Holiday Apartment in Matelica: Culture, Nature and Verdicchio

Matelica combines impressive evidence of the past with nature and cultural experiences. Roman archaeology and religious art can be found in Matelica; the colourful murals of Braccano, hiking trails, the Ciclovia dell'Esino and Verdicchio di Matelica round out the specific attractions.

Urban Culture and Roman Traces

The Teatro G. Piermarini was designed by Giuseppe Piermarini around 1805 and inaugurated in 1812. This makes it a tangible example of classical theatre architecture and a focal point of Matelica's cultural appeal.

A large Roman residential complex with mosaic floors, colonnades and baths was excavated in Piazza G. Garibaldi. The baths include stepped pools lined with marble and mosaics. The same piazza also preserves a Roman mosaic floor discovered in 1972. At the Domus romana, three adjoining rooms and part of a fourth, featuring polychrome geometric mosaic floors, were discovered beneath the courtyard of a palace.

Religious art also adds a distinctive note. The Museo Piersanti houses a wooden crucifix of Sant'Eutizio dating from between 1160 and 1170. The Church of San Francesco was built around the middle of the 13th century and preserves the Romanesque portal of the original building.

Murals, Squares and Landscapes

Braccano is a free-to-access open-air gallery featuring colourful murals. They were created by students from the academies of Brera, Macerata and Urbino, as well as by established artists. Piazza Enrico Mattei is also home to an octagonal white-stone fountain built in 1587 and decorated with four statues of sea deities.

The Riserva Naturale Regionale del Monte San Vicino e del Monte Canfaito nature reserve also includes Matelica. It was established in 2009, covers approximately 1,500 hectares and features beech forests, panoramic landscapes, as well as anthropological and archaeological assets. A trail follows a stream fed by a spring to the waterfall of the Gola di Jana.

Hiking, Cycling and Verdicchio

The two routes differ in their mode of travel: a hiking trail leads to the Abbazia di Santa Maria di Rotis near Braccano, while the Ciclovia dell'Esino runs between Matelica and Esanatoglia. The monastery was a stop for pilgrims in the Middle Ages. The Ciclovia dell'Esino between Matelica and Esanatoglia passes through areas where Verdicchio di Matelica DOC and DOCG grapes are grown and offers views of Monte San Vicino, Monte Gemmo and Monte Corsegno.

The Verdicchio di Matelica region includes the wines “Verdicchio di Matelica DOC” and “Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG”, each governed by its own production regulations. This clearly defined regional wine theme complements the historical, scenic and active travel experiences around Matelica.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

For further orientation, you can also include Trebbio, Montelupone, Gagliole, Capriglia, Esanatoglia, Loro Piceno, Serravalle Di Chienti and Monte Cavallo in your plans.

For the broader travel overview: Macerata.