bartolo Regional Park and the Gola della Rossa and Frasassi Regional Park. The region really is beautiful, with an abundance of mountains, streams, woods, forests, hills, rivers and gorges to explore. In short, it’s perfect for those looking to be outdoors during their luxury villa holiday in Le Marche.

Visit the blue flag beaches

Le Marche has approximately 180 km of coastline along its Eastern border, and this is home to the highest number of Blue Flag beaches in Italy. Some of our favourite beaches include Mezzavalle, Due Sorelle (which is part of a nature reserve and accessible only by sea), Spiaggia del Passetto in Ancona and Grottammare.

Indulge in the local food and wine

This rural backdrop has also ensured that, like its neighbours Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche is similarly renowned for its food. For example, this is another Italian region where you can enjoy truffles, a must-have on any luxury villa holiday. Acqualagna’s annual Autumn truffle fair is second only to that in Alba in Piedmont.

Discover the traditional craftsmanship of Le Marche

The region is renowned for its traditional craftsmanship. Fabriano was once the most important centre for paper production in Europe. A visit to the town today during a luxury holiday will still provide you with an opportunity to learn about how the paper is produced and the history of paper making here.

Similarly, the region is also famous for its pottery, and the centre of the Italian maiolica pottery production in Marche is Urbania. And Offida is famous for its lace production.

 

When to visit Le Marche for a luxury holiday

We love Le Marche in every season. Whatever time of year you visit for your luxury villa holiday, there are plenty of events and festivals to enjoy.

• Spring (April to June): Perfect for sightseeing, hiking, and outdoor activities. Temperatures are pleasantly warm, rolling hills are vibrant green, and wildflowers cover the countryside.
• Summer (July and August): Summer brings abundant sunshine, warm sea temperatures, and lively coastal scenes. It is also festival season, highlighted by Senigallia’s 1950s Summer Jamboree and Ascoli Piceno’s historic Quintana jousting festival.
• Autumn (September to November): Ideal for food and wine lovers. Autumn brings the grape and olive harvests, as well as prestigious truffle fairs in Acqualagna. The weather remains warm enough for early autumn sea swims.
• Winter (December to March):There is equally something special about Le Marche in the Winter months too. The run-up to Christmas is certainly particularly special, with some wonderful events worth participating in, such as Candles in Candelara and Genga.

 

Frequently asked questions about booking a luxury holiday villa in Le Marche

What is Marche famous for?

Le Marche is possibly our favourite region in Italy. And yet, for most, it’s a little known Italian holiday destination that, despite its beauty, sits under the radar. Marche is famous for its stunning rural landscape. Home to four national parks, it is a rich tapestry of rolling hills and mountains. Marche is also famous for its breathtakingly beautiful coastline. However, like so much of Italy, Marche is also famous for its long and rich history. Marche can certainly give Tuscany a run for its money when it comes to its artistic heritage. In Urbino, the National Gallery of Marche displays Renaissance artworks by artists such as Piera della Francesca, Titian and Raphael, who was actually born in the city. And the region also has a rich cultural heritage too. Marche is the birthplace of shoe-making in Italy. Brands such as Tods still have their headquarters here. And it’s also an important centre for paper production and ceramics. Fabriano was once the most important centre for paper production in Europe, Urbania is still famous today for its maiolica and Offida has been the centre of lace production since the 1400s.

How do I get to Le Marche?

Le Marche actually has its own airport – Rafaello Sanzio Airport – near Ancona. For a greater choice of flights, you can also opt to fly into Bologna Giglielmo Marconi airport. It takes approximately 2.5 hours to drive from here to Ancona. Alternatively, you could also fly into Florence or Rome (both 3.5 hours away) or into either Milan or Pisa, which are each around 4 hours drive from Ancona.

You could also opt to reach Le Marche by train. A fast Frecciarossa train will take you from Milan to Ancona in as little as 3 hours. And, of course, with the Adriatic coast making up one of Le Marche’s borders, you can also get to Le Marche by boat. There are regular crossings to the port of Ancona in Marche from Greece, Albania, Montenegro and Croatia.

However you get to Marche, once there, we do recommend you hire a car for your Marche villa holiday. Much of Marche is rural and, whilst there is a bus service, connections can be unreliable and infrequent. Therefore, if you truly want to explore the most beautiful parts of the region, we do recommend you have your own transport at hand.

What are the top towns and villages in Marche?

Our favourite towns in Marche are Urbino, Recanati and Ascoli Piceno, whose central square – the Piazza del Popolo – is one of the most beautiful in Italy. You can find more information in our guide to the top towns and villages of Marche. To on our list of our favourite coastal towns in Marche would be Senigallia, Fano, Ancona, Grottamare, San Benedetto del Tronto and Pesaro. However, one of the most visited towns in Marche is Loreto. This attracts thousands of pilgrims annually, all flocking to see the simple house of Mary and Joseph inside the Basilica della Santa Casa, believed to have been brought here at the end of the 13th century.

What are the top things to do in Le Marche?

No Le Marche villa holiday would be complete without a visit to the region’s only UNESCO heritage site – Urbino. This is home to the Palazzo Ducale, an incredibly beautiful Renaissance palace. However, this is by no means the only city in Marche worth visiting. Marche has a wealth of villages, towns and cities worth discovering. Many, such as Gradara, Monadvio or Corinaldo, are among some of the best preserved Medieval villages anywhere in Italy.

Inland, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the beautiful rolling hills of Le Marche, including hiking and mountain biking. We definitely recommend a hike through the Furlo Gorge, stopping en route to visit the Frasassi Caves and to admire the Tempio del Valadier in Genga.

And, of course, with a coastline that stretches for over 170 km, anyone visiting during the warmer months of the year, will also want to spend time on the beach.

What is the traditional food in Le Marche?

We can’t get enough of the food in Le Marche whenever we’re visiting our Marche villa rentals. Probably our favourite Marche speciality are Ascolana olives. These are olives that have been stuffed and then fried. Trust me – they are incredibly more-ish! The region is also famous for its wine production. This region is the home of Verdicchio wine.