Le Marche (pronounced markay) is an Italian secret. A region of softly rolling hills, scattered with attractively walled hill towns, this agricultural area is often described as the "real Italy".

From the magnificence of the Ducal Palace at Urbino to the clear waters of Lake Fiastra, from the open-air opera festival in Macerata, to the Roman amphitheatre at Urbisaglia and the dramatic rocky coves and cliffs of the Conero peninsula near Ancona, Le Marche remains untouched by mass tourism, which is surprising for a region that offers the visitor such a rich mix of culture, history, fine architecture, beautiful countryside and long, sandy beaches.