Hidden Gems - The Charming Villages of Le Marche: Monte San Pietrangeli

As I travel along the Provincial Road 72 early in the morning, wherever I look I find the magnificent views of the Marca Fermana, a land of silence and wonders.

Then the road bends in a wide hairpin bend and in front of me appears Monte San Pietrangeli, a small ancient village surrounded by massive walls and round towers crowned with greenery. Its low stone buildings held each others in an eternal embrace, while two tall bell towers look like gentle giants standing guard.

Its first jewel is right there, just outside the walls. It’s the church of San Lorenzo and San Biagio, with its bell tower and its tall columns that make it look as majestic as an ancient temple.

The solemnity of this place invites me to stay but at the same time I can't wait to get to know the rest of the village, so, a little reluctantly, I leave the church and its frescoed vaults.

Back on the street, it only takes me a few steps to reach a short bridge. As in a fantasy novel, the entrance to the historic center is guarded by two stone lions, but there is nothing to fear. Monte San Pietrangeli is as welcoming as its inhabitants, and conveys an idea of ​​warmth and serenity.

A few minutes and I am already in the heart of the old town where one of the most beloved sons of this land greets me.

Luigi Fontana is the most important artist born here, and his bronze bust invites visitors to walk on the main street that cuts the center in half, along its entire length.

My exploration begins from Via Roma, and even though I already knew that I would’ve found so much history and beauty, here, when I look up I’m taken by surprise.

Right above me there is an imposing square tower. The sun makes the color of the bricks even warmer and if this place smells of heroic deeds and great battles, it’s indeed because the Civic Tower has survived sieges and revolts, like Monte San Pietrangeli itself, always free and rebellious.

I take some time to enjoy the feeling of intimacy of the tiny square, as I have fun imagining the simple life of ordinary people, the heroic deeds, the failures and the victories against the invaders.

This place seems made especially for traveling through time, even if only with the imagination.

The center of Monte San Pietrangeli is an oval crossed by a trident of streets. For now I decide to stay on the main one so, without even realizing it, I reach the main square, Piazza Umberto I.

This place is definitely worth a stop, I tell myself, and my instinct is right. Palazzo Civico is like a history book that helps me understand the pride of the locals.
Right in front of it there is what was once a church. Today it’s a cultural center, one of the many beating hearts of this village.

Monte San Pietrangeli has all the charm of a place frozen in time, but it’s also full of vitality and positive energy.

How nice it would be to stay a little longer and be a part of its life, listen to the band play, or join the party at one of the local festivals!

Surrounded by so much beauty, I almost forgot that the morning is soon to be over and it’s time for a break. Luckily I am in the Marche and there is never a shortage of delicacies to taste, here.

In Monte San Pietrangeli, in fact, you are truly spoiled for choice. Homemade pasta? Local cured meats? Or maybe something sweet?

Between small restaurants and bars that emanate delicious aromas, I finally let myself be tempted by one of the most typical dishes of this land, caciù de fava. At a first glance, they look a bit like large ravioli and with just one bite I discover a soft filling made of beans, while the scent of cinnamon envelops all my senses.

The best part is that there are so many others to try, with so many different aromas. From lemon to chickpeas, from cocoa to raisins, they are all delicious!

Back on the road after this tasty energy boost, I continue to walk among the elegant Renaissance buildings of Via Roma, among the flower pots and the shops where you can buy local products, until a descending staircase gets my attention. I then decide to make a small detour and find myself on Via Porta da Sole.

Once upon a time this was one of the ancient entrances to the village and in fact the road leads outside the walls, to an incredible viewpoint. The Marca Fermana stretches out at my feet in all its beauty once again. Now I understand where the gate’s name comes from. The sun is high in the sky and under its rays the green of the meadows and hills becomes even brighter.

I stay a little longer to enjoy the early afternoon breeze, before retracing my steps and reaching Via Roma again.

My visit goes on, until the grandiose mass of a tall building blocks my way. I am at the foot of the other bell tower I saw in the morning, and I have reached one of the village’s most important monuments. It’s the convent of San Francesco, that’s been here for almost a thousand years to watch over the life that flows all around.

I feel a sort of awe as I visit the interior, as sumptuous as the exterior is austere, then I look for the cloister to treat myself to a long, quiet walk under vaults of hits porticos.

The air is pure here, and the sun is warm, so when I leave the convent I willingly continue to walk along its perimeter, sure that something nice will happen again, and I’m not mistaken.

Between belvederes and panoramic secondary roads, the gaze can wander infinitely. I rest for a while on a stone bench, looking into the distance and listening to the silence, but unfortunately the afternoon is already coming to an end. I have to go, but to return to the starting point I choose an alternative route.

Via Mandirola delimits the village on the opposite side to Via Porta da Sole; this side of the center is more quiet, a little less known, but just equally charming.

I enjoyed the lively side of Monte San Pietrangeli, the main street and its monuments just as much as its more secluded alleys.

As I walk one last time in the shade of the houses the sound of my footsteps on the cobblestones is my only company. I brush the rough bricks of the facades with the tips of my fingers, trying to imprint in my memory all these moments, but just when I thought my trip was over, this place amazes me again.

The fifth wall of the buildings suddenly opens and I find myself contemplating immense panoramas under a blue sky. It’s almost as if Monte San Pietrangeli doesn’t want to let me go without a farewell gift.

After all, the magic of this place is just this: it enchants and surprises and for this very reason I will always carry it in my heart.

It’s time for me to hit the road again. I’m wondering where the roads will lead me. To another village, another story, another hidden gem of Le Marche.