Experiences
A JOURNEY BETWEEN SEA, HILLS AND ANCIENT VILLAGES
Where the Sea Meets the Hills
Il Girasole Village is nestled in the heart of the Riviera delle Palme, in a privileged hilltop position in Massignano. From here, in just a few minutes you can reach the golden beaches of the Adriatic, the medieval villages of Piceno, the trails of the Sibillini Mountains and the wine cellars where Rosso Piceno is born.
Every day can become a different adventure: a morning at the beach, an afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of an ancient village, an evening savouring olive ascolane while watching the sunset over the valley. This is the magic of Le Marche.
The Sea
Just 5 minutes by car, the coast of the Riviera delle Palme unfolds before you, with its fine sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters awarded the Blue Flag.
Cupra Marittima is the nearest beach: a peaceful shoreline with family-friendly beach clubs and an ancient hilltop village overlooking the sea, home to Roman ruins and breathtaking views.
Grottammare, officially one of the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” (Most Beautiful Villages in Italy), enchants with its perched old town, flower-lined alleyways and palm-fringed seafront. Just beyond, San Benedetto del Tronto offers the lively Riviera with its famous fish auction, the recently renovated palm-lined promenade, the weekly market and evening beach bars.
For those who love spectacular scenery, heading north along the coast you reach the Riviera del Conero, with its white cliffs plunging into the sea and hidden coves. The famous Spiaggia delle Due Sorelle, reachable only by sea, is one of Italy’s most stunning beaches.
The Villages of Piceno
Piceno is a land of ancient villages, where every stone tells a story. From medieval towers to Renaissance squares, time seems to have stood still here — yet life goes on through markets, festivals and living traditions.
Ascoli Piceno
The city of a hundred towers, entirely built in travertine. Its Piazza del Popolo is considered one of Italy’s most beautiful: a perfect Renaissance salon.
Offida
A magical village frozen in time, famous for the art of bobbin lace and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria della Rocca with 14th-century frescoes.
Ripatransone
The ‘Balcony of Piceno’ with Italy’s narrowest alley (38 cm!) and a view stretching from Gran Sasso to the sea.
Montefiore dell’Aso
A hilltop village housing masterpieces by Carlo Crivelli in its Museum Centre. Breathtaking views over the gentle Piceno hills.
“Piazza del Popolo in Ascoli Piceno is a masterpiece of Renaissance harmony — an open-air salon where the travertine glows golden at sunset.”
The Sibillini Mountains
A little over an hour from the Village, a completely different world opens up: the Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, one of Italy’s most spectacular mountain landscapes.
The Fioritura di Castelluccio (June–July) is a spectacle unique in the world: the plateau transforms into a sea of colours — red poppies, blue cornflowers, lentil blossoms — creating an Impressionist painting that stretches as far as the eye can see.
For hiking enthusiasts, the Gole dell’Infernaccio offer a breathtaking canyon carved by the River Tenna, with the hermitage of San Leonardo hidden among the rock faces. The Lame Rosse — the “Marche Dolomites” — are towering red clay pinnacles that resemble a lunar landscape.
And for the more adventurous, the mysterious Lago di Pilato, set at 1,940 metres between the ridges of Monte Vettore, is home to the extremely rare chirocefalo del Marchesoni — a tiny crustacean found nowhere else on Earth.
Flavours and Traditions
Le Marche is one of Italy’s richest regions for culinary tradition, and Piceno is its beating heart.
The olive ascolane del Piceno DOP are the iconic dish: tender olives stuffed, breaded and fried, crispy on the outside and soft within. A craft passed down since the 1800s, and here you taste the original, inimitable version.
The maccheroncini di Campofilone IGP are an incredibly fine egg pasta — thin as angel hair — that melts in your mouth with ragù. The vincisgrassi are the Marche version of lasagne, rich and fragrant with nutmeg, a festive dish that tells centuries of tradition.
The wines of Piceno complete the experience: Rosso Piceno Superiore, Offida DOCG Pecorino (a mineral, crisp white) and sparkling Passerina. Local wineries welcome visitors for tastings among vineyards with views of the sea.
And at Il Girasole, our kitchen brings all of this to your table every evening — with local produce prepared with the passion of those who live this land every day.
By Bike and Beyond
And for those who want to venture further: the Parco del Conero with its white cliffs plunging into the sea, Urbino — a Renaissance city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Terme di Acquasanta for a day of relaxation in ancient sulphur springs. Le Marche never stops surprising.