Marche

This administrative division sits between the Apennine ridge and the Adriatic shoreline, organized into five provinces. The landscape shifts from mountains in the west to gentle hills rolling toward the coast, with river valleys cutting through the middle ground.

The name comes from medieval frontier marks established under the Holy Roman Empire in the tenth century. Control later passed from papal territories into unified Italy during the nineteenth century.

Small family workshops still produce accordions in Castelfidardo and ceramics in Ascoli Piceno, keeping crafts alive that reach back through generations. Visitors can watch artisans at work in towns across the territory, where skills pass quietly from parent to child.

Ancona serves as the main transport hub, linking airport, seaport, and railways to other parts of the territory. Many smaller towns are easier to reach by bus or car than by rail.

The cave system at Frasassi near Genga ranks among Europe's largest underground networks. Visitors walk through chambers where limestone formations have grown over thousands of years.

Location: Italy

Capital city: Ancona

Elevation above the sea: 343 m

Shares border with: Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo

Website: http://regione.marche.it

GPS coordinates: 43.31667,13.00000

Latest update: December 15, 2025 05:08