Monday 18th April

Although Cagli, in Le Marche is fairly close to the border with Umbria the countryside and landscape are completely different. Le Marche is on the Eastern side of the Apennine Mountains, and Umbria is to the west.
Here in Le Marche spring has sprung and the trees all have their leaves, the fields look greener and lush and while Umbria was greening and leaves appearing it was not to the same extent that Le Marche has. We put it down to the Apennines and the production of slightly different climate zones. That's our theory anyway.
We struck out today to see more of this magnificent countryside and its many vistas. The vista changes within a few kilometers from gently rolling hills and plains to magnificent soaring mountains, covered in a vast array of softwood trees of differing hues of green to bare vertical rock as if the mountainside slid off  some time in the past.
We drove through many and visited some of  the most enchanting towns that you can imagine.

• Genga, a small medieval town perched high on a hill in the upper Esino Valley and laying fame to producing Pope Leo X11 (1823-1829) - amongst other things.
• Fabriano which was at the forefront of paper making in Europe in the 13th Century. We visited the paper museum and this was both intriguing and facsinating. This was where we had lunch in a pizzeria of the the best pizza I've had. Eat your heart out Pizza Hut.
• Grotti di Frasassi, caves which are reputed to be the grandest in Europe and only discovered in 1975. The location they are in is very rugged, steep sided and mountainous country and no wonder they lay hidden for so long. We did not visit them as the walking and climbing precluded us.
• We passed through and by places like Pergola, Sassoferrato, Croce, Arcevia and Palazzo. Palazzo is an unbelievable sight as you wind your way throgh the mountains. It looks like a giant tiered wedding cake with what looks like houses built on top of each other. Unfortunately the best photography spots were not accessible or masked by trees.
• We drove partly on the Via Flaminia, the road built by the Romans before Christ to open up the trading routes through central Italy. Now that's a thrill to drive the same road that the legions walked and rode.    

Le Marche Countryside View

Another Le Marche View

More Le Marche



13th Century "paper pulp maker" in Fabriano Museum

 A street scene in Fabriano showing Piazza del Comune
 flanked by the Gothic Palazzo del Podesta

Thee entrance gate to Genga

A friend made in Genga

The "Wedding Cake" Town - Palazzo