Italy is made up of 20 regions, each with distinctive characteristics. Here, you’ll get an overview of Le Marche to get you started on planning a Le Marche trip.
While generations of travelers descend upon Tuscany, all trying to find something that feels untouched by all those previous generations, Le Marche has just been hanging out slightly to the east and almost completely under the radar.
Le Marche has quite a bit in common with Tuscany and Umbria – including rolling hills, many of which have Medieval villages atop them – but there are far fewer tourists in this region. And that may be just what you’re looking for.
Le Marche Basics
- The Italian name for Le Marche is a plural term that means “The Marches,” so you’ll sometimes see it written in English as The Marches. The Italian version is pronounced leh MAR|keh.
- The demonym for people or things from Le Marche is marchigiano (masculine singular), marchigiana (feminine singular), marchigiani (masculine plural), or marchigiane (feminine plural).
- The capital of Le Marche is Ancona.
- Le Marche is in central Italy and shares borders with the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, and Lazio as well as the Adriatic Sea. The Republic of San Marino, almost wholly contained in Emilia-Romagna, also borders Le Marche.
- There is one UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Le Marche – the historic center of the city of Urbino.
Le Marche Travel Tips
creative commons graphic by Otourly, modified by me
Le Marche doesn’t look particularly small on a map, but it’s the sixth-smallest in Italy, with the eighth-smallest population. The beaches along the Adriatic Sea are popular with Italians during the summer months – Rimini is one of the most famous seaside resort towns in Europe. Much of the coast, including the capital city of Ancona, is easily reached by train.
Beyond that, however, it’s tough to get around Le Marche without a car, thanks in large part to how much of the region is mountainous. There are some regional bus lines, but this is one of the regions where it’s incredibly handy to have access to your own set of wheels. Not even the UNESCO city of Urbino has a train station.
Still, if you’re looking for a region to get away from the crowds trying to find their piece of the Tuscan sun, you could do worse than to explore Le Marche. Strap on your hiking boots and get acquainted with Italy’s great outdoors. Wander through pretty hill towns that you probably have never heard of but are no less charming because of their relative anonymity. And, in summer, hit the beach with the rest of the Italians to really feel like a local.
Guided Tours in Le Marche
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