Back ‘I Borghi Autentici d’Italia’ (Italy’s authentic villages)

‘I Borghi Autentici d’Italia’ (Italy’s authentic villages)

Hospitable lands
The ‘Borghi Autentici d’Italia’ Association is a system of territories and communities across Italy with a common aim; to improve the quality of the urban and natural environment and to make the lives of citizens and visitors alike more pleasant.

The local community, synonymous with good living, taste and tradition, opens its arms to tourists termed “temporary citizens” to become a hospitable community. Every year the association organises an Authentic Villages National Festival with food, wine and craft markets, conferences, symposiums and live music events.  The “From Village to Village” competition is of particular interest, which aims to promote the image of Italy’s Authentic Villages, through stories, videos and photos.

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Level of difficulty: media
Target: Benessere
Seasonality: Estate

The stages of the itinerary

  • Carassai
    Piazza Matteotti , 1 Carassai (AP)
    0734.919002
    The stage includes the following destinations: Carassai

    Carassai is on a ridge between the river Aso and the stream Menocchia and it offers a wonderful view of the valleys from the Adriatic Sea to the Sibillini mountains. It’s 16 km far from the sea.

    It has very old origins, as many Neolithic finds document. They’re housed at the “Antiquarium Comunale “archaeological museum which was opened in October 2008. It’s on the first floor of the Town Hall, adjacent to it you can see the church “Oratorio di S. Monica”. It was built in 1699, it has a Baroque facade. After being renovated it was turned into a picture- gallery. It houses paintings of great pictorial value and the statue of St. Monica. Also in the church S. Maria del Buon Gesù, in Baroque renaissance style, there are many interesting works of art.

    Worth visiting is the old castle, whose military features are evident in the walls at whose edge there are some 14th and 15th century fortifications and in the impressive covered military passageways.

    Women from Carassi are very attached to the public wash house, which has been recently renovated. It was built in 1901 and it’s considered a local place of historical memory.

    4 km far from Carassai is the impressive castle Monte Varmine. It dates back to the 14th century and even earlier (ruins of the 9th century). It probably has Lombard origins and it’s one of the castles of the Marche which has preserved intact both the defensive walls and the tall tower with Ghibelline crenellation, which is provided with archer's niches and embrasures.

    2 km far from the castle is the Romanesque abbey Sant’Angelo in Piano. Initially it was in a isolated location; then, in the first half of the 11th century a monastery was built by Benedictine monks who therefore settled in the area. Nothing is left of the monastery but in the past it had a great religious and spiritual importance, as it was the goal of pilgrimages during the 14th century due to some concessions granted by the bishops of Fermo. Besides, it was also in a crucial spot, since it was along the commercial route between Ascoli Piceno and Fermo and along the river Aso and was therefore located in a suitable place for trades.

  • Montedinove
    Via Roma , 2 Montedinove (AP)
    0736.829410
    The stage includes the following destinations: Montedinove
    The historic center, the monuments and the museums of the town are partially accessible. For information please contact the phone number  0733-52056


    Montedinove     stands on a hill at 561 m above sea level, between the Aso and Tesino valleys, at the foot of Mount Ascension. It belongs to the Mountain Community of the Sibillini Mountains and to the association of the Authentic villages of Italy. Walking in the old town you will be fascinated by the beauty of many art treasures, like the town wash houses, the "fountains of the aqueduct Polesio", the coat of arms of the XIV century Congregation of "sutores" (tailors) and the elegant XV century loggia. Around the main square there are: the “Palazzo Comunale” (Town Hall) with the porch and the bell tower, the church of Santa Maria de 'Cellis, documenting the presence of the Templars in the Piceno area, especially for the unique portal, and the Church of San Lorenzo. The ruins of the fortifications, such as "Porta della Vittoria", one of the two entrances to the village, also known as "Porta Marina", and the ruins of a medieval tower are also worth visiting. In the village you can find an eighteenth house with an elegant Renaissance style loggia. Outside the town you can visit the shrine of St. Thomas Becket, built in the seventeenth century and dedicated to the English saint, killed in 1170 by Henry II in Canterbury Cathedral. The main events taking place in Montedinove during the year are: the Feast of St. Thomas (first Sunday in June), the Feast of San Lorenzo (August 10), Montedinove Flavors and Art (12 and 13 August), E. ..state in Montedinove (August), Sibillini in Rosa (November).

    The historic center, the monuments and the museums of the town are partially accessible. For information please write to Toll-free Number Marche Tourism (numeroverde.turismo@regione.marche.it) or contact the phone numbers listed below.
  • Rotella
    Via Umberto I , 11 Rotella (AP)
    0736.374122
    The stage includes the following destinations: Rotella
    Rotella is on the slopes of Mount Ascension, in the Marche’s inland, at the confluence of the Oste stream in the Tesino river. It belongs to the association of the Authentic villages of Italy. The name could be traced back to the Latin word Rotula, which indicated the shield of the Roman soldiers, or may refer to the location of the manor, located on a bight of a river; according to a more certain source, Rotella derives from the diminutive of the Latin word rota (small wheel). Although the town has been forced in recent years to an almost total redevelopment due to continuous landslides, the architectural heritage is still remarkable: sacred buildings and remains of the fortifications are scattered throughout the town. In Poggio Canoso area, dominated by the fortress, there’s the parish church, with a Romanesque portal a precious painting by Pietro Alemanno; frescoes and precious reliquaries can be found in various religious buildings in Castel di Croce and Capradosso areas; the eleventh century Church of Verdiente is in Icone area. The church has a rectangular shape (1200 x 500), with round apse facing east and full of frescoes. In Torbidello area, in a small clearing at the foot of Mount Ascension, there is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Consolation or Montemisio. The church was built by the monks of Farfa on the ruins of a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis or Artemisia. In the village the worth visiting attractions are : the impressive fifteenth-century clock tower; the rectangular shaped collegiate church of Santa Maria and San Lorenzo (1767), boasting paintings by Filippo Ricci; the Piccolomini museum of sacred art, housing valuable reliquaries. The major events taking place in Rotella throughout the year are: the Feast of San Lorenzo, the town’s Patron, and the Feast of Our Lady of Montemisio (August).

     The historic center, the monuments and the museums of the town are partially accessible. For information please write to Toll-free Number Marche Tourism (numeroverde.turismo@regione.marche.it) or contact the phone numbers listed below.