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Experience the real Italian lifestyle - la dolce vita
aprile/maggio 2008 The medieval town of Cingoli (Balcone delle Marche)
is about 10 minutes drive from il sorger del sole and has some hidden
gems! There are a number of churches and a cathedral in this small
medieval town and we have always wished to visit one of these churches to see a
famous painting by Lorenzo Lotto. This particular church is normally closed to
the public and you have to obtain special permission to be allowed in,
however, it was one of the occasions when the public could visit. Our tour of churches also
included visiting Chiesa di San Filippo Neri which is presently being restored
externally and we could not believe our eyes when we walked inside, this church
from the outside does not look anything special but inside is a different
story!
The Comune in Cingoli has recently introduced the DE. CO. (Denominazione Comunale) which is a type of quality assurance to a wide range of products available throughout Cingoli and its neighbouring villages. Now accompanied with the brand "I Borghi del Gusto" (The group of taste) the products include fantastic salamis, wines, liqueurs, olive oils, breads, pastries, confectionery, herbs, fruit, cheeses, sweets and so on. Wherever food and wine are mentioned we are there! We decided to visit the "Market of typical products from the mountains and the countryside" which was being held in the sports stadium. It was overwhelming experience with the smells, vast array of products and each stall had something to drink or taste, we eventually left after buying a local salami and a bottle of cherry liqueur. The weather was warm, the sun shining, the sky blue and we took the opportunity to have a 'quick visit' into the Comune's archeological museum featuring relics from the Bronze age and Roman era before having a small beer each outside one of the small bars enjoying the sunshine. Mentioning I Borghi del Gusto we endeavor to always buy and use local products (in addition to our own extra virgin olive oil and produce from our fruit trees) which we know are fresh and represent the local culture of the area. The local tourist office e mails us regularly with details of what is happening in Cingoli and already the diary for the rest of the month looks very interesting with a wide choice of programmes to suit all needs and tastes. Our two patio areas are now finished - we have uploaded some photographs onto this site and we can now offer guests the opportunity to breakfast or relax on either, we have a large umbrella which will allow shade on one of them and we plan to buy a gazebo type shade for the other as the temperatures are now on the up! We have some new pictures on our website as promised in our March update so please check out the other pages!
Price Guide We are always being told by guests that they had no idea how cheap it would be to holiday here in Le Marche. The area is still relatively undiscovered and there are no 'tourist prices' in the bars and restaurants - just what the locals would pay! To give you an idea the local restaurants offer a fixed price menu at 12 euros each and a typical meal includes pasta, grilled meat or fish, water, wine, bread and coffee. Restaurant prices for a pizza are around 6 euros each and pasta is also around 6 euros each with litre of house wine at around 3 euros. In a bar a glass of house wine is about 3 euros and a bottle of local beer is around 1.50 euros. Air Fares We have noticed that the air fare prices to Ancona and Rimini are creeping up as we near the summertime. If you find them a bit expensive for the dates you require, why not try flying to either Bologna (Forli), Rome or another airport mentioned on our Contact Us page. Bologna is still quite handy for us, Rome is a nice drive in summer and you could stop off on the way or even spend a few nights in the city as part of your holiday. Or, as lots of people are now doing flying to Pisa, spending some of their holiday in Tuscany and driving to Le Marche for peace and quiet and escaping the tourists. Don't forget the Italian trains are great for getting around and we have had guests who have arrived by train from Milan and even from Geneva in Switzerland. So, there is always a way to visit Le Marche! Bed & Breakfast Report "Out
with hotels, in with B&Bs"
The Times, 12 Jan 2008 We are not located in Britain but the same excellent value applies here in Italy compared to Italian hotels! Why not visit for a holiday, mid-week break (where flights and ferries are often cheaper), customised break, long weekend, celebration or anniversary. We welcome guests from throughout the world. If you would like to stay with us for 3 nights or more the room rates are always discounted and also if you make a late booking (within 2 months of planned date of stay - with no deposit required) we have late booking discounts. Current Offers For any available dates in May stay with us from 45 euros per night per room and any available dates in June stay with us from 50 euros per night per room with no deposit required. Costs include breakfasts and everything as described on Your Accommodation page of this website. Ciao Gregory and Sandra
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The
open air opera season at Macerata looks fantastic this year with performances of
Carmen, Tosca and Attila. The season runs from the middle of July
through to the middle of August - book early as the opera which is staged in
Macerata's open air arena which has the largest stage in Europe. Those who wish
to book on line search for Sferisterio or Macerata Open Air