Visit Torre San Patrizio: 'Our home on the Adriatic'

Among the rolling hills of the Marche, there is one in particular where a breathtaking panorama opens up, ranging from the Sibillini Mountains to the blue horizon of the Adriatic Sea, in the countryside of Fermo, less than half an hour from the coast; among rows of vines, olive trees and green meadows where bees buzz peacefully. An ancient village that preserves a thousand-year history, which in the aftermath of the Unification of Italy turns into a passionate story. We discover it in the pages of the book Our House on the Adriatic, a memoir by an English writer who chose this town as her home.

Torre San Patrizio, a delightful little village, which preserves many attractions from all the historical eras that have passed through it. A lively town that loves culture and entertainment. A hard-working town, we are in the famous Marche shoes valley, an Italian excellence that awaits to be discovered in the historic shoe factories. There are also many farms ready to give you the genuine flavors of the typical and delicious dishes of the Marche. Torre San Patrizio is a relaxing journey, enjoyable with all the senses and intellectually stimulating, discover it with us!

The history of Torre San Patrizio takes us back in time, the first traces date back to the 7th-6th century BC in the Picena era, there are also remains from the Roman era, but only in the Middle Ages, no later than the 13th century, was it erected as a municipality and named after Saint Patrick, Turris Sancti Patritii, it is still the only Italian municipality that bears the name of this saint, the feast in honor of Saint Patrick, patron saint of the city is celebrated on March 17th of each year. Torre San Patrizio was the protagonist of various incendiary and bloody wars, to fight and defend its identity and to establish itself as an autonomous municipality, no longer subject to the lordships and the Papacy.

These events tell us a lot about the character and mettle of the population, well represented by the heraldic coat of arms of the town, inflexible and haughty like a tower that rises above the elements, represented in the lower part of the coat of arms; strong and courageous like a lion, which stands out in the upper part of the coat of arms. The most exciting part of the history of Torre San Patrizio is found in the recent past and is inextricably linked to the story of an English writer, who in 1873 chose and elected as her permanent residence, what was then a house a little outside the village, on top of a hill from which you could enjoy a wonderful view of the Adriatic. Margaret Collier, wife of Arturo Galletti, Garibaldi officer, in that wonderful house with a breathtaking view, which took the name of Villa Zara, wrote a lot and through her book Our house on the Adriatic, we can reconstruct with a hint of romanticism what life was like in the Italian provinces after the Unification of Italy. Today Villa Zara is a municipal villa, an unmissable destination that we will tell you about later.

The ancient village of Torre San Patrizio in the Marche region is nestled on the top of a hill 225 meters above sea level. From its magnificent position you can enjoy a unique panorama, which ranges from the enchanted Sibillini Mountains to the quiet Adriatic Sea and from the wild Conero hill to the imposing Gran Sasso. We are 15 km from the city of Fermo, in the middle Val Tenna, an area that alternates rolling hills with valleys and extends from the source of the Tenna River in the Sibillini Mountains, to its mouth in the Adriatic Sea, Porto Sant’Elpidio. Torre San Patrizio is a strategic area, less than half an hour from the coast, in a delightful hilly area full of magnificent villages, all waiting to be discovered. The panorama and the beauty of the villages are combined with a gentle countryside with a flourishing agricultural production made of oil, wine, cereals, legumes, products related to beekeeping and livestock; raw materials for the tasty and genuine dishes of the Marche DOC tradition and some local delicacies, which we will let you discover later. Craftsmanship is another of the characteristics that make it worth visiting these areas, we are in the Marche shoes district, in these parts shoes have been made since medieval times. The footwear production of the Marche represents an Italian excellence and if you want to see with your own eyes, you must come and visit one of the historic companies in the area, the Gordon shoe factory (Torre San Patrizio), in business since 1956. While if you want to know more about the history of the shoe, 10 km away in Sant'Elpidio a Mare (blue flag beach) you will find the shoe museum.

Now backpack on your shoulders, comfortable shoes and a smile on your face, let's start visiting the village of Torre San Patrizio, one step at a time we will take you around the village discovering all its attractions. Torre San Patrizio is a small village, but it is full of sites of interest and things to do.

We will start with a tour of the historic center, we will review its artistic and architectural excellences, to finally visit the fascinating Villa Zara and the surroundings of Torre San Patrizio, without forgetting the moments of leisure and entertainment that the town offers and the delicious food and wine specialties, which only in these parts are so tasty.

The delightful town of Torre San Patrizio stands on the hill, seen from afar it has a tapered shape, as if it wanted to reach the sky. The pretty town has a typical medieval structure, the old part made of winding streets and stone houses is enclosed by the original fifteenth-century walls. The Porta da Sole was the southern entrance to the town where the sun came from, the door has a slight pointed arch and opposed the Porta da Bora, on the north side of the town, this second door was destroyed after the Second World War.

The old part is the highest part of the town, if you look beyond the walls, you will realize how the town has grown over time, groups of modern buildings alternate with meadows and cultivated plots that descend towards the valley. All the cultural assets of Torre San Patrizio have been restored and revalued since 2013, with a major recovery project that has brought the town back to its original beauty. This underlines the virtuous spirit of the Torresi (inhabitants of Torre San Patrizio), who care about the protection of their land and the safeguard of historical memories made available to all curious travelers eager to discover its treasures.

In a few minutes you will arrive at the central square of the town, Piazza Umberto I, it is in this square that you can enjoy a spectacular view from the mountains to the sea, on good weather days you will feel like you have a good portion of the Marche region at your feet. In Piazza Umberto I there is the 16th century town hall, inside you will find a medieval cistern, and if you are an adventure lover you can also visit the caves. Still in Piazza Umberto I you will find the  church of SS. Salvatore, remodeled in the 18th century but of earlier origin, here important paintings and a processional cross in silver and copper of Marche art from the 15th century are preserved.

In the niche of a house, you will see the bust of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of the town, every year on March 17th solemn religious functions are held, but also popular entertainment. Also given the twinning of the town of Torre San Patrizio with the city of Kells in Ireland, they have started to celebrate Saint Patrick day, music and beer and lots of fun to celebrate the patron saint of Torre San Patrizio who is also the patron saint of Ireland.

Among the artistic and architectural excellences, the church of the Madonna delle Rose is of particular interest. The church dates to the early fifteenth century and is the oldest in the town. The building has a single nave and a wooden truss roof. In addition to being the oldest, this church has an extreme historical-artistic value due to the fresco contained within it. It is a work from 1466 of considerable value, the Madonna with Child enthroned between San Nicola da Tolentino and San Bernardino da Siena, above the blessing Redeemer; also called Madonna del latte. The work is by the artist Pierpalma da Fermo, but for a long time it was erroneously attributed to another artist.

The fresco occupies the surface of a pointed niche on the altar wall, it represents the Madonna breastfeeding the baby Jesus, the work can certainly be counted among the masterpieces of this area. Before leaving, notice the beautiful Romanesque braided holy water stoup owned by the Confraternity of the Santissimo Sacramento. There were four confraternities in Torre San Patrizio and at one time they also managed a Monte Frumentaio, the headquarters was adjacent to the church of the Madonna delle Rose, the Monti Frumentai were mutualistic organizations that lent farmers grain for sowing, this was because the poorest farmers could face shortages and famines and were forced to eat even the grain that had been saved for sowing.

Leaving the historic center, head towards the church of San Francesco, the church dates to the 16th century and once there was a convent attached to the building, which today has been transformed into a nursery school and senior center. We suggest you visit the church because of the legend linked to the precious wooden crucifix from the 15th century. It is said that a parish priest of Torre San Patrizio one day wanted to move the ancient crucifix to the church of SS. Salvatore, that night some passers-by saw a stranger walking straight towards the church of San Francesco and when asked where he was going, the traveler answered, "to my house". The following day the parish priest found the crucifix not in the church of SS. Salvatore where he had it moved, but it was again in the church of San Francesco.

Legend or reality, the fact is that the crucifix is still hanging behind the altar of the church of San Francesco, for the village it has always been a point of reference, in ancient times in periods of drought the common people came to ask for the grace of rain and were satisfied. Inside the church of San Francesco, you will find some paintings dating from the 15th to the 18th century and the fragment of the fresco Madonna Addolorata and San Giovanni by Vincenzo Pagani, a painter from the end of the 15th century. Not far from the church of San Francesco, on the road that leads to the sports fields you will find Fonte Duglio, an ancient fountain from the Roman period, today completely restored. Now let's go and discover the fascinating places hidden in the countryside around Torre San Patrizio!

Villa Zara is a place much loved by all the people of Torre San Patrizio, but also by the people of the nearby villages and by the tourists who come to these parts, a destination for walks, relaxation and cultural events. The villa is surrounded by three hectares of lush park and stands on the San Venanzo hill, once in fact it was known as the San Venanzo house. We suggest you visit this destination in the afternoon to enjoy both a well-deserved relaxation in the lush greenery of the park, and to watch the spectacle of the sun setting with a breathtaking view that reaches all the way to the sea.

In our story, this villa with a splendid view, lost in the Marche countryside, came to life when Arturo Galletti, son of a famous Garibaldian general, bought it in 1873 and a few years later he came to live here with his wife, Margaret Collier, an English writer of noble origins who wanted to transform it into a sort of English country residence, an attempt that did not succeed but which resulted in a pleasant and unexpected mix. Villa Zara inspired Margaret Collier's diary novel Our House on the Adriatic and still today continues to be a driving force of culture for new generations, the recent publication of the children's book Lino and the Ghost of Villa Zara, is proof of this. Villa Zara takes its name from the last owners, who later gave the villa and the park to the municipal administration.

Craftsmanship is an art that is passed down from generation to generation, a way to keep memory alive and embellish and enrich each era with the creativity of new artisans. In the Fermo countryside, craftsmanship is aimed at the production of shoes. In Italy, one shoe out of three, is produced in the Marche region, with its peak in Fermo. Until a few years ago, in every house of Torre San Patrizio, perhaps in the basement, there was a workshop that produced shoes or parts of them and it is said that at the time of greatest glory of the Torre San Patrizio shoe industry, local companies would pass by in a van to get manpower from nearby towns because that of Torre was not sufficient.

Shoes have been made in these parts since the Middle Ages, already in the 300 AD some documents report the existence of small workshops that produced classic shoes. To talk about a real industry, we will have to wait until the 19th century, with the introduction of the first industrial machinery. Today the footwear district of the Marche is home to famous brands that represent Italian Style in the world. In Torre San Patrizio you can visit the Gordon shoe factory, in business since 1956 and discover its fascinating history. 

When it comes to the pleasures of the table, no matter where you go in Italy, you are always spoiled for choice. The Marche's typical dishes are many, even tastier when accompanied by locally produced wines. From succulent appetizers to first courses, with pasta of a thousand shapes and fillings, strictly homemade, to get to the second courses of meat or fish, in the seaside areas, up to the desserts. Torre San Patrizio offers the recipes of the Marche tradition, genuine flavors that correspond to a healthy lifestyle, respectful of the rhythm of nature and its seasonality. In the farms of the area you will find local products, the fruit of work in the fields.

In the restaurant of the Agriturismo Pomod'oro, you can try a great variety of first courses, prepared at home with organic flours at km 0, such as agnolotti with truffle, or gnocchi with duck sauce, this farmhouse, given the position of Torre San Patrizio, is also specializes in second courses of meat. In Torre San Patrizio there are various farms engaged in the production of cereals and flours, open for on-site sales. Such as, for example, the L’Orto di Nisetta farm or the La Viola farm, where a wide range of organic cereals and flours are sold, from the most common ones, to special processes, such as red oat flour.

In Torre San Patrizio there are many cultural, social and recreational initiatives. Throughout the year there are festivals, events and theatrical reviews both outdoors in the summer season and indoors in the municipal theatre, named after the son of the writer Margaret Collier, the engineer Roberto Clemens Galletti de Cadilhac, who was a pioneer in the study of wireless telegraphy. In addition to the aforementioned feast of the Patron San Patrizio with also the Saint Patrick Day which takes place on March 17, in spring we start with the Festival of lupins, a delicious natural and protein snack belonging to the legume family. On Easter Tuesday the traditional religious festival of Pallottelle takes place, which takes its name from the spherical lead candles used in the past to decorate the streets and churches, this event ends with a solemn procession.

In the summer, the most awaited traditional events are the Contesa delle brocche, a speed race between women who carry heavy jugs full of water on their heads and must not spill a drop, and the Palio del pozzo, a horse race on the road, both events take place in July. In the summer, it is also nice to sip a cool drink at the Beer Festival, which takes place in the beautiful atmosphere of Villa Zara among centuries-old trees and the superb panorama. We close our roundup of events with the autumn season, where we find the Rassegna Antichi Profumi d’Autunno with music, chestnut festivals and lunches in the square. While throughout the year there is still the possibility to practice sports, there are tennis courts, a bowling alley and a sports center with a gym.

The best way to get to Torre San Patrizio is by car, traveling by car would allow you to plan a route in stages and you would have the opportunity to get to know the surrounding area better, in the Marche there are truly so many treasures to discover. Torre San Patrizio is located just 15 km away from the city of Fermo and if you travel by car, whether you come from the north or the south, the fastest way to get there is to take the A14 highway, from the north towards Ancona, from the south towards Naples, then exit at Civitanova Marche and take the SS77 towards Tolentino/Macerata, finally you go out at Montecosaro and continue on the SP 78 to Torre San Patrizio. If you travel by public transport, the simplest solution is to opt for a bus, while in the summer if you are a person looking for adventure, it could be a nice challenge to organize an itinerary of the area by bike, doing bike tours in Italy is possible.