Montemaggiore al Metauro

The cute, compact town of Montemaggior al Metauro sits on a "balcony" in northern Le Marche. The old town is capped by a castle and its well-kept medieval streets wend among the brick buildings that tucked within the walls. It is a delightful village above the Metauro Valley with nice views.

The "borgo murato" is the old part of town, still cradled within its protective walls. Descend a staircase to the "new town" where you'll find the main piazza and the town hall, housed in a palazzo from the 1700s. Go down another staircase to the lower level of town, where the Museo Storico is located. Dedicated to Winston Churchill, the museum pays homage to the prime minister's visit in 1944 and the area's history during WWII.

Montemaggiore al Metauro is surrounded by pines with cooling pathways through them, that encircle the walls. It is a lovely village, with extensive views from its hilltop that extend to the Apennine Mountains to the west and the glittering Adriatic Sea to the east. At night you'll see the twinkling lights from other hill towns and the city of Fano on the sea. The countryside is a beautiful patchwork of olives, grain fields and vines; this is home to the stellar vintage, Bianchello del Metauro DOC, a refreshing white wine produced only here.